VMI Cyber Corps

Alumni and Friends of VMI:

Cyber Corps Numbers: 529

Job Opportunities: Allan Berenbrok '80 sent the following e-mail. I attempted to cut and past the Word document that he attached, but it didn't work out very well. In his e-mail he provides a summary of the qualifications he's seeking.

attached is a word document. the document contains job descriptions for
engineers that I am searching to hire. In case you cannot open the file I
am looking for civil engineers for work in Greensboro NC, Houston TX and
Cleveland OH. I am looking for 5-10 years of experience, 10 - 15 and 15
plus years. Assistant engineers to Project Managers. Site Civil type
people with aviation experience. I am looking for up to 4 guys. The
positions are available now, now, now.

Please put this summary or a portion of the summary from the file on the
next update. You can include my name and phone number.
412-269-2970 tell them to call me or fax me a resume. 412-269-2747 fax
number. emphasize the now now now part.

More Christmas Memories:

Here's 2 "true" stories that I can recall my rat year (1972-73):

Christmas tress were not allowed in rooms (at least rats) so our 5 man
room elected to "build" a Xmas tree shape out of our RDC cards! I recall
it was a very full Xmas tree. After several days a TAC made us take it
down.

In my rat year I roomed just to the right of Jackson arch on the 4th stoop.
Below our 5-man room was the 3rd class president, Guy Conti. To
"celebrate" Christmas, after taps, we shot lighter fluid down the
pipes that went into his room and then lit it!! What a light show it
caused. We heard them scream! Boy, did we catch it - but it was worth
it all!!

Bob Keneally, '76

In Search of a Head Coach:

Friday, December 04, 1998
Memphis coordinator joins VMI list

FROM STAFF REPORTS

   Memphis defensive coordinator Jim Pletcher, who was James Madison's
defensive chief for 10 seasons, has applied for VMI's football coaching
vacancy.

    The 48-year-old Pletcher has run Memphis' defense for four seasons,
helping the Tigers knock off Tennessee in 1996. Memphis went 2-9 this
year, its fourth straight losing season.

    Pletcher was JMU's defensive coordinator from 1985-94, serving under
Joe Purzycki for the first six seasons and under Rip Scherer for the
next four. Pletcher helped the Dukes reach the Division I-AA playoffs
three times.

    VMI needs a replacement for Ted Cain, who was fired last month after
going 1-20 in two seasons.

Alumni Offer: Bill Stephens `73 and Jim Chalkley`73 have opened a national golf membership company, Fairway Partners, headquartered in Richmond Va. They have over 1800 golf courses and over 3300 hotels and motels affiliated with them where members can get discounts of up to 50% off. They offer members special purchase pricing on golf equipment, a subscription to Fairway Partners Today magazine, golf vacation packages and more. They are making a special offer to VMI grads, buy one membership at $85 and get one free. They also offer corporate packages, which are great gifts for employees or clients. Check them out at http://www.fpgolf.com or call 1-877-850-GOLF.

From The Rockbridge Weekly:

Late Breaking News.........
Estonians Visit, Learn At VMI

By Jerry Clark

Olavi Kavald, Kalle Bammer and Ragnar Koemets have travelled from their
homeland of Estonia (one of the Baltic nations) to the United States to
learn more about western society and the trio seems to be enjoying
themselves immensely.

Kavald took time last week to answer numerous questions about his
experience at VMI and his life in Estonia, which has been an interesting
one.

Hailing from Tartu (a city of about 100,000), Kavald joined the Estonian
National Defense and Public Service Academy more than four years ago.
After an intense competition after graduation there this summer, he was
able to garner the trip to the United States to improve his English
skills and learn all he could about western society.

"We were lucky," he said. "We were at the right place at the right
time." The trio has been in Lexington since August 24th and will leave
on December 18th.

The path to the United States from Estonia involved a stop in Iceland,
prior to landing in Baltimore.

Kavald (like many others) joined the Soviet Army after high school and
ended up in the paratroopers. After the breakup of the Soviet Union,
Soviet troops finally left Estonia in 1994 and freedom returned to his
homeland.

Kavald also spent about 6 months in Bosnia, which he described as a very
difficult situation with almost unprecedented religious hatred.

Kavald said that he very much enjoys the courses he's had the
opportunity to take at VMI, including one on International Politics,
taught by Professor Wayne Thompson. He's also sampled courses in
Psychology (Leadership Management), American Foreign Relations (he said
that the vastly different perspective of Americans has been very
interesting) as well as French and Spanish.

He speaks several languages including German and Russian and because he
is now employed by Interpoli Rahvuslik Keskburoo (Interpol), he plans to
make significant use of his talents.

At Interpol, Kavald will specialize in stolen property. He'll be one of
the buys that international police organizations will rely upon to help
recover stolen goods in and around Estonia. Since crime is on the
increase in eastern Europe and the former Soviet bloc countries, there's
little doubt he'll be kept quite busy.

Kavald indicated that his salary is the equivalent of about 150 U.S.
dollars per month, even though the average Estonian salary is probably
closer to 200 to 250 U.S. dollars monthly. Law enforcement officers
apparently aren't paid any better (relatively speaking) there than in
the U.S.

"For me, it's good to have English practice and learn how you think.
It's so safe here - people are happy. Many people at home are worried
about crime and wages," he noted.

He said that he was somewhat astounded that so many people in Lexington
were familiar with Estonia.

His reaction to the leaving of the Soviet Army was that the biggest
change involved freedom of speech. "Journalists are now writing about
everything," he said. "I hope to come back here in ten years time."
* * *
(Bammer and Koemets had other commitments and thus were not interviewed)

Cyber Corps Furlough: Just like the Corps of Cadets, the Cyber Corps is going on Christmas Furlough. To all our faithful participants the Cyber Corps wishes one and all a joyous Christmas and Happy Chanukah. Remember to keep those in the armed forces, especially those involved in Desert Fox, in your thoughts and prayers.

We'll return in the New Year.

Yours in the Spirit,
RB Lane '75

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Last Updated: October 11, 2009

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