SAP Recent News
Greetings from West Point! (a letter from Ethan Gleue)
August 14, 2010
LTC Bauer,
I hope the new year is coming along well, I expect the new class of AOGs have now reported and are building a great military foundation for West Point. West Point has been great as a Yearling, today was the A-Day parade and we now have our fresh class of Plebes. I have not met any MMI Cadets in the class of 2014, I hope to meet some of them soon. Those of us from Alpha Company in 2013 are still extremely close, we are planning to take several trips together this year. I have attached a picture of us at Camp Illumination Ball when we were promoted at the end of Camp Buckner and one from our Plebe Christmas together. The summer went quite well, I earned my Air Assault wings before Camp Buckner. At Camp Buckner, those of us who worked hard and focused at Marion did very well. We were often mistaken for Cadets who had completed basic training or had done combat tours before coming to West Point. ...
Thank you again for all of your help and I am excited to see you later this fall.
Very Respectfully,
Cadet Corporal Ethan Gleue
USMA 2013
Company A-3
INVICTUS MANEO
SAP Alumnus becomes "Queen of Beast" at West Point
This summer, firstie Brittany Fraser, a graduate of MMI's SAP program, earned command of the new cadet regiment at West Point. As "Queen of Beast" she took charge of summer training for the USMA class of 2014.
Fraser said she tends to navigate toward assignments that place her in the field, knee-deep in military training. Last summer, she served as first sergeant during Cadet Field Training, and before that, she earned her Air Assault badge and graduated from Airborne School.
Click here for the full article.
RADM J. Scott Burhoe, USCGA Superintendent, Serves as SAP Convocation Speaker
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On Monday, May 3 the 36th Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy, Rear Admiral J. Scott Burhoe, visited Marion Military Institute (MMI) to give the featured address at the Service Academy Prep (SAP) Convocation ceremony. The Coast Guard has been increasing its support for MMI over the past few years and looks to establish an even stronger relationship over the next few years as they bring more Coast Guard Prep students on campus.
“MMI has a terrific strategy and goal with a bunch of great students and staff members,” Burhoe said. “MMI really relates back to what we do at the Coast Guard Academy with its emphasis on academics and the development with the physical fitness department.” The Convocation ceremony celebrated 95 cadets who joined the ranks of MMI in the fall of 2009 in order to pursue appointments to the service academy of their choosing.
Pictured: RADM Burhoe, Cadet Eric Ortiz, and CDR Sam Stevenson during the barbeque following SAP Convocation.
Cadets Complete Mountain Man Memorial March in Honor of Fallen Soldier
In April, seven MMI cadets traveled to Gatlinburg, Tenn. to participate in the Mountain Man Memorial March, hosted by the University of Tennessee ROTC. Our five-man team took 2nd place in the Heavy Full Marathon (26 miles), and two cadets competed in the Individual Heavy Full. The MMI group competed in honor of SSG Zachary R. Wobler, KIA 02/06/05, Mosul Iraq.
Pictured: Jonathan Moss (AROTC), Mark Phelan (AROTC), Ben Blacklock (AROTC), Mike Jinowski (SAP West Point), Stephan Bristow (SAP NROTC), William Leach (SAP MS1) and Peter Foschi (SAP AFROTC).
BG "Doc" Bahnsen (MMI '52 & USMA '56) Addresses Corps, Presents Award
BG John C. "Doc" Bahnsen, USA (Ret) returned to his alma mater on Wednesday, April 7 as a Distinguished Guest Speaker. A member of the United States Military Academy class of 1956, he is the author of American Warrior: A Combat Memoir of Vietnam. After addressing the Corps of Cadets, faculty & staff, Bahnsen announced the recipient of the 2010 Future American Warrior Award: Cadet Nathan Brinkman. He also dined with AOG scholars who will join the West Point class of 2014. Bahnsen, who co-sponsors the award, is pictured with Col. David Mollahan, MMI President, and Brinkman, holding the coveted .45 caliber pistol awarded him.
Coast Guard Academy Scholars Take Flight in HC-144
On Saturday, Jan. 30, an HC-144 aircraft from Mobile’s Coast Guard Aviation Training Center landed at Craig Field in Selma to take 12 MMI cadets on a special flight. Equipped for search and rescue missions, this newest Coast Guard aircraft was piloted by LT Eric Wilson, a 2003 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
The group from Marion consisted of 2009-10 Coast Guard Academy Scholars who are spending the academic year as part of the MMI Service Academy Prep program. All are active members of the Coast Guard, but this experience was their first taste of Coast Guard service beyond summer training at the Academy.
After a safety briefing, the MMI cadets spent nearly 3 hours in the air, where each of them had time at the flight controls.
Spencer Walker, MMI '06/Air Force Academy '10 Parachutes into BCS National Championship Game
Spencer Walker, a Service Academy Prep Cadet at MMI in 2005-06 was able to show his support for the No. 1 Crimson Tide at the BCS National Championship Game in a spectacular opportunity. The lifelong Alabama fan from Birmingham parachuted into the Rose Bowl with his Wings of Blue jump team, representing the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA). Walker was selected to carry the University of Alabama logo, which trailed behind him as he landed on the 50 yard line during the Pre-Game Show. His entrance created a roar from fellow 'Bama fans. Local media covered the event; click for the NBC 13 interview or Birmingham News story.
