100 Notable alumni of
Virginia Military Institute
Updated:
Virginia Military Institute is 681st in the world, 252nd in North America, and 232nd 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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George S. Patton
- Occupations
- autobiographerswimmermilitary officer
- Biography
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George Smith Patton Jr. was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.
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Mel Brooks
- Occupations
- actorwriterlibrettisttheatrical producervoice actor
- Biography
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Melvin James Brooks is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, songwriter, and playwright. 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 19 entertainers to win the EGOT, which includes an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award. 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 the Honorary Academy Award in 2024.
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Zachary Taylor
- Occupations
- statesperson
- Biography
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Zachary Taylor was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States 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.
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Fred Willard
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actorcomedianactortelevision presenter
- Biography
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Frederic Charles Willard was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for his work with Christopher Guest in This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006), and Mascots (2016), and for playing Ed Harken in the Anchorman films. He also appeared in films like Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), American Wedding (2003) and WALL-E (2008). He received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for playing Frank Dunphy on the sitcom Modern Family.
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Dabney Coleman
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1949
- Occupations
- television actorstage actorfilm actoractorvoice actor
- Biography
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Dabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor. Coleman's best known films include 9 to 5 (1980), On Golden Pond (1981), Tootsie (1982), WarGames (1983), Cloak & Dagger (1984), The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), You've Got Mail (1998), Inspector Gadget (1999), Recess: School's Out (2001), Moonlight Mile (2002), and Rules Don't Apply (2016).
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Richard E. Byrd
- Occupations
- exploreroceanographeraircraft pilotmilitary officer
- Biography
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Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr., an American naval officer, was a pioneering American 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
- diplomatpoliticianmilitary officerplayer of American footballsoldier
- 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 attempted to but failed to avoid the impending 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
- politicianneurologistmilitary physician
- Biography
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Ralph Shearer Northam is an American physician and 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. Northam, a member of the Democratic Party, served as the 40th lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018 prior to winning the governorship against 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, succeeded by Republican Glenn Youngkin.
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Sun Li-jen
- Occupations
- military personnelbasketball player
- Biography
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Sun Li-jen was a Chinese Nationalist (KMT) general, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute in the United States, 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". His New First Army was known as the "Best Army under heaven" and credited with effectively confronting Japanese troops in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai and in the Burma Campaign, 1943–1944.
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Douglas Macgregor
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Douglas Abbott Macgregor is a retired U.S. Army colonel, government official, author, consultant, and political commentator. He was a leader in an early tank battle in the Gulf War and was a top planner in the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. His 1997 book Breaking the Phalanx argued for radical reforms inside the Army. His thinking contributed to US strategy in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
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Michael Waltz
- Occupations
- military personnelpoliticianbusinessperson
- Biography
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Michael George Glen Waltz is an American politician and United States Army officer serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 2018 and succeeded Ron DeSantis, who went on to be elected the 46th governor of Florida in 2018.
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Cory Spangenberg
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Cory Joseph Spangenberg is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has previously 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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Chris Beck
- Occupations
- soldierLGBTQI+ rights activist
- 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".
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George S. Patton, Sr
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Colonel George Patton Sr. was a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War. He was the grandfather of World War II general George S. Patton. George Patton was also the great-grandfather of Major General George Patton IV, who died in 2004.
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Edward Almond
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Lieutenant General 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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Harry F. Byrd Jr
- Occupations
- editorlawyerpoliticianmilitary officerjournalist
- 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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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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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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William Mahone
- Occupations
- civil engineerpolitician
- Biography
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William Mahone was an Confederate States Army General, civil engineer, railroad executive, prominent Virginia Readjuster and ardent supporter of former slaves.
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Jennifer Carroll Foy
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jennifer Denise Carroll Foy is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she is a public defender by occupation. Carroll Foy was elected to represent Virginia's 2nd House of Delegates district in 2017, which covers parts of Prince William County and Stafford County in Northern Virginia. In December 2020, she resigned from the House of Delegates, in order to focus on her campaign for Governor of Virginia in 2021. She lost in the Democratic primary, placing second behind Terry McAuliffe. She was the 2023 Democratic nominee for State Senate in Virginia's 33rd Senate district, winning the race with nearly 63% of the vote.
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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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Ryan McCarthy
- Years
- 1973-.. (age 51)
- 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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Moses Jacob Ezekiel
- Occupations
- sculptorartist
- 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 revisionist view of history.
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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 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 Air Force on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as Chief of Staff by General T. Michael Moseley.
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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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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 2003-2020, and as chairman of the Allied Defense Group from 2001-03. 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 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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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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John E. Wool
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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John Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. He also participated in the Rogue River Indian War and the Trail of Tears ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer.
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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, Herron 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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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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Lemuel Cornick Shepherd, Jr
- 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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Josiah Bunting III
- Occupations
- military personnelacademic administrator
- 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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Lapthe Flora
- Years
- 1962-.. (age 62)
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Lapthe Chau Flora is a major general in the United States Army who is a special assistant to the director of the Army National Guard. He most recently 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 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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Thomas A. Saunders III
- Years
- 1937-.. (age 87)
- 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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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 Sergeant Wise
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- 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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James A. Walker
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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James Alexander Walker was a Virginia 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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Raleigh E. Colston
- Occupations
- cartographermilitary personnel
- 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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Samuel L. Howard
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Samuel Lutz Howard was a United States Marine Corps general who served with distinction in the Marine Corps for thirty-eight years. In the early stages of World War II, General Howard commanded the 4th Marine Regiment on Bataan and Corregidor from December 7, 1941, to May 6, 1942. For distinguished service in that bitter encounter, he was awarded the Navy Cross. Captured by the Japanese at Corregidor, he was forced to march many miles to a prison camp where he was held as a prisoner of war from 1942 until being liberated in 1945. He was the most senior U.S. Marine to be held captive during World War II. After the war, he continued to serve until 1953, including posts as commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit depot Parris Island S.C. from Feb. 2nd 1946 to Feb. 12 1946, and his final post as Inspector General of the Marine Corps.
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James Henry Lane
- Occupations
- military personnelarmy officer
- Biography
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James Henry Lane was a university professor and Confederate general in the American Civil War.
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Maury Maverick
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Fontaine Maury Maverick Sr. was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas, representing the 20th district from January 3, 1935, to January 3, 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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David M. Maddox
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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David M. Maddox is a retired 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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Cedric T. Wins
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with bachelor's degree in economics
- Occupations
- military officerbasketball player
- Biography
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Cedric Terry Wins is a retired U.S. Army general officer. Major General 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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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
- farmerpoliticianlawyer
- 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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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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Joseph Short
- Occupations
- secretaryjournalist
- 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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Archibald Vincent Arnold
- Occupations
- military officerplayer of American football
- Biography
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Major General Archibald Vincent Arnold was a United States Army officer who served during World War II.
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Thomas G. Jones
- Occupations
- politicianjudgelawyer
- Biography
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Thomas Goode Jones was an Alabama lawyer, politician, and military officer. He served in the Alabama legislature and as 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 the recipient of the United States' highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in 1915 during the Haitian Campaign.
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John Echols
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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John Echols was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
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Ron Carter
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Ronald Carter Jr. is a retired American basketball shooting guard. He played college basketball at the Virginia Military Institute.
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James K. Marshall
- 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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John Quincy Marr
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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John Quincy Marr was a Virginia militia company captain and the first Confederate soldier killed by a Union soldier in combat during the American Civil War. Marr was killed at the Battle of Fairfax Court House, Virginia on June 1, 1861. Previously one of Fauquier County's two delegates to the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861, Marr initially opposed his state's secession from the Union but ultimately supported secession, as did voters shortly before his fatal skirmish.
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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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Bobby Thomason
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Robert Lee "Bobby" Thomason was an American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was selected to three Pro Bowls. Thomason played college football at Virginia Military Institute and was drafted in the first round of the 1949 NFL Draft.
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C. Bascom Slemp
- Occupations
- secretarypoliticianlawyer
- 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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Robert B. Flowers
- Years
- 1947-.. (age 77)
- 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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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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Carl A. Strock
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Carl Ames Strock was a United States Army officer, and was Chief of Engineers and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He was born in Georgia and grew up in 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 R. Jones
- Biography
-
John Robert Jones was a Virginia educator who became a brigadier general in the Confederate army during the American Civil War, during which he twice received severe wounds. After the war, he became a merchant and later served for decades as a commissioner in chancery (probate official) in Harrisonburg.
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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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James Tillman
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- 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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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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Richard H. Cruzen
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Studied in 1916
- Occupations
- military officerexplorer
- Biography
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Richard Harold Cruzen was a decorated United States Navy officer with the rank of Vice Admiral. A veteran of both World Wars, he is best known for his participation and leadership in Antarctic expeditions.
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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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Scott Lingamfelter
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lee Scott Lingamfelter is a retired American politician, soldier, and writer. He was a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2018, representing the 31st district in Fauquier and Prince William Counties. 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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Charles Harvey Denby
- Years
- 1830-1904 (aged 74)
- Occupations
- writerdiplomat
- 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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John Lansdale, Jr
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- 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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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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Stephen M. Neary
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with bachelor's degree
- Occupations
- military personnelmilitary leader
- 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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James E. Brown III
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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James E. Brown III is an aerospace executive, test pilot instructor, and former United States Air Force officer. As of 2021, he is the president of the National Test Pilot School located in Mojave, California.
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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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Lewis Franklin Payne, Jr
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- In 1967 graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- engineerbusiness executivepoliticianbusinessperson
- Biography
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Lewis Franklin Payne Jr. (born July 9, 1945) 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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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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Thomas N. Downing
- Occupations
- politicianjudgelawyer
- Biography
-
Thomas Nelms Downing was a lawyer, politician, and Democratic Congressman from Virginia's 1st congressional district for nine terms.
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Joseph Edward Willard
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Joseph Edward Willard was an American politician, philanthropist, and diplomat.
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William H. F. Payne
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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William Henry Fitzhugh Payne was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
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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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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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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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Lee S. Gerow
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Lee Saunders Gerow was a decorated brigadier general in the United States Army with service in World War I and World War II. He was the younger brother of Leonard T. Gerow.
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James McIlvaine Riley
- Years
- 1849-1911 (aged 62)
- Biography
-
James McIlvaine Riley is one of the founders of the Sigma Nu fraternity. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he entered the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in the fall of 1866. Riley was a member of VMI's first baseball team in the fall of 1866, playing second base and eventually serving as the team's captain. While at VMI, James Frank Hopkins, Greenfield Quarles and Riley became close friends and founded Sigma Nu fraternity. Riley was elected the first Commander (or President) of the chapter at VMI, and served as the first Regent of Sigma Nu fraternity, a position he held for ten years. He died at age 61 and is buried in a plot in Bellefontaine Cemetery near the St. Louis Alumni chapter.
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Erskine Mayo Ross
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
-
Erskine Mayo Ross was an American attorney and jurist from California. He served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and of the United States Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California and a justice of the Supreme Court of California.
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John D. Caine
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts in economics
- Occupations
- military leader
- Biography
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John Daniel Caine is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who has served as the associate director for military affairs of the Central Intelligence Agency since November 3, 2021. He most recently served as the director of Special Access Program Central Office of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment from September 2019 to August 2021. Previously, he was the deputy commanding general of the Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
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Samuel C. Cumming
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Samuel Calvin Cumming was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. He is most noted for his service as assistant division commander of the 4th Marine Division during Mariana Islands Campaign and previously as commanding officer of 25th Marine Regiment during Battle of Kwajalein. He was a nephew of Hugh S. Cumming, former Surgeon General of the United States.
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Burr Harrison
- Occupations
- politicianjudgelawyer
- Biography
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Burr Powell Harrison was a Virginia lawyer, judge and Democratic politician who was a member of the Byrd Organization and served as U.S. Congressman representing Virginia's 7th congressional district (as had his father).
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Charles James Faulkner
- Occupations
- politicianjudgelawyer
- Biography
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Charles James Faulkner was a United States senator from West Virginia.
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Jules James
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Jules James,, was a career U.S. Naval officer. During World War II he commanded U.S. Naval forces in Bermuda and then later oversaw the construction of a large number of U.S. Navy ships while commanding the Sixth Naval District.
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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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D. French Slaughter, Jr
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Daniel French Slaughter Jr. was an American politician and member of the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1985, until his resignation on November 5, 1991.
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Harry Johnston
- Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute
- In 1953 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Harry Allison Johnston II was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat from Florida. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives and was a member of the Democratic Party.
