This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 07 – 13 JAN 2013

Brothers,

The SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) ended 2012 with,

- 3,686 SigEp Patriots in the Project database;
- 102 brothers-in-arms receiving email via the SPP list serve;
- 712 pages of stories and information about brothers who serve/served in the U.S. military;
- 637 photographs of military brothers;
- 548 SigEp Patriots are members of SigEps Who Serve – the Official Facebook group of SPP, and
- 37 brothers volunteering at chapters around the country as a liaison or point of contact (POC) with SPP in a mutually beneficial relationship of sharing and remembrance.

07 JAN 1941
DE Alpha Brother G. H. Kadel entered the U.S. Army on this date.

09 JAN 1941
On this date, IL Alpha Brother Joseph Metcalf Hissem joined the U.S. Navy Reserve and received a commission as an Ensign. He would go on to heroically serve at the Battle of Midway and made the ultimate sacrifice being reported missing in action / buried at sea.

08 JAN 1943

After graduating from Purdue, IN Alpha Brother William J. Meyer, Jr. entered the Army on this date.

10 JAN 1943

On this date, World War II Veteran and WA Alpha Brother Captain Ben Francis Ferguson, U.S. Army performed gallantly at Guadalcanal while leading his company to an assault position in the face of intense enemy fire. He proceeded to direct an enveloping movement towards the objective, resulting in the occupation of the enemy’s position. For this, he was cited for bravery in action and awarded the Silver Star on 24 MAR 1943.

11 JAN 1944

TX Alpha Brother T. Roland Parrett entered the Army on this date.

12 JAN 1944

On this date, TX Alpha Brother Richard T. Scott joined the Army Air Force and served in the medical corps.

13 JAN 1944
A ship named in honor of Brother Hissem was commissioned on this date, Lieutenant Commander W. W. Low in command. The ship, USS Hissem, was a Destroyer Escort of the EDSALL class, with the designation DE-400. It was launched by Brown Shipbuilding Company, Houston, TX, and sponsored by Miss Elizabeth D. Hissem, Joseph’s sister. Hissem received one battle star for World War II service.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 31 DEC 2012 – 06 JAN 2013

Brothers,

01 JAN 1920

On this date, World War I Veteran and OH Gamma Brother Captain Robert Lester Tavenner, U.S. Army was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and Distinguished Service Medal for his courageous actions while deployed to France & Belgium. The DSC is the second highest military award presented to a member of the U.S. Army for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Brother Tavenner is one of five SigEp Patriots to be awarded the DSC.

03 JAN 1941
World War II Veteran and PA Xi Brother First Lieutenant Paul Harvey Cunningham, U.S. Army was sworn in on this date as a member of the Seventy-seventh Congress. Brother Cunningham served the people of Iowa’s 6th District until 1943 when he was elected to serve the 5th District.

31 DEC 1942

NC Epsilon Brother Charles Henderson joined the U. S. Navy after graduation, and served 26 months overseas before being discharged at the end of the war at the rank of Lieutenant.

01 JAN 1943

On this date, DC Alpha Brother Kenneth H. Brunner, U.S. Army entered the service and obtained the rank of Captain and served on an "interesting duty" with the Manhattan District in Tennessee, headquarters for the atomic bomb before being discharged.

03 JAN 1943

Making the ultimate sacrifice on this date, World War II Veteran and MI Alpha Brother First Lieutenant James L. Lee, U.S. Army was in action over Western Europe while serving as co-pilot with the U.S. Army Air Corps 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group (Heavy). Brother Lee was MI Alpha’s first casualty of WWII.

A SigEp at MI Alpha between 1935 and 1937, Brother Lee entered the service in the fall of 1941 after graduating from Carnegie Institute of Technology at Pittsburgh. He received his preliminary training at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, AL, and was later sent to Camden and Sumter, SC, before receiving his silver wings and commission at Shaw Field, in the summer of 1942.

His awards include the Purple Heart and Air Medal.

Brother Lee is memorialized at the Brittany American Cemetery, St. James (Manche), France.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 17 – 23 DEC

Brothers,

While it is terrific that some SigEp Patriots have recently returned home from service overseas, it important to remember that brothers (and other Americans serving to defend our country) are still standing duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, Bahrain, Kuwait and other parts of the world. Please keep them in mind when you express your thanks this holiday season, and always remember the sacrifices they make all year.

19 DEC 1917

World War I Veteran and OH Gamma Brother Robert Lester Tavenner was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant on this date.

22 DEC 1944

On this date, after being presented a proposal for the surrender of the troops under his command at Bastogne, WV Beta Brother Brigadier General Anthony Clement McAuliffe, U.S. Army spoke the most famous quote of World War II: “Nuts!”

To read the entire story go to http://www.sigepblog.org/2012/12/22-december.html#idc-container

20 DEC 1968

World War II Veteran and VT Alpha Brother Raymond J. McGarry died on this date at the age of 64 in the Veterans Hospital at White River Junction, Vermont after a short illness.

Respect can be paid to Brother McGarry at the Calvary Cemetery in Rutland, Vermont.

19 DEC 1979
Mexican War and World War I Veteran CO Beta Brother Colonel Maurice C. Bigelow, U.S. Army died on this date. Maurice became a member of the Colorado National Guard in 1908, and graduated from the University of Denver in 1912 before studying law for two years at UD and another two semesters at the University of Munich. After graduation, he returned to the States and worked briefly at a bank before he was mobilized to the Mexican border with the First Colorado Infantry. When the U.S. declared war on Germany, his unit was immediately redesignated the 157th Infantry. Brother Bigelow was made a captain in the 157th Infantry and sent to Europe where he commanded the machine gun company of that regiment.

While overseas he was transferred to the First Division, which suffered over 100% casualties. At the outset the division numbered approximately 28,000 men and 31,000 men, including replacements, were lost in the conflicts in which this division was engaged. Even so, Maurice was never wounded. He proved to be a very efficient officer and gained much practical experience in the science of military tactics. He returned from Germany with the Third Machine Gun Battalion, First Division – the first to be sent to Europe for the war and the last to return.

After his return, Maurice was sent to several commands before being detailed to Fort Benning, Georgia where he attended the infantry school and graduated in 1923.

OWA State College in Ames, Iowa secured the services of Brother Bigelow to be assistant professor of Military Science and Tactics on a four years detail. He instructed in machine guns and automatic weapons, and their use in modern warfare.

Respect can be paid to Brother Bigelow at Section 4, Site 2701, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 13 – 19 FEB

Brothers,

Yesterday, I had the honor of visiting the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA during a visit to the brothers at VA Omicron. If you have never seen this memorial, I highly recommend it. As I stood there and tried to envision the incredible acts of valor and selfless commitment during the largest invasion in world history, I couldn’t help but think, “I wonder how many brothers heroically served on the beaches of Normandy on 06 JUN 1944.” It is a shame that we as a Fraternity can’t recognize the incredible acts performed this day by our brothers, but it is a goal of the SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) to learn the names and accomplishments of those brothers.

15 FEB 1891
WWI Veteran and PA Delta Brother Doctor Major William Bates, U.S. Army was born on this date.

19 FEB 1914
World War II Veteran and NC Delta Brother Staff Sergeant Clifton Robert “Tip” Faucette, Jr., U.S. Army was born on this date.

17 FEB 1921
WWII Veteran and CO Delta Brother First Lieutenant Douglas Lawrence Pearce, U.S. Army Air Corps was born on this date in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated with an engineering degree, and soon thereafter enlisted in the Army in Salt Lake City as a First Lieutenant, 9th Army Air Force.

On the same date, U.S. Army World War II Veteran UT Alpha Brother Worth Barber McNeel was born in Afton, Wyoming. He served in the Philippines, Okinawa and Korea, and was discharged in 1946. He then went to Utah State, graduating in 1947, and in later years he joined the Idaho National Guard.

14 FEB 2006
On this date, one of our brothers made the ultimate sacrifice, and the SigEp Patriots Project pledges that his selfless devotion to all of us will never be forgotten.

Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran and LA Delta Brother Lance Corporal Matthew Ryan Barnes, U.S. Marine Corps was killed in action six years ago in Qa’im, Iraq. He was 20 years old.

Brother Barnes was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC. He was killed when a suicide car bomb attacked the vehicle he was in. Matthew and another Marine were killed when a bomber rammed their Humvee.

Brother Barnes was a student at the University of Louisiana at Monroe until he joined the Marines in May 2004.

Respect can be paid to Brother Barnes at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Calhoun, LA.

16 FEB 2006
U.S Coast Guard World War II Veteran DC Alpha Brother Vernon Edgar “Ben” Benjamin died on this dates in Bradenton, Florida. Ben was born in East Moriches, Long Island, New York, and a graduate in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University. He served in the United States Coast Guard during WWII as an electrical technician on the atomic bomb project at Los Alamos, NM.

13 FEB 2010
CO Beta Brother Captain Robert Donnice Urbana, U.S. Navy Reserve (Retired) died on this date. Brother Urbana was born in Denver on 25 JAN 1930, and raised there among his large, extended Italian family. Bob joined the U.S. Navy at age 17, went through the naval ROTC program and graduated from the University of Denver in December 1952 with a degree in business and a commission in the U.S. Navy.

The Navy moved Bob to San Diego where he served as executive officer on the USS Koka. He left active duty in 1955, but continued his naval career as a reservist in Boise, Idaho. Bob's passion was the Navy. As a reservist he completed the Armed Forces Staff College, the Naval War College and was a member of the U.S. Naval Advancement Board. Brother Urbana commanded units in Boise; Longview, Washington; and Salem, Oregon. He finished his naval career as the RDAC officer (recruiting district assistance council) for Oregon, retiring in 1978 after 31 years of service. Bob instilled his love of the Navy in the next generations. He had the privilege of swearing in his grandson, Alexander, into the U.S. Navy in 1999. He was a member and past president of the Portland Navy League and served on the Rose Festival Naval committee. At various times in his life he belonged to the Kiwanis, Lions and Rotarians and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

14 FEB 2010
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Veteran and FL Iota Brother Lance Corporal Yoni Haim, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve was mobilized to active duty one year ago on this date for his first deployment to Afghanistan. Brother Haim volunteered for mobilization, and is safely back home. We honor his commitment to the Corps and the Country.

19 FEB 2010
On this date, World War II Veteran and IN Alpha Brother Captain Harvie M. Merrill, IV, U.S. Army Air Corps died in Winter Park, Florida. Born in Detroit Michigan, he graduated at the top his class at Purdue University with a degree in chemical engineering. In addition to SigEp, he was a member of Scabbard & Blade, and Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. He did graduate work at Yale University and served in World War II as a captain in the US Army Air Corps. He had a long career at Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. Later, he became Vice-President of Stauffer Chemical Co. before becoming President of Hexcel Corp. in San Francisco. As Chairman and CEO there, he initiated international divisions of the company in Paris, London and Brussels and brought the company to listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

19 FEB 2011
World War II Veteran and OH Gamma Brother First Lieutenant Robert Warren Bishop, U.S. Army died a year ago in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was born 26 OCT 1922, in Cleveland, Ohio, and a graduate of The Ohio State University.

Bob is a U.S. Army veteran of World War II where he served in Central Europe as a Company Commander in the Corps of Engineers in General Patton’s 3rd Army. During his career he had worked for General Motors, Philco Corporation, Westinghouse and J.I. Case Company, where he served as general manager of the Terre Haute plant before his retirement. Very active in the Terre Haute community, Bob was past president and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Downtown Terre Haute Rotary Club, and a past president and board member for 16 years for Junior Achievement.

Brother Bishop was laid to rest with full military honors, and respect can be paid to him at Mount Hope Cemetery in Huntington, Indiana. The family kindly requests that memorial contributions may be made to Union Hospital Foundation, 1606 N. 7th St., Terre Haute, IN 47804; or to Hospice of the Wabash Valley, 400 8th Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47804.

RECENT LOSSES TO THE ROLL
* World War II Veteran and NY Delta Brother Lieutenant Edward Nicholas Stevensen Jr., U.S. Marine Corps died on 28 JAN in Windsor Lakes, Connecticut. Brother Stevensen’s obituary stated, “He was commissioned a Lieutenant (most likely a Second Lieutenant) in the U.S. Marine Corps (1943-1946) and served as an Engineering Officer with the Third Marine Aircraft Wing on Midway Island during World War II.”
* U.S. Merchant Marine World War II Veteran Leander Newton "Pete" Trammell, born 13 JUL 1927, in Atlanta, Georgia died 13 FEB 2012 at Hospice Atlanta. After his World War II service he attended Davidson College in North Carolina.
* World War II Veteran and VA Eta Brother Major George Claiborne Calkins, U.S. Air Force (Retired) also passed away on 13 FEB while residing in a retirement community in Winter Park, Florida. Brother Calkins began his patriotic military service at the age of 19 in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and later became an Air Force officer and pilot.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of these Brothers, and the SigEp Patriots Project pledges that their service to the Nation will never be forgotten.

CELEBRATIONS!
* Last weekend, during his reserve duty, the U.S. Marine Corps recognized the leadership potential of FL Iota Brother Frank Slamka and meritoriously promoted him to the rank of Lance Corporal!
* MD Alpha Brother Adam H. Reiffen, U.S. Navy will be moving to Jacksonville, FL to join helicopter squadron HSM-74 – the Swamp Foxes. HOOYAH!
* After 13 years of committed service in the U.S. Army, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Veteran and LA Alpha Brother Brock Bosson was honorably discharged on 10 FEB 2012 at the rank of Captain. Thank you for your service!

Congratulations to all of our brothers!

UPDATE: SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT (SPP)
* SPP now has data about 1,080 SigEp Patriots who serve/served in the U.S. military!
* The official SPP Facebook group now numbers more than 430 SigEp Patriots with the addition of the following Brothers: Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Veteran and FL Iota Brother Corporal Alex Boody, U.S. Marine Corps; Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran and former Florida National Guard Staff Sergeant FL Iota Brother Frank Ring; Operation DESERT STORM and OPERATION NEW DAWN Veteran, CA Theta Brother Lieutenant Ian Marks, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve; CA Theta Brother Nathan Fleshman, U.S. Army, and OH Gamma Brother Yannis Hadjiyannis, U.S. Army.

To join the Facebook group go to http://www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve. Not on Facebook? Join our listserve by sending an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com. All we need to know is your military affiliation and home chapter.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

Brother Ed Jones, NY Eta ‘96
Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy Reserve
Founder, SigEp Patriots Project

SigEp Patriot Prisoners of War / Missing in Action

Yesterday was National POW/MIA Recognition Day in the U.S. Who did you recognize and remember?

The United States’ National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed across the nation on the third Friday of September each year. Many Americans take the time to remember those who were prisoners of war (POW) and are missing in action (MIA).

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 74,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.

As of 15 SEP 2011, the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office lists 83,579 Americans as POW or MIA as a result of all conflicts to date.

The SigEp Patriots Projects (SPP) lists three Brothers as POW/MIA. Given the vast numbers listed above, while we hope that this low number is correct, does HQ in Richmond know the names of Brothers who were POWs or those who are listed as MIA? We cannot fail to remember these Brothers.

It is the goal of the SPP to remember and recognize all of our Brothers who serve/served, and it is through the efforts of the Project that we are able to pay tribute today to the following Brothers:

-World War II Veteran DC Alpha Brother Captain Waldo Schmidt, U.S. Army
-World War II Veteran IL Alpha Brother Ensign Joseph Metcalf Hissem, U.S. Navy Reserve
-Korean War Veteran TN Alpha Brother Sergeant First Class John William “Bill” Rambo, U.S. Army National Guard (Tennessee)

Brother Waldo Schmidt received a Silver Star before dying in a German hospital as a POW. While at George Washington University, Brother Schmidt served as chapter president.

Brother Joseph Metcalf Hissem (University of Illinois at Urbana, ’39) is listed by the Navy as MIA/Buried at Sea following the Battle of Midway.

Brother Hissem was stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pearl Harbor on 31 MAY 1942 when his squadron (Patrol Squadron 24) (VP-24) received orders to send one PBY-5A Catalina Flying (Patrol) Boat and several crews to Midway. Their mission, find the Japanese fleet. Joseph was directed to stay behind at Pearl.

Another group of aircraft directed to Midway from NAS Pearl Harbor included six TBF-1 “Avenger” torpedo bombers (or TBFs) which had just arrived from San Diego. These had been meant for Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) on the carrier USS HORNET, but she was at sea. Ensign Hissem and another officer, both navigators from VP-24, volunteered to fly with the bombers to help them navigate to the remote island.

On 04 JUN 1942, after a Midway-based patrol aircraft reported spotting the Japanese fleet, Brother Hissem volunteered to fly in to battle in one of the VT-8 TBFs from Midway, along with four B-26s, as the garrison on the island was fighting off the first wave of Japanese attack planes.

By the way, the official history gets this wrong and says that Ensign Hissem flew with VT-8, taking off from the USS HORNET.

While much is made of the loss of the VT-8 planes from the USS Hornet, it is quite possibly the efforts of Hissem and the others in the first attack against an enemy carrier of the Japanese invasion fleet that greatly influenced the outcome of the battle.

The Avengers and B-26s pressed the fight without fighter cover, and all but one Avenger crew made the ultimate sacrifice while none of the aircraft struck their objective. However, the sight of the Avengers may have influenced the fateful decision of the Japanese commander that later left planes loaded with fuel and ordnance on the deck of the carriers when U.S. warplane struck and sank three of them.

Brother Hissem is believed killed in action, and his body was never recovered. For his actions on 04 JUN 1942 he was awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest medal awarded in the Navy following the Medal of Honor.

Brother John William “Bill” Rambo was among the first to serve in Korea. He was a POW there for 19 months, and was given a hero’s welcome by his hometown upon his return in 1953. During his service, Bill was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and the Korean Gold Medal of Honor.

Upon his passing, Brother Rambo was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery at Section 70, Site 1706.

Thank you for your service and your sacrfices. We will never forget you Brothers.

This Week in the History of SigEp Patriots, 22 – 28 MAY

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heros never dies.
~Moina Michael, 1915

LET US NEVER FORGET
As we prepare for our three day weekend, it is very important to remember why we have this holiday.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 05 MAY 1868 by General John Logan, U.S. Army, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 MAY 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

While few of us can travel to Arlington, all of us can find a cemetery near our homes to honor the men and women who served our country, some making the ultimate sacrifice. Additionally, Each American can also show their respect through the National Moment of Remembrance. The resolution passed in December 2000 asks that at 3pm local time, all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps.”
http://www.usmemorialday.org/Speeches/President/may0200.txt

OUR BROTHER HEROS

28 MAY 1917
On this day, WWI Veteran and Ace Fighter Pilot / Brother / Major James Armand Meissner, U.S. Army Air Service (NY Beta / Cornell), having dropped out of Cornell, enlisted in the Army Signal Service (the branch of the Army then tasked with flying) as a Private First Class.

23 MAY 1934
Brother / First Lieutenant David Carpenter, U.S. Army Reserve (VT Alpha / Norwich University ’57) was born on this day in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Needham High School in Massachusetts, and received a degree in business administration from Norwich University.

27 MAY 1943
Vietnam Veteran / Brother George Dunmore Hovey was born on this day in Hickory, North Carolina. While his branch of service is unknown, Brother Hovey served from 1966 to 1968.

23 MAY 1944
Brother / First Lieutenant James Walter Swan, U.S. Army – Korean (ID Alpha / Idaho State University) was born on this day in Caldwell, Idaho. He graduated from Idaho State University with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing. At that time Jim was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the ISU ski team.

After graduation, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a First Lieutenant in Texas and then in Korea on the DMZ. At that time he was responsible for an orphanage about which he was passionate. He strived every day to ensure the best of care for the children.

Less than a year ago, Brother Swan, 66, passed away on 08 SEP 2010, and he was interned with military honors at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.

28 MAY 2005
On this day, WWII Veteran / Brother George “Scotty” Clark, U.S. Army Signal Corps (IL Alpha / University of Illinois) passed away. The first lines of Brother Clark’s obituary read as such, “Clark, George "Scotty" 89, a 52 year resident of Elmhurst, passed away 28 MAY 2005, at Elmhurst Extended Care. He was born 19 JUL 1915, in Chicago, to Robert A. and Esther Clark. He graduated from Austin High School and attended the University of Illinois, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.” Scotty is interned at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

I don’t know about you, but I believe it displays a great deal of respect and love that Scotty would put SigEp in the third line of his obituary. He and his service to our country deserve an even greater degree of respect.

DEPLOYING SOON
Brother / Second Lieutenant Adam Wilson, U.S. Army (CA Theta / California State University, Sacramento ‘10) is preparing to deploy overseas. Best of luck, Adam! Let us know if you need anything.

WELCOME HOME, Brothers!
On Sunday, Afghanistan Veteran / Brother / Captain Mike Tregle, U.S. Army (LA Gamma / Loyola University) arrived back home from his second tour in Afghanistan. At the conclusion of his tour, Brother Tregle was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Another Afghan Veteran is nearly home. At the time of this posting, Brother / First Lieutenant Roger Foley, U.S. Army (FL Beta / Stetson University ’07) is working his way back to the States with his own Bronze Star Medal for his work with and training of Afghan police officers.

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations twice over are due to Brother / Captain Scott Rubenstein, U.S. Air Force (FL Gamma / University of Miami ‘05). Last Saturday, Scott was promoted to his current rank, and the day he got married! All the best to you and Melissa, Captain.

COMMISSIONS
Along with graduation, the Class of 2011 has additional military commissions to celebrate including:

Brother / Ensign Dan Bandong, U.S. Navy (DC Alpha / George Washington University ’11)
Brother / Ensign Patrick Dees, U.S. Navy (DC Alpha / George Washington University ’11)
Brother / Second Lieutenant Christopher Helali, U.S. Army (Cal Beta Beta / University of San Diego ’11)
Brother / Ensign John McSorley, U.S. Navy (CA Beta Beta / University of San Diego ’11)
Brother / Second Lieutenant Richard Stromberg, U.S. Army (KS Beta / Kansas State University ’11)

Congratulations and best of luck, Brothers!

FUTURE MARINE OFFICERS
Brothers Tyler Sweet (CA Omega / California State University, Fullerton ‘12) and Brentt Mcgee (KY Epsilon / Murray State University ’13) begin Marine Corps OCS at Quantico today via the PLC Program. As Tyler said, they will have six weeks of “fun” this summer, and then do another six weeks next summer to complete the program and get their commissions. Best of luck, Brothers!

SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT and SIGEPS WHO SERVE
At the time of this submission, SigEps Who Serve (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_5903232706) – the Facebook presence for the SigEp Patriots Project – has 293 brothers. If you are a brother who serves/served in the U.S. military or you know of one please drop me an email.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

Ed Jones
Chief, U.S. Navy (NY Eta / Buffalo State College)
Founder, SigEp Patriots Project
sigepswhoserve@gmail.com