Front & Center News from Fork Union Military Academy – March 18, 2022

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Stories in this issue:

• Legendary Faculty Member Promoted to Colonel
• Have You Ordered Your Skirmisher?
• Retan Rifles to Perform at the Capital Classic Lacrosse Tournament
• This Week's College Acceptances
• Fork Union Wins Three AMSCUS Awards
• Parent & Alumni Notes
• Fork Union Announces NHS & JNHS Members
• Bravo Zulu Awards
• Upcoming Admissions Events
• Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?

Legendary Faculty Member Joe Henthorne Promoted to Colonel

Academic Dean COL Mike Goad promoted legendary faculty member Joe Henthorne to Colonel this past Thursday in front of his fellow faculty members. COL Henthrone arrived at Fork Union Military Academy in 1992 and has served 28 years as a full-time faculty member and English Department Chair. Henthorne has announced his retirement and Term 5 will be his final term here at the Academy.

“COL Henthorne’s commitment to academic excellence and integrity is second to none,” said COL Goad. “A devoted educator and scholar, he has vigorously committed himself to the Academy’s college-prep vision throughout his 30 years of service to our school and our cadets. Given that this could be his last term in the classroom, it was only fitting that he be able to walk away from three decades of dedicated service as a full Colonel.”

Congratulations, Colonel Henthorne!

Retan Rifles to Perform at the Capital Classic Lacrosse Tournament

On Saturday, March 19 at 3 PM, members of the Fork Union Military Academy Retan Rifles, Color Guard, and Band have been invited to do a Presentation of the Colors and National Anthem during the Capital Classic Lacrosse Tournament at Audi Stadium.

“These young men have worked tirelessly on top of classes, sports, and other clubs to get to where they are today,” said Music Director ETN1(SS) John Warren. “While most cadets spend their evenings unwinding before study hall, these young men spend their little bit of free time practicing, finding every little mistake so that they can be as close to perfect as possible. This group of cadets have a pride in themselves and Fork Union that is unmatched on and off campus and this is their opportunity to show it. Every time we have performed, I always hear: ‘when is our next performance?’ They love what they do, and their excitement and pride is contagious around campus. Saying I am proud to see them able to do an event like this, doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.”

The game will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network.

Have You Ordered Your Skirmisher?

Don't forget to reserve your copy of the school's yearbook, The Skirmisher, from Jostens for this year! Go to jostens.com/2022yearbook or click the button below. Don't delay, do it today.

Fork Union Wins Three AMSCUS Awards

Fork Union Military Academy collected three impressive AMCSUS awards the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States announced prior to Spring Break. The Academy placed first in the High School Writing Competition, Middle School PT Challenge and Middle School Drill Competition.

AMCSUS PT Challenge

This competition reviewed the highest overall scores for the Physical Assessment, which consisted of 1-minute maximum set of push-ups, 1-minute maximum set of sit-ups, and a 1.5-mile run. Our Middle School cadets, once again, took first place, with an average score of 93.1 points out of a possible 100, outperforming the other 25 college preparatory schools. Below are the names of the participants.

• Ryan Barone
• Clayton Dunaway
• William Stimson
• Aidan Good
• Travis Shepard

AMCSUS Drill Competition

This competition was graded by staff and faculty members from Senior Military Colleges. Fork Union cadets were in competition with the 25 other College Preparatory schools within the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCSUS). Our Middle School cadets took first place, conducting a competition that consisted of 31 drill movements, which took approximately 5 minutes to complete. Below is the link and names of participants.

Unit Leader

• Travis Shepard

1st Squad

• Nicholas Coleman – Squad Leader
• Eugene Belozerov
• Niv Patel
• Miles Graybill
• Vu Tran
• Everett Mitchell

2nd Squad

• Travis Tran – Squad Leader
• Aidan Good
• Theophilus Aberra
• Maddox Beaulieu
• Riley Belden
• William Stimson

3rd Squad

• Michael Johnson – Squad Leader
• Colton Childers
• Val Kelestyn
• Nigel Asamoah
• Iker Serrano
• Nico Brown

AMCSUS Writing Assignment

New to AMCSUS this year, the Writing Competition was established to encourage academic writing skills to collect, share insights and research related to military school education. Cadets provided a single page paper on any aspect of military education (e.g., benefits, challenges, experiences). Junior Jackson Pretus took first place outperforming the other 25 college preparatory schools with his submission below:

Forging Leaders through Military Education

The most critical function of military education is the development of camaraderie and team building among the students. Detractors of military education may argue it is overly rigid and hierarchical. Still, the military educational institution provides an unmatched process of maturing young men to assume various roles within a chain of command and work effectively with their peers to complete tasks or solve problems. It challenges cadets and holds them strictly accountable for their actions, creating a culture in which cadets will need to work together and learn to rely on one another to thrive. The friendships developed within the leadership structure are valued bonds in young men’s lives and teach them to navigate and work in the hierarchy of the real world.

When cadets are first introduced to the military educational environment, they typically enter it alone and naïve. They are surrounded by others with potentially different values, religions, cultures, or ethnicities. Yet, when the cadet completes their military education, they will have learned to work effectively with, and even befriend their peers from differing backgrounds. (Farnell, 2016.) Everyone is presented with the same challenges, standards, and routines. They are pitted against and with each other and expected to compete to be the best in their duties. Cadets will play numerous different roles within a chain of command and learn both skills and weaknesses while also playing on the strengths of their team. (Keith, 2012.) The result is a well-adjusted community of fire-forged friends who together are ready to lead and succeed in the world.

Consider the contrast between the development from a military school and the maturing process at a typical high school. The cadet undergoes a much more demanding experience than the average student but enjoys a much smaller, closer brotherhood that is better equipped to cater to needs and interests. The all-boys environment of many military schools allows cadets to express themselves freely, work, develop friendships, and be guided by concerned faculty without the distracting influence of romance. Paired with the exceptional opportunity for fellowship, the greater interest of instructors in creating leaders prepared to lead and serve others creates a student body better suited for the rigors of life than their counterparts.

In conclusion, the military school offers a challenging, yet uniquely rewarding education that can transform and mature young men into influential leaders. However, it does not lose sight of the importance of socializing the cadet. Military education instead uses the trials it presents to bring otherwise distant boys into strong teams that teach them the value of valuable and lasting friendships. With these skills attained, the men produced by military education are unparalleled in their readiness for the tests of life.

Congratulations, gentlemen!

This Week's College Acceptances

Our cadets in the Class of 2022 continue to stack up college acceptance letters!

Our goal each year is that 100% of our seniors gain college acceptance, and the Class of 2022 had already achieved that goal as of December 13th. This amazing accomplishment is a credit to the hard work done by our seniors and the excellent support given to each one of them by our College Placement and Academic Services team under the leadership of the department's Director, Kelsey Hill, and the Assistant Director, Dr. James Benson.

Congratulations to our seniors in the Class of 2022, and a big thank you to the members of our Department of College Placement and Academic Services!

Parent & Alumni Notes

Alumni Weekend Registration Open!

Get ready to REVISIT, REFLECT, RECONNECT, and REDO the reunion you missed out on!

Mark your calendars for April 29th - May 1st for our biggest reunion to date! We'll be celebrating three years' worth of reunions in ONE WEEKEND! We're so excited to be able to come together again, and we can't wait to see you back on Fork Union's campus.

Visit www.forkunion.com/alumniweekend for hotel information, schedule of events, and to register!

Have You Submitted Your Reenrollment Documents Yet?

May 31st is the deadline to submit your reenrollment contract and pay your registration fee for the next school year. If you have any questions please email our admissions team at admissions@fuma.org.

Ring Ceremony Set for April 1

Cadets who have ordered their class ring will be honored with the Academy's annual Ring Ceremony which is set for Friday, April 1 at 1:30 PM in the Wicker Chapel. Parents of the recipients are invited and there will be a small reception to follow.

The Annual Military Ball is Set for April 2, 2022

The Quadrille Club invites all ninth-grade through postgraduate cadets to the 2022 "A Night Around the World" Military Ball on Saturday, April 2.

Tickets are $40 per couple. Please see Mr. York to sign up. Invitations will be emailed once payment has been made.

Does your cadet want to go to Italy?

Fork Union Military Academy cadets have the opportunity to pay their way to Italy with Explorica Educational Tours in December 2022! Ms. Regina Delman will be holding an informational meeting in the Wicker Chapel on May 6 at 11:00 AM. Any parent interested in their cadet joining the trip should come to the meeting.

Academy Day set for April 23

Senator Mark Warner invites high school and middle school students, their parents or guardians, and school counselors to Academy Day 2022: April 23 from 1000-1230. Attendees will have the opportunity to join virtual breakout sessions with representatives from the United States service academies for presentations and an interactive question and answer period.

On the main stage, you will hear from representatives from the Virginia congressional delegation about the application procedures for congressional nominations to the academies as well as speakers from the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board, the University of Virginia ROTC pro- grams, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, the Virginia Military Institute, and the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University. There will also be time to speak in more detail with many of these representatives at their virtual resource tables.

If interested in joining, please sign up click on the link:

Fork Union Announces National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society

National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society are national organizations to recognize individual students’ academic achievement.

We are proud to announce this year’s inductees:

National Junior Honor Society

• Miles Graybill
• Sean Hurley
• Niv Patel
• Ellis Roberts
• Travis Tran
• Joaquin Yescas

National Honor Society

• John (Jack) Bowdish
• Jaden Carter
• Kendall Coard
• Sa’eed Dasher
• Grant Demorro
• Ousmane Dieng
• Justin Fraser
• Samson Hauler
• Wesley Lay
• Michael Luce
• Kieran Meyer
• Jackson Pretus
• Gary Smith
• Lucas Yates

Announcing NHS Officers:

• President: Robel Lulseged
• Vice President: Massimo Swail
• Secretary: Gavin DeMorro
• Parliamentarian: Grayson Mitchell
• Historian: Nhyiraba Asumadu Addo

NHS and NJHS ceremony will take place on April 23rd at 11:45 AM in the Wicker Chapel. All families of members and inductees are welcome to attend.

This Week's Bravo Zulu Awards

Every Friday the Fork Union Military Faculty and Staff meet to nominate a few who have exceeded the standards and demonstrated superlative performance. Whilst we have various awards and recognitions - a simple "Well Done!" we hope, is also appreciated. The combination of the Bravo and Zulu nautical signal flags, i.e., Bravo Zulu, also referred to as "BZ," is a naval signal, typically conveyed by flag hoist or voice radio, meaning "Well Done" with regard to actions, operations or performance.

The following are the Bravo Zulu awards for this week:

Cadet Sergeant Lance Tyler Gowans is a junior and first-year cadet in Alpha Company. He is a day-student from Palmyra, VA, and plays football and baseball. Cadet Gowans has been a model cadet all year and demonstrates his desire to be a leader at FUMA. He has proactively taken on more responsibilities in hopes of earning a higher role in his company next year. Cadet Gowans talks with multiple Veterans here on campus to gain as much knowledge as he can to become a better leader. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Gowans!

Cadet First Sergeant Oliver Hall is senior and second-year cadet in Bravo Company. He is a boarding student from Middle River, MD, a member of our football and track teams, and cadet sports trainer. This week, Cadet Hall witnessed a single vehicle accident and rushed over to help the driver. He was also a wonderful leader during the Sea Quest overnight trip. He made sure all cadets were together and responsible, and he asked insightful and respectful questions to the employees. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Hall!

Cadet Sergeant Eugene Belozerov is an eighth grader and first-year cadet in Charlie Company. He is a boarding student from Rockville, MD, and Squad Leader. His squad is consistently most prepared for daily inspections. Cadet Belozerov has an additional duty as the Company’s Supply NCO. In this role, he is responsible for the oversight of all laundry procedures, work order requests, and key control. In the past weeks, he has developed a systematic procedure to ensure that all linen and uniforms are turned in and redistributed to all cadets in the company. Cadet Belozerov’s process and oversight have been so effective that Charlie Company has earned 100% for several consecutive weeks. This is due to his attention to duty and great effort. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Belozerov!

Cadet Sergeant First Class Aidan Burgess is a senior and third-year cadet who serves as the drum major in the Fork Union Military Academy Band. He is a boarding student from Fredericksburg, VA. Over the last 6 months, Cadet Burgess has worked tirelessly to breathe new life into the band. His leadership was exemplified this week as he split band practices into 3 separate groups to work with each group on their strengths and weaknesses. As a musician, Cadet Burgess was able to see what each of his 25 band members needed to work on. As a leader, he was able to develop and implement a plan to allow everyone to get the most out of their practice time. His leadership continues to be a vital part of the success of the Fork Union Military Academy Band. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Burgess!

Mrs. Kelsey Hill, Director of College Placement and Academic Services, has been working non-stop to meet the academic needs of our cadets. Mrs. Hill was instrumental in securing a guaranteed admissions agreement to The Citadel and Norwich University for qualified FUMA cadets. Over the last few weeks, she has gotten our new Junior Workshop seminar off the ground and met with almost every cadet in the corps to discuss their academic schedules for the 2022-2023 academic year. She has also led several of our Friday advisory sessions, which seek to educate our cadets on post-FUMA options available to them. Her dedication to the academic well-being of our cadets is unsurpassed. Bravo Zulu, Mrs. Hill!

Theodore Wade, Landscaper, has been working tirelessly the past two weeks to maintain our campus almost entirely on his own while taking on additional responsibilities as requested. His positive attitude and work ethic is an encouragement. Bravo Zulu, Mr. Wade!

Go FUMA!

Upcoming Admissions Events

The best way to learn about Fork Union Military Academy is to schedule an appointment with our Admissions Office and come for a family visit and receive your own individual tour of the campus.

We also schedule a number of Admissions Fairs in various cities and regions throughout the year. The available spaces at our upcoming admissions events have been filling up quickly with our Fairfax, VA admissions events for February and March already being "sold out."

Saturday, April 9—Admissions Fair in Fairfax, VA

• Meet with our admissions staff at an Admissions Fair on Saturday, February 19th, from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks.

Saturday, May 14—Admissions Fair in Fairfax, VA

• Meet with our admissions staff at an Admissions Fair on Saturday, February 19th, from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks.

Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?

Are you a young man in the 7th to 12th grade? Do you want to be a man known for integrity, respect for yourself and others, faith, character, and discipline?

We encourage you to fill out an application for enrollment and join our cadets here at Fork Union Military Academy.

Thank you!