Robert Boland's Funeral at Arlington National Cemetary

Arrangements have been made for our classmate Bob Boland to be buried at Arlington National Cemetary.  The service will take place on Thursday, September 17 at 1500 hours at Arlington.  The exact location will be released 24-hours prior to the service.

Bob's wife, Gail has arranged for a reception after the service.  It will be held at Fort Myer Officer's Club in the Devers Room from 1600-1830 hours.

We know a number of you will be attending and we wish you safe travel and the joy of reconnecting despite the pained circumstances of this gathering.  For Bob, we will always wish him fair winds and following seas.

Bob Boland, Class of 1979

Robert Boland, Class of 1979

It is with a heavy heart that I bring news of the passing of Bob Boland.  A Marine Option at Vanderbilt NROTC and ferocious rugby player, he was a leader for and sculptor of young Midshipmen.

He passed away this past weekend while sailing off the coast of Southern California.  We don’t have a lot of information, but we know there will be a memorial service Saturday, May 16^th at 11AM at Saint Margaret Parish, 4300 Oceanside Blvd, Oceanside, California.  Bob will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery – we do not know the details yet, but will post as soon as we do.

Please keep Bob, his wife Gail and his daughters in your prayers.

NROTC Security Symposium

Please check out the flyer for the upcoming National Security Symposium.  This is our 6th Annual gathering and given the world's security environment, this should be an exceptional educational opportunity:

In Memory of Teressa French

Many of you have heard the sad news that Teressa French, daughter of VADM Bill French and his wife Monika, was struck and killed by a car this past Friday, 24 January, while walking on a sidewalk near her school in Gaithersburg, MD.  Members of the family have been gathering through the weekend, and the Navy family has gathered around them during this heart-breaking time.

The family will receive visitors 1800-2000 Wednesday, 29 January, at Joseph Gawler's Sons Funeral Home, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20016; (202) 966-6400.  Directions can be obtained from their website at www.josephgawlers.com.  Service Dress Blues or business suits are appropriate.

Funeral services are planned for 1000 Thursday, 30 January, at the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel (across from the Fort Myer exchange), 101 McNair Road, Building 480, Fort Myer, Virginia 22211.  Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will occur at a later date.  Uniform for attendees is Service Dress Blues or business suits.

Cards can be sent to:  804 Tingey Crescent, SE, Washington, DC 20003.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society in memory of Teressa French.  Donations can be made online at www.nmcrs.org (click "Donate," look for the option to make a donation "in memory of" or "in honor of," and include her name).  Or checks can be mailed to:  Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, 875 N. Randolph St., Suite 225, Arlington, VA  22203.  All donations made in memory of Teressa will be used to support education programs for dependent children.

For all who have already heard the sad news and have reached out to the Frenches, please know how much they appreciate your kindness.  They are sustained by their deep faith and by your love and support.  They know they are not alone in their grief.

RADM Mark L. Tidd, CHC, USN
Chief of Chaplains (N097)

Teressa's Obituary is here: Teressa Rosalind French

Sheldon Hackney, Distinguished Vanderbilt NROTC Grad, RIP

From the LA Times we learn the sad news of the passing of one of our distinguished alumni:

Sheldon Hackney dies at 79; educator chaired endowment for humanities

Sheldon Hackney had served as president of Tulane and Penn universities before President Clinton nominated him to lead the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Times wire services

6:39 PM PDT, September 14, 2013

Sheldon Hackney, an educator and historian who served as president of Tulane University and the University of Pennsylvania before becoming chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has died. He was 79.

Hackney died Thursday at his home on Martha's Vineyard of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, officials from Penn and Tulane confirmed.

He was president of Tulane from 1975 to 1980 and president of Penn from 1981 to 1993, when he was nominated by President Clinton to serve as chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
As president of Penn, Hackney helped lead the school through a financial turnaround that quadrupled its endowment. He also boosted the university's academic standing.

He served as chairman of the endowment until 1997, then returned to Penn as a history professor until his retirement in 2010.
Born in Birmingham, Ala., on Dec. 5, 1933, Hackney received a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University on a Navy ROTC scholarship in 1955. He served in the Navy from 1956 to 1959 and attended the Naval Academy from 1959 to 1961.
Hackney earned a master's degree and a doctorate in American history from Yale, where he was provost from 1972 to 1975.
A scholar of Southern history, Hackney continued to teach during his tenure as university president.
Hackney is survived by his wife of 56 years, Lucy Durr Hackney; a son, a daughter, three brothers and eight grandchildren. 

2013 Security Symposium Announced

Race for the Veterans

Our plans are really shaping up for the Run for the Veterans.  Take a look at our flyer:

So here's what we need from you, the Alumni:

1. If you are in Nashville (or will be in Nashville on March 23, you need to sign up for the Race now!  The course is terrific - starting out at the Commons (the Freshman dorms) and racing past the unit and up and down Music Row.  

Participants can register online at http://www.active.com/running/nashville-tn/vanderbilt-nrotc-and-asmba-star-foundation-run-for-our-veterans-5k-run-walk-2013.  Registration fees are:

·       Between now and 1/1/2013 - $30

·       Between 1/2/2013 and 2/28/2013 - $35

·       After 3/1/2013 - $40

·       Teams of 10 or more runners - $300 per team

·       Children - $15

2. If you have the capacity, we are looking for sponsors for the race. Sponsorships are available at the following levels:   Our Title Sponsor at $4,000 will receive top recognition on all pre-event materials, prominent signage on all banners the day of the event, and on all shirts; Eagle Sponsors at $1000, Warrior Sponsors at $500, Patriot Sponsors at $250 and Friends of Veterans at $100 will receive tiered recognition on our large event banner and on all shirts. 

For more information, please contact Colonel Joe Dougherty at (615) 851-0800 or MIDN 2^nd Class Audrey Peterson at Vanderbilt University Naval ROTC (615) 322-2671, or visit our webpage at http://nrotcvanderbilt.org/event/5k-run.php. 

  We hope to see you there – and thank you for your service and support!