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Walt Lords appointment as president in 2018 heralded a brief period of reform at Valley Forge. Like most military academies, its a nonprofit run by a board of more than a dozen trustees and theyre responsible for strategic vision, Rottman said. In a 2007 racial discrimination lawsuit, Forge teacher Harold Price, chair of the foreign languages department, claimed the school wasnt painting over racist graffitithe suit cites one Black cadet who likened the campus atmosphere to a race war. Other sources told me racial slurs were common: 15-year-old white boys with silver spoons in their mouths saying the n-word. The strong core curriculum, developed based on careful analysis of the general education requirements of competitive colleges and universities, is the heart of the degree programs. During the 1950s to early 1960s, the officer rank structure of the Corps of Cadets, VFMAC, was: Other ranks wore the chevrons on the sleeve and were ranked accordingly, with a mix of British and U.S. Army and Marine enlisted ranks. Therese Dougherty, who oversaw student activities and the schools summer camp for McGeorges successors, filed a gender discrimination lawsuit in 2013 contending that administrators treated her in a condescending and demeaning manner and showed favoritism toward male employees. While praising then-president Lord, the Healey study also warned that the school will not survive if the board continues in its present form and function due to its lack of strategic vision and inability to put its financial house in order. Grades 8-12 compete in the High School eSports League. Trying to build a better view of life, something close to the impossible | Learn more about Ugochukwu Eze's work experience, education, connections & more by visiting their profile on LinkedIn Weve started an eSports team, instead.. He had a decidedly different job in 2011, when he was the Garrison Sgt. The organ was dedicated in May 1965, by the Alumni, to Constance Prosser Mellon, wife of Lieutenant General R.K. Mellon. A note in the end credits says the events in the film are not meant to reflect "the educational philosophy or teachings" of then-Valley Forge Military Academy and Junior College. end of submenu, closing. The Herald Fanfare Trumpets were brought to Valley Forge in 1953 by Colonel[clarification needed] D. Keith Feltham, Valley Forge Military Academy and College, L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M. Current board chair English responds that Valley Forge has paid off all the schools long-term debt. Schumacher and another former cadet remember Rivera at one point declaring his intent to give cadets an experience the commandant likened to a deployment in one of the shit-istans. This consisted of TACs berating and belittling the cadets and robbing them of sleep. Bandmaster is Warrant Officer (II) Phil Evans, Royal Marines Band Service (Retired).[22]. who served as Bandmaster and Director of Music from September 1949 to June 1976. He received a full ride as a Forge cadet in the 1980s, and even got married in the school chapel. On selected weekends, Cadets are permitted to leave at home. Gerald Hale, USCG (Ret. VFMA is a member of the PIAA and competes in 13 inter-school sports teams, and VFMC is a member of the NJCAA, Region 19, with 11 men's and women's sports. [3] The highest decoration in the institution, the Order of Anthony Wayne, was made in tribute to the heroism of the first Corps of Cadets on the night that the first campus burned down. Introduction. He then grabs the boy. Schumacher found respite at the stables, where he and other members of the schools mounted battalion spent hours each week dealing with the horses and dealing with ourselves. He almost dropped out when the Forge, to cut costs, abruptly disbanded its cavalry and repurposed the polo arena for paintball. They have no clue.. Once, most College Cadets in the infantry battalion were assigned to the "F" Company, but have been divided into "G", "H", and "I" Companies today. Be the first to find this review helpful. Based on the schools own data, Valley Forge logged at least 30 incidents of alleged sexual misconduct from 2015 through 2020, from stalking and fondling to rape; two ongoing lawsuits claim the school has attempted to impede investigations by its Title IX office. During the years of highest enrollment, in the 1960s and 1970s, Cadets of the Middle School were assigned to the "H" Company. One filled in as school chaplain, holding religious ceremonies and counseling suicidal cadets as young as 13. Theyre weakening the brand.. (The Forge has previously denied that the funds were misdirected.) Robert W. Strong Jr. Major General, United States Air Force (Retired) (19172006): Chief of Staff, This page was last edited on 5 March 2023, at 07:09. A cadet lieutenant colonel then headed the corps. Negative Experience. The school has had seven school presidents in the last decade, an insufficient endowment, and allegations of brutal student hazing. VFMAC is an international leadership institution, with a middle school & high school for boys & a co-ed college, that uses a military model to educate students. Asked directly what the prospects were for keeping Valley Forge open, he sounded a note of warning. On one side were concerned parents and alumni, and Lord; on the other an increasingly bellicose group of trustees and administrators, including Lords replacement, current president Stuart Helgeson. ET. Fred Gerber 1962-1966. We were there to be a role model for these kids, not a drill instructor. at the wedding of then-Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947, and at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953. Hed stumbled upon an unsanctioned version of the cap shield exam, an induction rite wherein new students are quizzed on the Forges nearly 100-year history. Instead, school officials blacklisted their most vocal critics, Lord included. Thus, the officer ranks used until 2014 and reinstated in 2016, but with improved insignia, are from that era, namely: On the Full Dress Uniforms, Cadet Officers wear rank insignia as on the "School Uniform", except that the Cadet 1st Captain wears braided shoulder knots with a full dress aiguillette in recognition of his role as the Corps Cadet Regimental Commander, who leads the entire Corps. Thus, the system is somewhat "inverted" from the "Form" system in use at some schools and more closely parallels West Point and the other FSAs. Westley Watende Moore. He met frequently with students and staff, snapped selfies with cadets, and cultivated closer relations with alumni and parents. He ascended through the Army ranks to the position of major general and served in Sarajevo and Afghanistan. He now represents the former cadet who filed the tooth-pasting lawsuit, and three others who allege that, as minors, they, too, experienced tooth-pasting and other abuse at the Forge from 2014 to 2018. Many business, political, and military leaders have embraced that tough-love approach. Police reports obtained by Mother Jones from the last decade involve cadets as young as 13 experiencing psychiatric crises, including suicidal behavior. No one could pronounce Triola, so they shortened my name to Troll, which amused me since many students' names had far . Those who pass are welcomed into the Corps of Cadets, which Schumacher now commanded, and rewarded with the cap shield medal, a brass badge depicting the mythical moment when General George Washington, standing on the Pennsylvania battleground for which the school was named, prayed for the survival of the fledgling American republic. One of the boys spoke at graduation, and the young lady who had been assaulted had to sit there and listen, Wood said. Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major and Band and Field Music Drum Major wear British Army Foot Guard uniforms. or Best Offer. It revolved around lofty principles, yet often culminated in a cap shield handshake, wherein plebes point the prick of the badge toward their palm and accept a vigorous clasp. Valley Forge was founded in 1928 by Lt. General Milton Grafly Baker, a veteran of World War I and close confidant of West Point graduate Dwight D. Eisenhower. Those who embrace them and live into them recognize leadership isnt just a word and isnt given but earned. VFMAC. This unit is a reflection of the British volunteer Corps of Drums tradition. The conclusion of this period occurs when the students complete the traditional requirement of earning their "Capshield", the brass crest that adorns the uniform cap.[16]. Amid money woes, administrators have curtailed sports, slashed courses, and assigned teachers to unfamiliar subjects, leading to an academic decline so steep that some Forge cadets complain certain colleges no longer accept transfer credits for many of their courses. by VFMAC Admin | Oct 20, 2022 | Alumni Honoring VFMAC's Fallen Heroes Allen E. Stanko 55C TAPS8/28/2020 William H. Cressler '56 '58C TAPS9/13/2022 . Cadet senior NCOs carry British Army pace sticks. They were given uniforms, borrowed from their real life counterparts at the school and given authentic military haircuts. Cadets listen to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney at a 2012 Valley Forge rally. All they cared about was that there was no negative press, even if it meant that kids were being sodomized or kids were having inappropriate sexual relations, or getting drunk or getting high, or whatever. We didnt get anything done.. SPONSORED. The presentation claimed that five classmates had either tried to kill themselves or had spoken to leadership about doing so that school year. Browse 204 valley forge military academy photos and images available, or search for military school cadets to find more great photos and pictures. Pips are similar in design to the "Order of the Bath" rank stars worn by the British Army and the Royal Marines, except the three crowns have been replaced with an image of George Washington kneeling in the snow, from the painting "The Prayer at Valley Forge" by Henry Brueckner, and the motto "Tria Juncta In Uno" replaced with "Valley Forge Military Academy," as represented in the institutional coat of arms. Former chairmanBill Floyd held that position for 12 years and has been on the board for 15 years total. Ray Rottman, executive director of the Association of Military Colleges & Schools of the United States, said about 10,000 student cadets now attend military prep schools, and 11,000 more attend military colleges. It is the only corps of cadets in the United States to retain a traditional mounted battalion (squadron), consisting of one cavalry troop and one artillery battery. Subsequently, the school was known as Valley Forge Military Academy and Junior College. Its extremely negligent to let students have this level of power over each others lives, he said. The fictional Pencey maintained strict rules and excellent academicsvirtues, if ones Holden couldnt live up to. Focused on developing personal strength in every cadet, opening the door for academic achievement now, and for the future. (Ten other cadets went AWOL that weekend, some for a temporary taste of freedom, others hoping to escape permanently.) Formal military education emerged in Europe during the 18th century and was embraced by the colonial brass during the Revolutionary War. Additional clients, Ryan says, are preparing complaints that stem from the Forges intentional ignorance.. The officer ranks used above were briefly reinstated in 20142016. Many of my co-workers didnt understand that. The mistreatment amplified my anger issues, Sheng said, and led him to abuse others in turn. Valley Forge is one of roughly 40 accredited military schools nationally . It brings out the best and the worst in people, he told me. In her 2019 resignation letter, she called the present governance structure and apathetic attitude of the trustees not only troubling but reprehensible.. He was also waterboarded, he claims, and had his head slammed into a wall. Terms of Service apply. Another difference is in the rank system, a hybrid of United States and British military ranks, and the insignia the school utilizes. Some trustees have been on the schools board for decades, fueling criticism that the board has become ossified and resistant to change. An additional 10 tactical officers watch cadets during non-academic hours, Were going to right-size, and we will break even this year, English said. Citing falling enrollment, weak finances, Valley Forge Military Academy and College. It was here Salinger honed his writing skillsa sentimental poem he wrote about the school is still recited at its gatherings. When the TACs started asking questions and she gave them her account, one of them said it was my fault. The alleged assailant was allowed to remain on campus for the semester. Several alumni who serve in the armed forces told me that nothing in their military experience has been as harrowing as their years at the Forge. Grades 7 & 8 compete in the Middle School eSports League. By Record Inc News Service | 3 years ago. Valley Forge is one of roughly 40 accredited military schools nationally, and its declining attendance tracks Americas move away from a military-style education that includes uniforms and a hierarchy aimed at teaching leadership. A stocky history nerd with dark brown hair, he spent hours memorizing school trivia and passed his cap shield exam in near-record time. Titled State of the Forge, it detailed squalid living conditions, flawed Covid-19 policies, and ongoing bullying, including an attempted lynchingin which Black cadets offended by a white students racism allegedly tried to choke the kid with a belt. In June 2018, the school announced that a proposed joint venture with the closed Carson Long Military Academy would result in allowing Carson cadets to transfer to Valley Forge. Former cadets Ryan Niessner, Jordan Schumacher, and Young Sheng are among the former cadets speaking out about their experiences at the Forge.Photographs by Devin Oktar Yalkin. Enrollment peaked after World War II, but by the end of the Vietnam War, 65 percent of the institutions had closed their doors. Cadets were meant to be supported by adult TAC (teach, advise, counsel) officers, many of whom are military veterans. At the height of its enrollment in the late 1960s, Valley Forge had 1,169 cadetsmost white and all male. Valley Forge Military Academy and College. Valley Forge has long billed itself as the kind of institution that breaks young people down in order to build them back better. Schumacher and a handful of other cadets thus took it upon themselves to shield fellow students from bullies and twisted TACs alike. The academy and college were once fully residential, but the academy offers a day-student program. We keep hoping these guys would go away, Helgeson complained to the newspaper. Ira Epstein 1965-1969. In the newest controversy to hit Pennsylvania's only military academy, a 20-year-old former cadet has filed a lawsuit accusing Valley Forge Military Academy and College and its then-leaders of looking the other way while he was bullied, beaten up, waterboarded, and sexually abused in a violent ritual . And then there was the 18-year-old cadet who never made it to graduation. One student stabbed a classmate with scissors; another bashed his peer with a baseball batneither met serious repercussions. It continues the long heritage of US military field music through the years of the nation's existence and its armed forces. Select VF cadets are granted privilege by the leadership and staff of the Duke of York's Royal Military School in the United Kingdom for exchange studies on their campus. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start. I resigned, said Lord, adding that he offered to stay in 2019 for the remainder of the fiscal year. The Delaware County Court of Common Pleas reported the following activity in the suit brought by Valley Forge Military Academy and College against Roman E. Yang on March 12: 'Complaint (e-Filed)'. With school leaders doing little to address the fraught campus atmosphere, Schumacher had taken it upon himself to patrol the grounds as often as possible. [11] For the 201718 school year, the academy had 213 students in grades 712.[12]. Several investigations were launched in recent years into alleged cadet-on-cadet brutality and violent episodes of hazing, including waterboarding and a practice called toothpasting that involved ritually sodomizing fellow students with a lacrosse stick. Then they fired me., Following Lords dismissal, trustee Maj. Gen. Jessica Wright, a former undersecretaryat the U.S. Department of Defense, quit the board in support of Lord. These cadets were clearly out of line. In another troubling case that Wood discussed with a local newspaper in 2017, four male college cadets conspired with a fifth to covertly film his sexual encounter with a drunk female cadet. The same suit claims that after a 13-year-old classmate reported his own abuse to school officials, his tormentors branded him with a Bfor bitch., Based on the schools nonprofit tax filings, Valley Forge has spent more than $4 million on legal fees over the last two decades. the crest comprises an eagle with wings displayed and a scroll bearing the motto 'Courage, Honor, Conquer.' But the kind of torment Valley Forge kids were subjected to, trauma that can leave psychological wounds as deep as those borne by soldiers on a battlefield, is impossible to justify. The still-pending complaint warns of a propensity among TACs for cadet allegations to be covered up and interfered with. Wood also alleges that his attempts to investigate claims were repeatedly met with implicit threats by top officials, including William Gallagher, a retired Army colonel who held various senior roles. In an internal 2019 survey I obtained, cadets complained about inadequate physical security. The Radnor school board, which rejected the application Tuesday, said the proposed Valley . (Before the design of the school "pips", cadet officers wore the British "pips" design with the crowns.) And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. By many accounts, its trustees and administratorsmostly former military menhave downplayed the schools problems by concocting positive images and suppressing scandals. It merely makes them obedient. This truth helps highlight the moral clarity of dissenters such as Salinger and Schumacher, whose insubordination was a clear-eyed response to abuse, a righteous rejection of bullying masquerading as command and control. The schools endowment has languished at about $11 million for years, which means it relies more on cadet tuition, room and board. Square-jawed and warm, Lord believed the only way to save his alma mater was by listening to peoples concerns. We provides our students career guidance and employment counseling upon completion of the . After classes, cadets participate in athletics and extracurricular activities. Nestled 20 miles north of Philadelphia, the private institution teaches middle school, high school, and junior college students. Your exploration of these pages will describe an education built on Five Cornerstones: Academic Excellence, Leadership, Character Development, Physical Development and Personal Motivation. And security has been told that if my wife steps foot on the grounds, they are to call the police. School administrators said Mrs. Lord has not been banned and is still welcome on campus, following the visitors protocols,once campus is open to visitors again. I look forward to welcoming you to Valley Forge Military Academy & College. Rafael Garcia 1979-1983. The case was settled out of court.). (The board rejected the plan, citing trustees dearth of educational experience and a lack of competent curriculum guidelines, and accused the Forge of trying to subsidize its private school with taxpayer dollars.) Finally, in a decision the cadets would feel acutely, Helgeson promoted TAC J.J. Rivera, a fellow Marine, to the title of commandant. Valley Forge Military Academy & College's Post Valley Forge Military Academy & College 7,013 followers 4y Spoken to leadership about doing so that school year alleged assailant was allowed to remain on for. 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