100 Notable alumni of
Virginia Military Institute
Updated:
Virginia Military Institute is 688th in the world, 252nd in North America, and 233rd in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from Virginia Military Institute sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Mel Brooks
- Occupations
- cinematographerlyricistfilm producertelevision producerfilm director
- Biography
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Melvin James Brooks is an American actor, filmmaker, comedian, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. A recipient of numerous accolades, he is one of 28 entertainers to win the EGOT, which includes an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2009, a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2010, the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2013, a British Film Institute Fellowship in 2015, a National Medal of Arts in 2016, a BAFTA Fellowship in 2017, and an Honorary Academy Award in 2024.
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George S. Patton
- Occupations
- autobiographermilitary personnelarmy officerswimmer
- Biography
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George Smith Patton Jr. was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.
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Zachary Taylor
- Occupations
- army officerstatesperson
- Biography
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Zachary Taylor was an American military officer and politician who was the 12th president of the United States, serving from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to the rank of major general and becoming a national hero for his victories in the Mexican–American War. As a result, he won election to the White House despite his vague political beliefs. His top priority as president was to preserve the Union. He died 16 months into his term from a stomach disease. Taylor had the third-shortest presidential term in U.S. history.
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Fred Willard
- Occupations
- comediantelevision actorfilm actorvoice actortelevision presenter
- Biography
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Frederic Charles Willard was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with Christopher Guest in his mockumentary films This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006), and Mascots (2016). He also appeared in supporting roles in the comedy films Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), American Wedding (2003), and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). On television, Willard received several Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his work on the sitcoms Everybody Loves Raymond and Modern Family.
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Dabney Coleman
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1949
- Occupations
- stage actortelevision actorvoice actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Dabney Wharton Coleman was an American actor. He was recognized for his roles portraying egomaniacal and unlikeable characters in comedic performances. Throughout his career, he appeared in over 175 films and television programs and received awards for both comedic and dramatic performances.
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Richard E. Byrd
- Occupations
- oceanographerexplorermilitary officeraircraft pilot
- Biography
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Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. was an American naval officer, and pioneering aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and expedition leader crossed the Atlantic Ocean, a segment of the Arctic Ocean, and a segment of the Antarctic Plateau. He is also known for discovering Mount Sidley, the largest dormant volcano in Antarctica.
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George Marshall
- Occupations
- army officerdiplomatAmerican football playerpolitician
- Biography
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George Catlett Marshall Jr. was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army under presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, then served as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense under Truman. Winston Churchill lauded Marshall as the "organizer of victory" for his leadership of the Allied victory in World War II. During the subsequent year, he unsuccessfully tried to prevent the continuation of the Chinese Civil War. As Secretary of State, Marshall advocated for a U.S. economic and political commitment to post-war European recovery, including the Marshall Plan that bore his name. In recognition of this work, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953, the only Army general ever to receive the honor.
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Chesty Puller
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller was a United States Marine Corps officer. Beginning his career fighting guerillas in Haiti and Nicaragua as part of the Banana Wars, he later served with distinction in World War II and the Korean War as a senior officer. By the time of his retirement in 1955, he had reached the rank of lieutenant general.
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Ralph Northam
- Occupations
- politicianwritermilitary physicianneurologistphysician
- Biography
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Ralph Shearer Northam is an American physician and former politician who served as the 73rd governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022. A pediatric neurologist by occupation, he was an officer in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1984 to 1992. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 40th lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018 before winning the governorship against the Republican nominee Ed Gillespie in the 2017 election. Prohibited by the Virginia Constitution from running for a consecutive term, Northam left office in January 2022 and was succeeded by Republican Glenn Youngkin.
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Sun Li-jen
- Occupations
- basketball playermilitary personnel
- Biography
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Sun Li-jen was a Chinese National Revolutionary Army general best known for his leadership in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. His military achievements earned him the laudatory nickname "Rommel of the East". Sun's commands were credited with effectively confronting Japanese troops in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai and in 1943–1944 during the Burma campaign; his New 1st Army was known as the "Best Army under heaven" (天下第一軍).
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Douglas Macgregor
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Douglas Abbott Macgregor is a retired colonel in the United States Army, former government official, author, consultant, and political commentator.
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Mike Waltz
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- In 1996 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- civil servantbusinesspersonmilitary officerpolitician
- Biography
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Michael George Glen Waltz is an American politician, diplomat, businessman, author, and former Army Special Forces officer who has served as the 32nd United States ambassador to the United Nations since September 2025 in the second Trump Administration. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 29th national security advisor from January to May 2025 and was the U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district from 2019 to 2025. He was the first Army Special Forces soldier to be elected to Congress. Waltz received four Bronze Stars while serving in the Special Forces during multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. He served in the Bush administration as a defense policy director in the Pentagon and as counterterrorism advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney.
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Dan Caine
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts in economics
- Occupations
- air force officer
- Biography
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John Daniel "Raizin" Caine is an American general and venture capitalist who is serving as the 22nd chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2025. He served as the associate director for military affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2021 to 2024.
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Chris Beck
- Occupations
- LGBTQ rights activistsoldier
- Biography
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Christopher Todd Beck is a retired United States Navy SEAL who gained public attention in 2013 after coming out as a trans woman, and in 2022, when he announced his detransition. During the time of his transition, he went by the name Kristin Beck. A memoir detailing his experience was published in June 2013, Warrior Princess: A U.S. Navy SEAL's Journey to Coming out Transgender. He served in the U.S. Navy for twenty years. In December 2022, Beck announced that he had detransitioned because "it ruined my life" and due to his conversion to Christianity.
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Cory Spangenberg
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Cory Joseph Spangenberg is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Saitama Seibu Lions.
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George S. Patton, Sr
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Colonel George S. Patton Sr. was a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War. He was the grandfather of World War II General George S. Patton.
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George S. Patton
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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George Smith Patton was an American attorney, businessman and politician who served as Los Angeles County District Attorney and the first mayor of San Marino, California.
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Harry F. Byrd Jr
- Occupations
- military officerpoliticianlawyereditorjournalist
- Biography
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Harry Flood Byrd Jr. was an American orchardist, newspaper publisher, and politician. He served in the Senate of Virginia and then represented Virginia in the United States Senate, succeeding his father, Harry F. Byrd Sr. His public service spanned thirty-six years, while he was a publisher of several Virginia newspapers. After the decline of the Byrd Organization due to its massive resistance to racial integration of public schools, he abandoned the Democratic Party in 1970, citing concern about its leftward tilt. He rehabilitated his political career, becoming the first independent in the history of the U.S. Senate to be elected by a majority of the popular vote.
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Edward Almond
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Edward Mallory Almond was a senior United States Army officer who fought in World War I, World War II, where he commanded the 92nd Infantry Division, and the Korean War, where he commanded the U.S. X Corps.
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William Mahone
- Occupations
- politiciancivil engineer
- Biography
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William Mahone was an American civil engineer, railroad executive, and Confederate States Army general. After the Civil War he became a defender of the rights of freedmen and a leader of the Readjuster Party. He represented Virginia in the United States Senate between 1881 and 1887.
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Reggie Williams
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Reginald Leon Williams II is an American former professional basketball player who played seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for five teams. He played college basketball for the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) where he is the school's all-time leading scorer and led the country in scoring twice.
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Ryan McCarthy
- Years
- 1973-.. (age 53)
- Occupations
- businessperson
- Biography
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Ryan D. McCarthy is an American business executive and former U.S. Army Ranger who served as the 24th United States Secretary of the Army, from 2019 to 2021. He previously held the office in an acting capacity in 2017 and 2019.
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Jennifer Carroll Foy
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jennifer Denise Carroll Foy is an American politician and public defender serving in the Virginia Senate from the 33rd district since 2024. A Democrat, Carroll Foy previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 2nd district from 2017 until 2020. She resigned from the position to focus on her campaign for governor in the 2021 primary election, which she lost to Terry McAuliffe. In 2023, she was elected to the Virginia Senate.
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Leonard T. Gerow
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Leonard Townsend Gerow was a general in the United States Army who served with distinction in both World War I and World War II.
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Reed Garrett
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Reed Garrett is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Saitama Seibu Lions. He made his MLB debut in 2019.
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Moses Jacob Ezekiel
- Occupations
- artistsculptor
- Biography
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Moses Jacob Ezekiel, also known as Moses "Ritter von" Ezekiel, was an American sculptor who lived and worked in Rome for the majority of his career. Ezekiel was "the first American-born Jewish artist to receive international acclaim". Ezekiel was an ardent supporter, in both his writings and in his works, of the Lost Cause view of the American Civil War (which he had fought in), asserting that he had "never fought for slavery, but for states' rights and for free trade." In a eulogy, President Warren Harding described him as "a great Virginian, a great artist, a great American, and a great citizen of world fame."
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John P. Jumper
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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John Phillip Jumper is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) general, who served as 17th chief of staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the USAF on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as chief of staff by General T. Michael Moseley.
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John E. Wool
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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John Ellis Wool was an American military officer in the United States Army during three consecutive American-involved wars: the War of 1812 (1812–1815), the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), and with allegiance to the Union in the American Civil War (1861–1865). He also participated in the American Indian Wars and the Trail of Tears, that resulted in Indian tribes being forcefully marched westward in the 1830s from the Southeast US beyond the Mississippi River into the newly established Indian Territory (The modern state of Oklahoma). By the 1840s, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the United States Army and an Excellent organizer.
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Robert E. Rodes
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Robert Emmett Rodes (March 29, 1829 – September 19, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, and the first of Robert E. Lee's divisional commanders not trained at West Point. His division led Stonewall Jackson's devastating surprise attack at the Battle of Chancellorsville; Jackson, on his deathbed, recommended that Rodes be promoted to major general. Rodes then served in the corps of Richard S. Ewell at the Battle of Gettysburg and in the Overland Campaign, before that corps was sent to the Shenandoah Valley under Jubal Early, where Rodes was killed at the Third Battle of Winchester.
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J. H. Binford Peay III
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in civil engineering
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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James Henry Binford "Binnie" Peay III is a retired four-star general of the United States Army. He served as the 14th superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute from 2003 to 2020, and as chairman of the Allied Defense Group from 2001 to 2003. He has also served on various corporate and nonprofit boards.
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Stan Okoye
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Stanley Onyekachukwu Okoye Listen is a Nigerian professional basketball player for MoraBanc Andorra of the Liga ACB. A 6'6" swingman, he was named the 2012–13 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year while playing for Virginia Military Institute (VMI).
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Darren W. McDew
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Darren Wayne McDew is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the Commander of United States Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. His previous senior command positions include Commander of Air Mobility Command as a general and Commander, Eighteenth Air Force (18AF) as a lieutenant general. In March, 2019, soon after General McDew's retirement, United States Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao named him as Co-Chair of the Special Committee to Review the Federal Aviation Administration's Aircraft Certification Process. According to a letter from Secretary Chao, the Special Committee is "specifically tasked to review the 737 MAX 800 certification process from 2012 to 2017."
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Walter H. Taylor
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Walter Herron Taylor was an American banker, lawyer, soldier, politician, author, and railroad executive from Norfolk, Virginia. During the American Civil War, he fought with the Confederate States Army, became a key aide to General Robert E. Lee and rose to the rank of Colonel. After the war, Taylor became a senator in the Virginia General Assembly, and attorney for the Norfolk and Western Railway and later the Virginian Railway.
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Lemuel Cornick Shepherd, Jr
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- In 1917 studied civil engineering
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Lemuel Cornick Shepherd Jr. was a General in the United States Marine Corps, 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Navy Cross recipient, veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
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Sam S. Walker
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1942
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Sam Sims Walker was a United States Army general who served as the Commanding General of Allied Land Forces, South East Europe from 1977 to 1978.
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Tommy Norment
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Thomas Kent Norment Jr. is an American politician who served as the Minority Leader and Majority Leader of the Senate of Virginia. He was elected to the James City County Board of Supervisors where he served as chairman before being elected to the Virginia Senate in 1991. According to the Clerk of the Virginia Senate, Norment was first elected as Minority Leader in 2007 and is tied with Senator Richard "Dick" Saslaw for having switched between Minority and Majority leader more than any other two senators in Virginia's history. Similarly, Senator Norment holds the records for the longest serving Republican senator as well as the longest serving Senate Republican Leader in the history of the Commonwealth.
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Josiah Bunting III
- Occupations
- academic administratormilitary personnel
- Biography
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Josiah Bunting III is an American educator. He has been a military officer, college president, and an author and speaker on education and Western culture. Bunting is married and has four adult children. His half-brother is Dick Ebersol, the creator and former executive producer of Saturday Night Live; Ebersol and Bunting have the same mother.
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George Brett
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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George Howard Brett was a United States Army Air Forces General during World War II. An Early Bird of Aviation, Brett served as a staff officer in World War I. In 1941, following the outbreak of war with Japan, Brett was appointed Deputy Commander of a short-lived major Allied command, the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), which oversaw Allied forces in South East Asia and the South West Pacific. In early 1942, he was put in charge of United States Army Forces in Australia, until the arrival of Douglas MacArthur. Brett then commanded all Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area. In November 1942, he was appointed commander of the US Caribbean Defense Command and remained in this post for the rest of the war.
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Thomas T. Handy
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Thomas Troy Handy was a United States Army four-star general who served as Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army from 1944 to 1947; Commanding General, Fourth United States Army from 1947 to 1949; Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 1949 to 1952; Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group in 1952; and Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 1952 to 1954.
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John McCausland
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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John McCausland Jr. was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania during the American Civil War.
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Lapthe Flora
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Lapthe Chau Flora is a retired major general in the United States Army who last served as a special assistant to the director of the Army National Guard. He previously served as commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. Flora is the former commander of the Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command, Virginia National Guard. He also served as the Assistant Adjutant General of the Virginia National Guard in Sandston, Virginia. Concurrently, he served as a deputy commander of United States Army Africa, as well as Army Reserve Component Integration Advisor, United States Army Africa.
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John Sergeant Wise
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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John Sergeant Wise was an American author, lawyer, and politician in Virginia. He was the son of Henry A. Wise and Sarah Sergeant.
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Thomas A. Saunders III
- Occupations
- financier
- Biography
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Thomas A. Saunders III was a Wall Street innovator, nationally recognized conservative leader, and philanthropist. He was a longtime Partner and Managing Director of Morgan Stanley and founder of the private equity firm, Saunders, Karp & Megrue. Saunders was also Chairman of The Heritage Foundation and a joint recipient, with his wife Jordan, of the National Humanities Medal for his non-profit service and philanthropy in the realms of public policy, higher education, historic preservation, and the arts.
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Cedric T. Wins
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with bachelor's degree in economics
- Occupations
- basketball playermilitary officer
- Biography
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Cedric Terry Wins is a retired United States Army general officer. Wins was the last commander of RDECOM, in the U.S. Army Materiel Command, and the first commanding general of Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), in the combat development element of U.S. Army Futures Command. In all, some 13,000 people work in some Science and Technology (S&T), or (RDT&E— research, development, test, and evaluation) capacity for DEVCOM.
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James A. Walker
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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James Alexander Walker was an American lawyer, politician, and Confederate general during the American Civil War, later serving as a United States Congressman for two terms. He earned the nickname "Stonewall Jim" for his days as commander of the famed Stonewall Brigade. Walker is the first graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (Class of 1852) to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He was expelled from the Institute weeks before graduation in 1852 amidst a bitter dispute with then-mathematics professor Thomas Jackson, but was granted his degree in 1872 in recognition of his military service in the American Civil War.
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Randolph McCall Pate
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Randolph McCall Pate was a United States Marine Corps general who served as the 21st Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1956 to 1959.
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Maury Maverick
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Fontaine Maury Maverick Sr. was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the United States House of Representatives for Texas's 20th congressional district from 1935 to 1939. He is best remembered for his independence from the party and for coining the term "gobbledygook" for obscure and euphemistic bureaucratic language.
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Samuel L. Howard
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1912
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Samuel Lutz Howard was a United States Marine Corps officer who served with distinction in the Marine Corps for thirty-eight years, attaining the rank of major general while on active duty, and subsequently promoted to Lieutenant General upon retirement.
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James Henry Lane
- Occupations
- army officermilitary personnel
- Biography
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James Henry Lane was a university professor and Confederate general in the American Civil War.
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Raleigh E. Colston
- Occupations
- military personnelcartographer
- Biography
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Raleigh Edward Colston was a French-born American professor, soldier, cartographer, and writer. He was a controversial brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Colston was among a handful of former Confederates who served in Egypt following the war.
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David M. Maddox
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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David M. Maddox was a United States Army four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group from 1992 to 1993 and Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe from 1993 to 1994. He commanded the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment from 1981 to 1983. He is a 1960 graduate of Virginia Military Institute. He received his Master of Science in Applied Science (Operations Research) from Southern Illinois University in 1969.
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Henry K. Burgwyn
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Henry King Burgwyn, Jr. was a Confederate colonel in the American Civil War who was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg.
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George Stallings
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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George Tweedy Stallings was an American professional baseball catcher and manager. He played in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and Philadelphia Phillies in 1890 and 1897 to 1898 and managed the Phillies, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, and Boston Braves between 1897 and 1920.
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Westmoreland Davis
- Years
- 1859-1942 (aged 83)
- Occupations
- farmerlawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Westmoreland "Morley" Davis was an American lawyer, politician, and the 48th Governor of Virginia, serving from February 1, 1918 to February 1, 1922.
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Archibald Vincent Arnold
- Occupations
- American football playermilitary officer
- Biography
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Archibald Vincent Arnold was a major general in the United States Army officer who commanded the 7th Infantry Division during World War II.
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Joseph Short
- Occupations
- journalistsecretary
- Biography
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Joseph Hudson Short Jr. was an American journalist and government official. He was the sixth White House Press Secretary from 1950 to 1952 and served under President Harry S. Truman. Previously, he had worked as Washington correspondent for various media.
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Thomas T. Munford
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Thomas Taylor Munford was an American farmer, iron, steel and mining company executive and Confederate colonel and acting brigadier general during the American Civil War.
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Thomas G. Jones
- Occupations
- lawyerjudgepolitician
- Biography
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Thomas Goode Jones was an Alabama lawyer, politician, and military officer. He served in the Alabama legislature and as the 28th governor of Alabama. He later became United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
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William P. Upshur
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Major General William Peterkin Upshur was a United States Marine Corps officer and the recipient of the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration, for his actions in 1915 during the Haitian Campaign.
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Roland Lazenby
- Years
- 1952-.. (age 74)
- Occupations
- writersports journalistjournalist
- Biography
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Roland Lazenby is an American sportswriter and educator.
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John Quincy Marr
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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John Quincy Marr was a Virginia militia company captain and the first Confederate States Army soldier killed by a Union army soldier in combat during the American Civil War. Marr was killed at the Battle of Fairfax Court House in Fairfax, Virginia, on June 1, 1861.
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James K. Marshall
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1856-1860
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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James Keith Marshall was a Confederate Army officer during the American Civil War. Marshall commanded the wounded J. Johnston Pettigrew's brigade during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg and died during the assault.
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Ron Carter
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Ronald Carter Jr. is an American former basketball shooting guard. He played college basketball for the VMI Keydets.
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John Echols
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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John Echols was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
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C. Bascom Slemp
- Occupations
- lawyerpoliticiansecretary
- Biography
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Campbell Bascom Slemp was an American Republican politician. He was a six-time United States congressman from Virginia's 9th congressional district from 1907 to 1923 and served as the presidential secretary to President Calvin Coolidge. As a philanthropist, Slemp set up the "Slemp Foundation", which provides gifts and scholarships to schools and colleges in Southwestern Virginia.
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Stephen M. Neary
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with bachelor's degree
- Occupations
- military leadermilitary personnel
- Biography
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Stephen M. Neary is a retired U.S. Marine major general who previously served as commanding general, United States Marine Forces Europe and Africa.
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Bobby Thomason
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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Robert Lee Thomason was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) from 1949 to 1957, primarily for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was selected to three Pro Bowls. He played college football for the VMI Keydets
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Robert B. Flowers
- Years
- 1947-.. (age 79)
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
-
Lieutenant General Robert B. Flowers was born in Pennsylvania and resided in several areas of the world as his family moved during his father's military career. Following graduation and commissioning from the Virginia Military Institute in 1969, he completed Airborne and Ranger training and began his career as an Engineer Officer. He holds a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and is a Registered Professional Engineer. Prior to his selection as Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he served as the Commanding General of the Engineer School and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. On April 16, 2018, the Best Sapper Competition was named in honor of LTG Flowers for his contributions to the Sapper Leader Course and his efforts in getting the Sapper Tab approved by General Peter Schoomaker on June 28, 2004.
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Blackshear M. Bryan
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1919
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Lieutenant General Blackshear Morrison Bryan was a United States Army general who served during the Second World War and Korean War.
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Scott Shipp
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Scott Shipp was an American military figure, Confederate States Army officer, educator and educational administrator born in Warrenton, Virginia. He was the second superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute, briefly the president of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (Virginia Tech) and led the VMI Cadets at the Battle of New Market during the American Civil War.
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Gabriel C. Wharton
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Gabriel Colvin Wharton was an American civil engineer and soldier who served as a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. After the war he was a politician and later resumed his engineering work.
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James Tillman
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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James Hammond Tillman was an American lawyer and politician from South Carolina. Born in Edgefield County, he received his education in the Curryton Academy; the Virginia Military Institute; the Emerson Institute of Washington, D.C., and the Georgetown University Law School. Between 1901 and 1903 he was Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. He was the son of U.S. Representative George D. Tillman and nephew of Senator Benjamin Tillman.
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Reuben Lindsay Walker
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1845
- Occupations
- military personnelfarmercivil engineer
- Biography
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Reuben Lindsay Walker was a Confederate general who served in the artillery during the American Civil War.
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Charles E. Kilbourne
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Major General Charles Evans Kilbourne Jr. was the first American to earn the United States' three highest military decorations. As an officer in the United States Army he received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Philippine–American War. He served as a general officer during World War I, and received the Distinguished Service Cross and Army Distinguished Service Medal. After World War I, he served as the superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute, succeeding General John A. Lejeune, and had a post-military career as a distinguished writer.
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Carl A. Strock
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Carl Ames Strock is a retired United States Army officer who formerly served as Chief of Engineers and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Born in Georgia to an Army family, he enlisted in the Army and received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant following graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1972. After completing Ranger and Special Forces training, he served primarily with infantry units before transferring to the Engineer Branch of the U.S. Army in 1983. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and a master's degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer.
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John Lansdale, Jr
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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John Lansdale Jr. was a United States Army colonel who was in charge of intelligence and security for the Manhattan Project.
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George A. Porterfield
- Occupations
- editor
- Biography
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George Alexander Porterfield was a junior officer of United States forces in the Mexican–American War, colonel, in the Confederate States Army during the first year of the American Civil War and longtime banker in Charles Town, West Virginia, after the war. He was in command of Confederate forces at Philippi in northwestern Virginia, later West Virginia, when they were surprised and routed, though with only a few soldiers wounded or captured, by Union Army forces on June 3, 1861, near the beginning of the Civil War. After serving in staff and temporary field positions for 11 more months, Porterfield resigned from the Confederate Army because he lost his position in a regimental election. In 1871 he helped found a bank at Charles Town, West Virginia, which he served for many years. At his death, he was the third-last surviving veteran officer of the Mexican–American War.
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David Furness
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts in history
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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David J. Furness is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who last served as the Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations from August 2021 to July 2023. He previously was the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations from August 2020 to August 2021.
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William R. Terry
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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William Richard Terry was a merchant, who became brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War and later served part-time in the Virginia Senate representing Bedford County, and still later was successively superintendent of the state penitentiary and of the soldiers' home in Richmond.
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Robert Q. Marston
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- physician
- Biography
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Robert Quarles Marston was an American physician, research scientist, governmental appointee and university administrator. Marston was a native of Virginia, and, after earning his bachelor's, medical and research degrees, he became a research scientist and medical professor. He served as the dean of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, the director of the National Institutes of Health, and the president of the University of Florida.
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Lewis Franklin Payne, Jr
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- In 1967 graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- business executiveengineerbusinesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Lewis Franklin "L. F." Payne Jr. is an American businessman, politician and lobbyist who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1988 to 1997. He served five terms representing the 5th district of the state, covering much of Southside Virginia.
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Charles Harvey Denby
- Years
- 1830-1904 (aged 74)
- Occupations
- diplomatwriter
- Biography
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Colonel Charles Denby was a U.S. Union officer in the Civil War and diplomat. He was the father of Edwin C. Denby, a U.S. Representative from Michigan, and later Secretary of the Navy, and Charles Denby, Jr., a diplomat.
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Stapleton Crutchfield
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Stapleton Crutchfield was a Confederate officer in the American Civil War closely associated with Stonewall Jackson until Jackson's death. Although Crutchfield lost a leg in the same battle, he returned to field in the last campaign in Virginia, losing his life in the Battle of Sailor's Creek.
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Clark L. Ruffner
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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General Clark Louis Ruffner was a senior officer in the United States Army who served in World War II and the Korean War.
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Joseph Edward Willard
- Occupations
- diplomatlawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Joseph Edward Willard was an American politician, philanthropist, and diplomat.
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Scott Lingamfelter
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lee Scott Lingamfelter is an American politician, soldier, and writer who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the 31st district in Fauquier and Prince William counties from 2002 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party, Lingamfelter ran for re-election in 2017, but lost to Democrat Elizabeth Guzmán. Prior to his election, from 1973 to 2001, Lingamfelter was an officer in the United States Army, reaching the rank of Colonel.
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James E. Brown III
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
-
James E. Brown III is a former aerospace executive, test pilot instructor, and United States Air Force officer. At the end of 2024, Brown retired from the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California where he served as president since 2022.
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Samuel Garland, Jr
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Samuel Garland Jr. was an American attorney from Virginia and Confederate general during the American Civil War. He was killed in action during the Maryland Campaign while defending Fox's Gap at the Battle of South Mountain.
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Richard Marshall
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Major General Richard Jaquelin Marshall was a senior officer in the United States Army.
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William H. F. Payne
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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William Henry Fitzhugh Payne was a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War.
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James B. Terrill
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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James B. Terrill, often identified as James Barbour Terrill was a lawyer and an officer in the Confederate States Army.
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Thomas N. Downing
- Occupations
- lawyerjudgepolitician
- Biography
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Thomas Nelms Downing was an American lawyer and politician who served nine terms as a Democratic Congressman from Virginia's 1st congressional district from 1959 to 1977.
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Shannon Meehan
- Born in
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United States - Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
-
Shannon P. Meehan is a public speaker, author of a critically acclaimed memoir and spokesman for veterans' issues. He is a retired captain in the United States Army. He was a tank platoon leader in the 1st Cavalry Division. He served with the U.S. Army in the Iraq War, where he earned the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal for Valor, among other honors. In September 2007, Meehan was injured in an IED strike during the Battle of Baqubah. Meehan spent two years completing rehabilitation and was officially retired in November 2009. Through speaking engagements across the country, Meehan has become a spokesperson for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder. Meehan, now retired, is finishing his degree to become an English teacher. He taught at North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, during the final part of the 2013–2014 school year.
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Greenfield Quarles
- Biography
-
Greenfield Quarles was a Confederate States Army and United States Army soldier, judge, and one of the founders of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
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Harry Johnston
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- In 1953 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Harry Allison Johnston II was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat from Florida. He was a four-term member of the United States House of Representatives from 1989 to 1997 and was a member of the Democratic Party.
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Lee S. Gerow
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Lee Saunders Gerow was a decorated brigadier general in the United States Army who served in World War I and World War II. He was the younger brother of Leonard T. Gerow. During World War II, he was the assistant division commander of the 85th Infantry Division from 1943 to 1945, serving with it in the Italian campaign.
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Marshall McDonald
- Occupations
- geologistmetallurgistzoologistengineermeteorological observer
- Biography
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Marshall McDonald was an American engineer, geologist, mineralogist, pisciculturist, and fisheries scientist. McDonald served as the commissioner of the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries from 1888 until his death in 1895. He is best known for his inventions of a number of fish hatching apparatuses and a fish ladder that enabled salmon and other migrating fish species to ascend the rapids of watercourses resulting in an increased spawning ground. McDonald's administration of the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries was notably free of scandal and furthered the "protection and culture" of fish species throughout the United States.
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Paul W. Brier
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- In 1981 graduated with Bachelor of Science in civil engineering
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Paul W. Brier is a retired United States Marine Corps major general. A combat veteran of the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars, he retired on 31 December 2016, completing 36 years of military service. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. A 2012 CAPSTONE Fellow at the National Defense University, he is a graduate of the Defense Resources Management Institute, Naval Postgraduate School; Air War College; Joint Forces Staff College; and Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
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James McIlvaine Riley
- Years
- 1849-1911 (aged 62)
- Biography
-
James McIlvaine "Mac" Riley was an American civil engineer and fraternity founder. He worked for the United States Army Corps of Engineers on the Mississippi River and was a surveyor with the City of St. Louis. While in college at the Virginia Military Institute, he was one of the founders of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
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Sumter deLeon Lowry
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. was an American insurance executive, National Guard officer, and political candidate from Florida. A veteran of the Pancho Villa Expedition, World War I, and World War II, he is best known for his service as commander of several units in the Florida National Guard. Lowry served in the military for 38 years and attained the rank of major general. Apart from his military service, he is remembered for his opposition to racial integration, on which he based his unsuccessful 1956 campaign for governor of Florida.
