1 Upcoming Events: Joint FTX (MAR) Cluster FTX (APR) Dining out @ WVUIT (APR) Commissioning (MAY) This fall semester has marked another busy chapter in the Yellow Jacket’s history. Our enrollment has surged and we are operating with an even larger group of new Cadre and Cadets than in years past. Our military family remains geographically dispersed with 28% at West Virginia State University , 47% at Glenville State College, 13% at WVU Institute of Technology, and 12% at the University of Charleston. With 68 total cadets (26 contracted), we are poised to make our commission mission of ten officers each year in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The Army continues to demand 5,350 quality men and women that are achieving their undergraduate with a focus in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degrees. Our Yellow Jacket Cadets are meeting the challenges for the Army of 2020 and continuing to set high standards at Operation Warrior Forge. This past summer our students maintained a unit average APFT of 270, and an 80% first-time pass rate for land navigation. Cadet Marc Jones earned an overall assessment of “Excellent”, the first such high score for our battalion since 2009—congratulations! We have been fortunate to receive training and assistance visits from our recent alumni, to include: 2LT Spencer Ferrebee who returned to WVSU on a short visit from Ft. Hood, before deploying to Kuwait; 2LT John Smith spent his summer as a trainer at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and visited WVSU at the beginning of the semester, prior to reporting to Ft. Benning, GA for the Infantry Officer Basic Course; 2LT David Cottrill supported WVSU during the April Cluster FTX and has volunteered to serve as a trainer/mentor during the fall 2013 FTX; 2LT Ashley Bish served as a Gold Bar recruiter assisting WVSU & the WVNG with the Boy Scout Jamboree in Beckley, along with scholarship promotional visits at our local high schools. I invite all contracted cadets to immerse themselves into the many opportunities available to ROTC students, the future leaders of America’s Army. Strong physical fitness (APFT) and high academic grade point averages make the difference on my OML (order of merit list) to select cadets for special training, awards, and other recognition beyond our Battalion’s footprint. Contracted cadets should remember that the opportunity for applying to CULP (Cultural Understanding and Language Program) opens annually from 25 SEP thru 25 OCT. We’ve maintained a proud tradition over the past two years of sending Cadet Colvin to Slovakia in 2012 and Cadet Raines to Thailand in 2013. Who will be our brave explorer in 2014, and where they will travel to is anyone’s guess—Tanzania, Korea, Marshall Islands? I am extremely proud of the officers we’ve commissioned and I wish them luck on their journey as professional officers. They will each face difficult decisions that demand critical thinkers to identify and “frame the problem”, understand their key tasks, and envision the end state, in order to achieve mission success. I have no doubt that each of our Lieutenants are more than capable of serving in demanding positions and succeeding. Air Assault! West Virginia State University Army ROTC Yellow Jacket Battalion In this Issue: Page Commanders Corner 1 Making Headlines 2,3 Desk of the SMI 4 Ranger Challenge 5 Hall of Fame 6,7 New Cadets 7 Where they are now 8 Welcome New Cadre 9 ~ Commander’s Corner Check us on the web! http://armyrotc.com/edu/wvastate/index.htm Vol. 3 December 2013
Transcript
1
Upcoming Events:
Joint FTX (MAR)
Cluster FTX (APR)
Dining out @ WVUIT (APR)
Commissioning (MAY)
This fall semester has marked another busy chapter in the
Yellow Jacket’s history. Our enrollment has surged and we are
operating with an even larger group of new Cadre and Cadets than in
years past. Our military family remains geographically dispersed
with 28% at West Virginia State University , 47% at Glenville State
College, 13% at WVU Institute of Technology, and 12% at the
University of Charleston.
With 68 total cadets (26 contracted), we are poised to
make our commission mission of ten officers each year in 2014,
2015, and 2016. The Army continues to demand 5,350 quality men
and women that are achieving their undergraduate with a focus in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degrees. Our Yellow Jacket Cadets are
meeting the challenges for the Army of 2020 and continuing to set high standards at Operation
Warrior Forge. This past summer our students maintained a unit average APFT of 270, and an
80% first-time pass rate for land navigation. Cadet Marc Jones earned an overall assessment
of “Excellent”, the first such high score for our battalion since 2009—congratulations!
We have been fortunate to receive training and assistance visits from our recent
alumni, to include: 2LT Spencer Ferrebee who returned to WVSU on a short visit from Ft.
Hood, before deploying to Kuwait; 2LT John Smith spent his summer as a trainer at Joint Base
Lewis-McChord and visited WVSU at the beginning of the semester, prior to reporting to Ft.
Benning, GA for the Infantry Officer Basic Course; 2LT David Cottrill supported WVSU during
the April Cluster FTX and has volunteered to serve as a trainer/mentor during the fall 2013
FTX; 2LT Ashley Bish served as a Gold Bar recruiter assisting WVSU & the WVNG with the Boy
Scout Jamboree in Beckley, along with scholarship promotional visits at our local high schools.
I invite all contracted cadets to immerse themselves into the many opportunities
available to ROTC students, the future leaders of America’s Army. Strong physical fitness
(APFT) and high academic grade point averages make the difference on my OML (order of
merit list) to select cadets for special training, awards, and other recognition beyond our
Battalion’s footprint. Contracted cadets should remember that the opportunity for applying
to CULP (Cultural Understanding and Language Program) opens annually from 25 SEP thru 25
OCT. We’ve maintained a proud tradition over the past two years of sending Cadet Colvin to
Slovakia in 2012 and Cadet Raines to Thailand in 2013. Who will be our brave explorer in
2014, and where they will travel to is anyone’s guess—Tanzania, Korea, Marshall Islands?
I am extremely proud of the officers we’ve commissioned and I wish them luck on
their journey as professional officers. They will each face difficult decisions that demand
critical thinkers to identify and “frame the problem”, understand their key tasks, and envision
the end state, in order to achieve mission success. I have no doubt that each of our
Lieutenants are more than capable of serving in demanding positions and succeeding.
WVSU competed in a rigorous two day Ranger Challenge competition at Fort Pickett, VA. Thirty-eight schools from all of the Mid-Atlantic and South-East were present and ready to take on the myriad of events that awaited them. WVSU Army ROTC placed 3rd in the their division, defeating 16 other teams. WVSU dominated in Rifle Marksmanship, boosting their score to narrowly beat the other Army ROTC programs within the State of WV. The twelve-Cadet Ranger Challenge team consisted of six Cadets from WVSU, Five from GSC and one from WVUIT. CDT Marc Jones CDT Christopher Coon CDT Kodie Halstead CDT Brianna Lawrence CDT Gregory Hott CDT Veronica Pettit CDT Ryan Buchanan CDT James Hubbard CDT Robert Cunningham CDT Nathan Bolin CDT Vincent Bird CDT Anthony Holton
Ranger Challenge is Army ROTC's varsity sport, with competitors earning a Ranger Challenge Tab and service ribbon upon successful completion. The competition focuses on the basic infantry skills, with Squad-sized teams competing against other schools in rifle marksmanship, constructing a rope-bridge, patrolling, disassembly and reassembly of the M16A2 Rifle, the Army Physical Fitness Test, and multiple timed road marches.
2013 Yellow Jacket Battalion Army ROTC Ranger Challenge Team
Yellow Jackets In 1984 he graduated from West Virginia State College and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps
branch.
Lieutenant Colonel Brasseur spent 20 years on active duty with the U.S. Army. His duty assignments included Battalion Chemical Officer and Platoon Leader, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea; Battalion Chemical Officer 2-319th Airborne Field Artillery and Brigade Chemical Officer 82nd Aviation Brigade, 82d Airborne Division; Detachment Commander and Battalion S3 US Army Technical Escort; Sector Chief of Operations United Nations Mission Western Sahara, Africa; Chief Leadership Branch US Army Signal School; Chief, G3 Operations, 1st Support Command (Airborne); Senior ROTC Instructor
Marshall University; and NORAD Chemical Officer Winnipeg Canada.
Lieutenant Colonel Brasseur is a graduate of the Chemical Officer Advanced Course; Combined
Arms Staff Service School; Command and General Staff College and the Joint Forces Staff College.
Military decorations include: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal 2 Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation medal, 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, National Defense Service Medal, w/Bronze Star, Army Service
Ribbon l; Overseas Service Ribbon; Master Parachutist Badge.
In his post military career he taught High School JROTC, and held the position of Program Manager
for the Center for National Response.
He currently resides in Charleston WV. He is married to his wonderful wife Nancy and they have
two sons, Matthew and Michael.
~Hal l o f Fame
Check us on the web!
http://armyrotc.com/edu/wvastate
Harold G. Fisher was born and raised in Hudson, New York. He
enrolled at Syracuse University and in the ROTC program in Septem-
ber 1957. He graduated in June 1961 with a Bachelor of Science in
Chemical Engineering (BSChE) and was commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant, USAR of Field Artillery. Upon graduation, he accepted a
position as a Chemical Engineer with Union Carbide Corporation in
Charleston, WV.
He entered upon active duty in June 1962 and trained at Fort Sill,
OK. He was subsequently assigned to the 3rd USA Missile Detachment
as a Section Commander and served until May of 1964 in the Federal
Republic of Germany with the Special Ammunition Support Command
in support of Bundeswehr Forces.
Colonel Fisher graduated from the Field Artillery Officer Orienta-
tion Course in 1962, the Ordnance Officer Advanced Course in 1973 and the Command and General
Staff College (Nonresident) in 1979. He earned several advanced degrees from West Virginia Univer-
sity to include a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (MSChE) in 1968, a Master of Science in
Engineering (MSE(IE)) in 1971, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1974.
His civilian career with Union Carbide Corporation spanned a period of 42.5 years. Upon retire-
ment from the positions of Principal Engineer and corporate reactive technologist, he formed a
safety engineering consultancy and is presently operating that business. He has taught graduate
chemical engineering courses at West Virginia University. He edited, published and contributed to
four safety-related books and has written numerous safety-related peer-reviewed papers. He is a
member of the Senior Army Reserve Commanders Association (SARCA), the Reserve Officers Associa-
Bill Kinsey was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infan-try in 1992 through Army ROTC at the University of Tennes-see. Over a 20 year career, Mr. Kinsey served in a variety of positions as a U.S. Army officer in numerous posts in Alaska, California, Georgia, Kansas, and Texas. Mr. Kinsey retired in June of 2013 having attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After retirement, Mr. Kinsey served briefly as the Recruiting Officer for University of Kentucky Army ROTC Department be-fore transferring to the West Virginia State University Army ROTC Department in September of 2013. Mr. Kinsey has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Tennessee, a Master of Arts in Political Science from Marshall University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He is a veteran of Opera-tion Desert Storm, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
SGT Timothy Hatcher joined the Yellow Jacket Battalion
in August 2013. He is the Primary Military Science Instruc-
tor for MSC 100 and 200 at WVUIT. He also serves as a
Team Leader for 1/150th AR West Virginia Army National
Guard.
SGT Hatcher brings great experience to WVUIT having
two deployments in OIF and Operation New Dawn. He is
proving to be a invaluable asset to the Yellow Jacket Bat-
talion.
Ms. Wilkerson began working for the Military Science Department on
July 1, 2013. She handles the administrative procedures for the ROTC
staff and all reoccurring events to include the ROTC Hall of Fame,
Commissioning ceremonies and the Annual Cadet Balls.
She brings with her more than 30 years of Office Administrative experi-
ence from DOW Chemical and Union Carbide Corporation where she
worked in the Human Resources Department as their Salary Administra-
tion Specialist. Previously, her work experience at WVSU has been in
the following areas for an additional 10 years: Office Administrator for
Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. Administrative Secretary,
Research Programs and Services Coordinator, Administrative Secretary,
She received her Associate in Applied Science Degree in 1995 and her
