Jayhawk SaluteH

H Chancellor Gray-Little opens KU’s first Veterans Alumni Chapter advisory board meeting

Spring 2013

Senior Advisory BoardSen. Robert J. Dole, Army, Honorary Board Chairman,

c’45Kenneth L. Audus, Air Force, PhD’84BG Roosevelt Barfield, Army (Ret.), c’85GEN John G. Coburn, Army (Ret.), g’75Brig Gen (Sel) Scott Dold, KS Air National Guard, c’83, l’91BG Michael C. Flowers, Army (Ret.), c’77RADM Mark Heinrich, Navy, g’89, g’89Forrest Hoglund, Army, e’56LTG Richard F. Keller, Army (Ret.)LTG Keith Kellogg Jr., Army (Ret.), g’77MG Gary Patton, Army, g’90RADM Ed Phillips, Navy (Ret.)COL Ed Reilly, Army (Ret.), c’61BG John C. Reppert, Army (Ret.), g’72MajGen David A. Richwine, USMC (Ret.) c’65MG Jeff Schloesser, Army (Ret.), c’76COL Willard Snyder, Army (Ret.), c’62, l’65Brig Gen Cassie Strom, MOANG, c’79MG Butch Tate, Army, c’79, l’82COL Robert Ulin, Army (Ret.), g’79

Executive CommitteeCol Jeff Bowden, USMC (Ret.), c’83MSgt Chris Campbell, USMC (Ret.)CAPT James Cooper, Navy (Ret.), c’74Warren Corman, Navy, e’50Col Mike Denning, USMC (Ret.), Chapter President, c’83COL Todd Ebel, Army (Ret.)Col Greg Freix, Air Force (Ret.), Chapter Vice President,

g’99COL Bernie Kish, Army (Ret.), PhD’98AMB David Lambertson, Department of State (Ret.)CAPT Max Lucas, Navy (Ret.), e’56, g’62LTC Randy Masten, Army (Ret.), Chapter Secretary and

Treasurer, g’03COL James Pottorff, Army (Ret.), l’84

Ex OfficioScott Boland, Army, Collegiate Veterans Association.

c’09, c’10CPT Timothy Hornik, Army (Ret.), Chapter’s Director of

Veterans Affairs, s’11LTC Susan Mitchell, Army, KUAA D.C. Chapter Liaison Officer, c’88, l’94LTC Storm Reynolds, Army, Professor of Military ScienceLt Col Montague Samuel, Air Force, Professor of

Aerospace StudiesCAPT David D. Schweizer, Navy, Professor of Naval

ScienceCPO William Steele, Navy Reserve, Newsletter Editor

Editor: Bill Steele, 785-864-7478 wsteele@ku.eduAssoc. Editor: Randy Masten, 785-864-7455 RandyMasten@ku.edu

The inaugural meeting of the Senior Advisory Board for the KU Veterans Alumni Chapter took place Nov. 10, 2012, at the Adams Alumni Center. Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little gave the opening remarks and affirmed her support of the Chapter’s mission to make KU the most supportive university in the nation for veteran students.

During the morning session, the Execu-tive Committee briefed the board mem-bers on current educational programs be-tween the University and the U.S. Armed Forces and ongoing research grants in support of the Department of Defense. KU currently has several graduate programs that are specifically designed for the U.S. military and more than $6 million in

DOD-sponsored research grants. In the afternoon session, Mike Denning, the Chapter president, briefed the board on a proposal to create a comprehensive, dedicated veterans service center for the University. The goal of the proposed cen-ter is to help veterans and their families transition from the military to the class-room, improve their persistence to degree and graduation rates, and ultimately help them transition back into the civilian workforce. The population of veterans on campus is expected to double in the next few years. Other activities during the board members’ visit included attending the opening game of the KU men’s bas-ketball season against Southeast Missouri State and dinner on Massachusetts Street.

Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little graciously receives Honorary Coin number two in appreciation for her support at the Veterans Alumni Chapter Advisory Board Meeting Nov. 10.  Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole was the recipient of the inaugural Honorary Coin. Other Honorary Coin recipients include Chancellors Hem-enway and Budig, and Marine Corps Corp. Chester Nez, the lone surviving member of the original Navajo Code Talkers. 

In February, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences awarded Charles Boyd, c’75, g’76, a retired four-star general of the U.S. Air Force, its Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award for 2013. Gen. Boyd shared the honor with four other KU graduates. The award is the highest recognition the College bestows upon its graduates.

A native of Iowa, Gen. Boyd is a Starr Distinguished National Security Fel-low at the Center for National Interest, a nonpartisan public policy institution established by former President Richard Nixon. He retired from the Air Force in 1995 after 35 years of service. A combat pilot in Vietnam, he was shot down on his 105th mission and survived 2,488 days as a prisoner of war. The only POW from that war to achieve the four-star rank,

General Boyd’s final military assignment was as Deputy Commander in Chief of U.S. forces in Europe. His military decorations include the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters. He is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours. Boyd received his KU bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Latin American Studies in 1975 and 1976.

Recipients of the CLAS Distinguished Alumni award are selected by the College’s alumni advisory board. The award rec-ognizes graduates’ contributions to KU, their professions or their communities. The College will recognize the recipients at events hosted nationwide throughout the year.

H Charles Boyd, POW survivor, receives distinguished alumni award

USAF Gen. (ret.) Charles Boyd

H Veterans Day Weekend at KU

On Veterans Day Weekend 2012, KU ROTC Cadets and Midshipmen partici-pated in a Retreat Ceremony, special col-loquium on the topic of Leadership in the Trenches of WW I, Veterans Day 5K/10K Run, and a 24-hour vigil at KU’s Vietnam War Memorial, Korean War Memorial and Campanile (World War II Memorial).

An estimated 150 runners participated in the 2012 Veterans Day Run, hosted by the KU Collegiate Veterans Association.

Photo: Bill Steele

During the ’70s, KU vets got a regular Wake Up! call

By Ron Bishop, j’77

Transitioning from military life to col-lege life during the Vietnam War era was very difficult for some. Helping with these transitions on the University of Kansas campus was a small group of veterans called “Campus Veterans.” These student veterans held office hours in the Kansas Union and published a newspaper called “Wake Up!”, which was full of information about benefits offered by the Veterans Administration and articles about veterans on cam-pus. I worked as a photographer on the newspaper.

The Wake Up! started publishing in 1971 and came out once or twice a semester. It ran until sometime in the mid-1970s. One drawing in the paper that was quite popular with the vets was of a GI in san-dals and fatigues flashing the peace sign.

Most of the veterans attending college were on the GI Bill and didn’t speak a lot

about their experiences in the service. A lot of their classmates didn’t know that they were veterans, and they just tried to blend in. During this time on campus there were a lot of anti-war demon-strations, including the now-infamous burning of the Kansas Union in 1970.

Having enough money for enrollment and books for most students was a chal-lenge but the Campus Veterans worked with the VA and the University to have a GI Bill check waiting for the veteran when they enrolled after his first semes-ter at KU.

H Veteran’s Corner

Veterans’ Corner is a space for readers to write about their experiences at KU. We welcome your submissions. This issue we feature Ron Bishop, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy from 1965 to 1974.

50 international officers attending the USAF Air War College visited KU March 1.

A group of 50 International Fellows attending the U.S. Air Force Air War College, Air University in Montgomery, Ala., visited KU on March 1. The senior military officers, representing 43 coun-tries, received an in-depth briefing on the U.S. education system, including historical background, how students are taught and evaluated, and a historical overview of col-leges and universities.

Following the brief, the officers participat-ed in a series of panels focused on regional topics and issues in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North and South America, and the Asia-Pacific region. The panels were open to students and the general public.

The International Fellows attend a one-year graduate level course at the Air War College.

H Foreign military officers visit KU

International officers discuss military issues at a discussion on the Asia-Pacific region. The officers were part of a group of 50 officers attending the USAF Air War College who visited KU March 1.

Navy Midshipmen choose their first ships

By Officer Candidate Tom McSweeney, USN On Feb. 12 and 13, four First Class Mid-shipmen from the University of Kansas Navy ROTC chose their first ships. This ceremony, conducted nationwide by the Bureau of Naval Personnel, was an opportunity for all senior NROTC Midshipmen who have chosen Surface Warfare to pick their first duty station. KU’s MIDN chose from ships in every homeport and every ship type.

MIDN 1st Class Garrett Smith chose the USS NITZE (DDG 94) out of Norfolk, Va. After being notified about his ship selection MIDN, Smith commented, “I’m excited to enter the surface Navy aboard a destroyer! I also look forward to mov-ing to Norfolk and learning both about my ship and the culture of the Navy.” Other Midshipmen selecting ships were MIDN 1st Class Alex Pendleton, who chose the USS BONHOMME RICH-ARD (LHD 6), which is home-ported in Sasebo, Japan; MIDN 1st Class Jessica Denney, who decided to serve on the USS SAN JACINTO (CG 56) out of

Norfolk, Va.; and MIDN 1st Class Nathan Slaughter, who picked the USS JOHN S. MCCAIN (DDG 56) out of Yokosuka, Japan. Each of our future Surface Warfare Of-ficers will be commissioned in May and enter the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC) near their respective homeports and learn the skills that will serve them well during their first tour. After eight weeks at BDOC they will report to their ships to serve for 24 months as divi-sion officers and begin the qualification process to become full-fledged Surface Warfare Officers.

H ROTC Corner

H Spring semester chock full of events, new assignments for Air Force ROTC

AFROTC Det 280 wrapped up an out-standing fall semester and is well on its way to an exceptional spring semester. A highlight for our seniors was notification of their initial active duty career field as-signments and initial duty station assign-ments. Cadets Nicholas Brunkhorst and Kevin Jackson will be assigned to Vance AFB OK for undergraduate pilot train-ing; Cadets Cole-Christian Holinaty and Brandon Johnson will be assigned to Vandenberg AFB CA for nuclear mis-sile initial qualification training; Cadet Mason Bruza (Cyberspace Operations) will be assigned to Keesler AFB MS for initial training; Cadet Britni Charles (Acquisitions) will be assigned to Eglin AFB FL; Cadet Zachary Early (Airfield Operations) will be assigned to Columbus AFB MS for initial training; Cadet Brian Tabares (Behavioral Scientist) will be assigned to Wright-Patterson AFB OH; and Cadet Grant Worden (Aeronauti-cal Developmental Engineer) will be assigned to Los Angeles AFB CA. We had one cadet who was re-categorized. Cadet Seth Wilson competed at the AF Office of Special Investigations (OSI) assignment board and was selected for AFOSI duty. The competition was tremendously tough and the selection rate for new accessions into AFOSI is extremely low. His selection speaks volumes. Cadet Wilson’s initial as-signment will be at Little Rock AFB AR.

Last semester, six of our sophomore cadets competed at the Headquarters Air Force ROTC In-College Scholar-ship Program board. Once more a very tough competition, but we are proud to announce that one of the cadets, Cadet Blake Denniston was the winner of an AFROTC 3-year scholarship.

I am happy to announce that this semester we nominated three outstanding cadets for pilot duty and all three received a slot. The well-deserved individuals are Cadets Nathaniel Berndt, McKenna Hall, and Emily Thompson. Additionally, we will have five of our freshmen cadets compete

at the HQ Air Force ROTC In-College Scholarship Program board for three- and four-year scholarships.

This year, we submitted 12 cadets for continuation in our advance program. The Enrollment Allocation (EA) process determines which cadets in the Air Force ROTC program will get a commission. The EA process is very competitive; last year, nationally, only around 55 percent of cadets received an EA. A board at HQ AFROTC will meet in March to determine which of our 12 will get an EA. The board looks at detachment commander’s rank-ing, grade-point average, physical fitness test results and academic aptitude scores to make their determination. We wish our cadets the best of luck through this demanding process.

− Lt. Col. Montague D. Samuel, Commander, AFROTC Det 280

Survival, Resistance, Evasion and Escape (SERE) training

AFROTC Det 280 Cadre in front of Allen Field-house.

The 2013 spring semester is off to a strong start. Returning from Christmas break, the Jayhawk Battalion welcomed 27 new Cadets into the Battalion. Our new Cadets were quickly integrated into their squads in order to participate in a multitude of training events. Outside of classroom instruction, Cadets received hands-on training in first aid, weapons, map reading and squad movement techniques.

Throughout the semester much of a Cadet’s hands-on training will be con-ducted in the field. When the Jayhawk Battalion conducts operations in our local training area, Cadets are able to put their newly acquired skills to practical use.

KU Cadets have also excelled in their academic goals. This semester six Cadets were inducted into Scabbard and Blade, a National Honor Society, during a special ceremony Jan. 18 in the Spencer Research Library. Scabbard and Blade society mem-bers represent the elite scholars, athletes and leaders of the ROTC program. The society is steeped in tradition and pro-motes the importance of being a scholar and leader. Scabbard and Blade members embrace military traditions and KU his-tory while striving to take a more active role in the community.

Most recently one of the Jayhawk Battal-ion’s own, Matthew Visser, was recog-nized by the University of Kansas on the fifth-annual Men of Merit poster. The poster recognizes KU men who positively define masculinity by challenging norms,taking action and leading by example. Cadet Visser was recognized for his accomplishments in the ROTC and contributions to KU and the surrounding community.

Check out our website at www.armyrotc.ku.edu for more details on these events, and take a look at our “2011-2012 Jayhawk Battalion Recap” video, http://www.army-rotc.ku.edu/#rbc-video .

Additionally, find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/KUArmyROTC and follow us on Twitter, http;//twitter.com/KU_ArmyROTC

Remember, you can always give back to the Jayhawk Battalion through our Endowment at the following: http://www.kuendowment.org. Account: Army ROTC #38164. As always, thank you for your support to the Jayhawk Battalion.

JAYHAWKS LEAD THE WAY!

−Lt. Col. Storm Reynolds, Battalion Commander

H The Jayhawk Battalion

Matt Visser, Senior, Political Science, Global and International Studies, and French.

By Greg Freix, Program Director, KU School of Business

With the graduation in May of its current cohort, the KU School of Business-deliv-ered Master of Science in Business with concentration in Supply Chain Manage-ment & Logistics (MSB-SCM, for short) will complete its fifth year and will have produced more than 130 graduates. The program continues to earn high praise from its graduates and Army leaders, and it continues to be a major contributor to the Army’s National Logistics Curriculum.

Following curriculum development in collaboration with U.S. Army educators at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth and Army Logistics University at Fort Lee, and expedited approval by the Kansas Board of Regents, the program accepted its first students in August 2008 with the goal of providing a high-quality degree opportu-nity to enhance officers’ skills while on active duty and hopefully provide a spring-board to employment in the supply chain management field when they leave active duty. The program is demanding, sharing the officers’ time with an equally intense

11-month graduate-level professional edu-cation program at Fort Leavenworth.

Program alumni, officers from all armed services and the Military Sealift Com-mand have moved on to significant posi-tions around the world from battalion command, the Pentagon, and various theater and joint commands. Many have written to provide firsthand reports of the KU program’s value to them in their new roles. Notably, too, the first post-active duty success story is in, with a graduate now employed as a global commodities

manager for a major corporation, report-ing that the degree was a major factor in his selection.

The MSB-SCM program passed another major milestone in 2012 with the success-ful conclusion of a “maintenance of accreditation” visit by distinguished schol-ars and administrators representing the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the “gold standard” accrediting authority for business schools worldwide. When the MSB-SCM program began, the School’s existing accreditation became its accreditation, but without for-mal review. The recent decision to extend accreditation marks the first time the MSB-SCM program has been explicitly reviewed by an AACSB team.

The program’s future remains bright with officers already having applied for and been admitted to the program for the 2013-2014 academic year. Support from University officials and Army leaders has been crucial to the program’s suc-cess and remains steadfast. For further information, please contact the program’s director, Greg Freix, at 785-864-7544 or gfreix@ku.edu.

H KU’s Supply Chain Management degree nearing conclusion of fifth year at Fort Leavenworth

Greg Freix, Director of KU’s Supply Chain Manage-ment and Logistics program, speaks to a class at the Army’s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth December, 2012.

In February, the Office of Graduate Mili-tary Programs invited U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Scraba, director of the Army’s Joint Interagency Counter-Trafficking Center, to speak at the first Kansas Conference on Slavery and Human Trafficking, held at the University of Kansas. The conference brought together researchers, advocates, government representatives and legal scholars to examine the issue, which is increasingly recognized as a central human rights challenge. More than 200 people participated in the one-day sympo-sium, held Feb. 1, and approximately 300 attended the Jan. 31 keynote speech by Kevin Bales, one of the world’s foremost experts on human slavery.

Brig. Gen. Scraba participated in a panel focusing on government responses and discussed the Army’s efforts working with European nations to counter illicit trafficking and terrorists in the European Command area of interest. In addition to medical, justice, National Guard and law enforcement, a number of service provid-ers, social workers, domestic violence advocates and non-governmental orga-nizations from the region and across the country also participated. KU’s Institute for Policy & Social Research webpage is working to develop a three-fold initiative for KU on slavery and human trafficking based on the outcomes of the conference.

H Human Trafficking Conference

http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/CIPA/HumanTrafficking/program.shtml

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Scraba, director of the Army’s Joint Interagency Counter-Trafficking Center, participated in KU’s Human Slavery and Trafficking Conference Feb. 1.

Maj. Daniel Squyres, 32, is an aviation officer and student in KU’s Supply Chain Management and Logistics program. A na-tive of Mesquite, Tex., Squyres was com-missioned as a second lieutenant in the Army in 2002. After deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan flying the UH-60 Black-hawk helicopter, followed by a training stint at Fort Hood, he came to the Com-mand and General Staff College last fall to receive his Intermediate Level Education and follow-on training at the School for Advanced Military Studies (SAMS). He decided to also pursue a master’s degree from KU after learning about the Supply Chain Management and Logistics pro-gram offered on-site in the evenings and weekends.

What led you to the Supply Chain Management program?I knew that I wanted to get a master’s degree while I was here [at the CGSC], and I didn’t want to get the Army master’s degree. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, necessarily, but I’m going to get out of the Army at some point, and walk-ing into a company and saying, “Yeah, I have a master’s from the Army,” it’s not going to make a lot of sense. So, I wanted to find the most reputable institution that was available to me. Digging into it, I found the KU program.

What’s been your experience so far?Being a liberal arts guy, everything’s been new, from finance to accounting to even a lot of the economics. The organizational change block has really been incredible. What’s really neat about it, more so than I expected, it amplifies a lot of what we we’re getting here, and it’s just as applica-ble to the military side as it is the business side of life or any other endeavor.

Which course have you gotten the most out of so far?For me, it was probably the economics course that Art Hall gave. I had never before been exposed to somewhat more advanced concepts like “creative destruc-tion” and “the knowledge problem.” I

found those ideas and others to be end-lessly fascinating and the course overall to be very much representative of what I had hoped such a program would include.

Do you think this degree will benefit your military career?It already has. I absolutely think that it was, I don’t want to say selection criteria, but definitely a consideration for be-ing accepted to SAMS. Because there’s a reason why people chose the KU program over the Webster program or the Central Michigan program or whatever, and I’ve got buddies who are in those programs, nothing against them, but they’ve realized at this point that they’re buying an MBA. I don’t feel that way. I feel like I’m earning a degree. Significant difference.

Do you also feel this will benefit your civilian career?Absolutely. What I know I don’t want to do when I get out of the Army is, I don’t really want to be a helicopter pilot for an offshore oil rig company. I wanted some-thing that would segue more naturally into more of a professional-type setting that could help make me more marketable but emphasize that side of the skillset you do get in the Army, and the KU thing made perfect sense.

H KU Student Profile: Maj. Daniel Squyres

In a recently released survey, the Military Times Media Group ranked the KU School of Business No. 14 in its first Best for Vets: Business Schools rankings. Evaluators based their assessment on responses provided to a detailed, 60-ques-tion survey, which asked about academic policies, financial aid, academic and career support, and average Graduate Man-agement Admission Test scores. Nearly 100 schools

were assessed in the survey, which fol-lowed an even more demanding evalu-ation of universities generally, the Best for Vets: Universities. KU was a top-10

finisher in that survey.KU’s School of Business offers a

variety of dedicated programs for veteran students. Among

these are the MSB-SCM program featured else-where in this newsletter, a unique MBA program

for U.S. Navy Supply Corps

officers with a concentration in petroleum management, and a distinguished execu-tive education program for Army colonels and command sergeants major provided as part of their pre-command training for brigade-level commands.

For more information on the Best for Vets: Business Schools survey please visit http://militarytimes.com/education/choosing-schools/military-best-for-vets-business-schools-031113/.

H KU ranks No. 14 in business school survey

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For comments, input, or suggestions on this newsletter please contact:

Nikki Epley, director of reunions and affinity programs, KU Alumni Association, nepley@kualumni.org

Your support as a KU Alumni Associa-tion member helps fund programs like the Veterans Alumni Chapter. If you have questions about your current membership level or how to join, call 785-864-4760 or toll free at 800-584-2957.

Current KU Alumni Association members with military history may purchase a chal-lenge coin for $5 (sales tax and shipping and handling additional). New members

and current members who upgrade their membership will receive a challenge coin free.

Visit our website at www.kualumni.org/veterans to update your military history with us and for more information about how to get involved with the KU Veterans Alumni Chapter. Follow our Facebook group at KU Veterans Alumni Chapter.

H Join the KU Alumni Association and get a KU VAC Challenge Coin!

www.kualumni.org/veterans Facebook: KU Veterans Alumni Chapter

Go online to update your KU military information or to readthe latest Veterans Alumni Chapter news!