This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 14 – 20 MAY

Brothers,

Happy Armed Forces Day to all SigEps who serve – past and present! The day was created in 1949 to honor Americans serving in the five U.S. military branches – the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard – following the consolidation of the military services in the Department of Defense (under the first Secretary of Defense, World War I Veteran and NH Alpha Brother James V. Forrestal).

Yesterday, just before the periodontist started scrapping part of my gums, the conversation turned to the global war on terrorism and the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The young and compassionate dental assistant said, “You don’t hear enough about the good work done by U.S. service members in Afghanistan. Ya know, I don’t know anyone in the military.”

I see two important points here.

Without sounding like one of those people who thinks the “main stream media” has a grand plan against society, this humble observer believes there is a considerable focus on negative stories that cast a poor light on the U.S. military in Afghanistan.

That said, there are news items and websites about “good news stories” out of Afghanistan, and if people don’t “hear” it is because they are not listening.

As for the second point, a few years ago, I was watching a television show attempting to explain the current disconnect between the American public and members of the U.S. military. During the show it was stated that during World War II one in three Americans directly knew someone in the military. Today, that number is estimated to be one in eight. As we all know, it is natural to support someone with which you have a personal connection.

With this in mind, the SigEp Patriots Project continues its efforts to assist others in learning about, remembering and hopefully connecting with those patriotic brothers past and present who allow us to live our lives in freedom.

19 MAY 1944

On this date, World War I Veteran and NH Alpha Brother James Vincent Forrestal became Secretary of the Navy. He guided the Navy through the last year of the war and the two difficult years of demobilization after the Japanese surrender. Brother Forrestal served during WWI as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and would go on to become the first Secretary of Defense.

15 MAY 1973 / 15 MAY 1974

May is a meaningful month for AL Alpha Brother Colonel Wallace Jack Paschal II, U.S. Air Force. Before he joined the Air Force, Brother Paschall enlisted in the Alabama National Guard as a draftsman, 15 MAY 1973. A year later, he was promoted to Private First Class.

16 MAY 1981 / 16 MAY 1984

May also holds meaning for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran and VT Gamma Brother Major General Michael D. Dubie, U.S. Air National Guard (Vermont). On these dates, Brother Dubie was promoted to Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant, respectively.

20 MAY 2005

On this date, U.S. Army World War II D-Day Veteran DE Alpha Brother Robert L. Snowberger died at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.

Robert, affectionately known as "Grumps" by his grandchildren, graduated from A.I. DuPont High School and was an all-state football player. He served with distinction in the U.S. Army during World War II, participating in the Normandy Invasion at Omaha Beach on D-Day. He was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic action against an "out numbering enemy force" in Germany, 06 APR 1945. After military service, he went on to graduate from the University of Delaware, and then worked for the DuPont Company in advertising. Taking an early retirement, he became an independent manufacturer's representative and was actively involved in many entrepreneurial ventures.

19 MAY 2010

Two SigEp Patriots were lost to us on this date.

World War II Veteran and CO Delta Brother First Lieutenant Douglas Lawrence Pearce, U.S. Army Air Corps was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and raised in Carbon County, Utah where his father worked as a mining engineer. Brother Pearce graduated with an engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines in 1942, and soon thereafter enlisted in the Army in Salt Lake City as a First Lieutenant, 9th Air Force. He served on active duty until 1946 and in reserves until 1949.

Respect can be paid to Brother Pearce at Highland Cemetery in Casper, Wyoming.

U.S. Army Reserve Veteran KS Epsilon Brother James R. Roth died at his home in Wichita, Kansas on this date. Brother Roth was a 1963 graduate of Emporia State University, where he majored in business and was a member of the golf and debate teams. Three years later, Jim graduate from Washburn University School of Law. He practiced law in Topeka for several years before moving to Wichita where he remained in private practice for more than 40 years. From 1966-1972, Brother Roth served in the U.S. Army Reserve. In 1992, the Governor of Kansas appointed him to the Washburn University Board of Regents, and he continued to serve on the Board for 18 years at the request of two subsequent governors – including four years as Chairman. Brother Roth was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from Washburn Law School (2005) and from the Washburn University Alumni Association (2010).

RECENT LOSS TO THE ROLL

29 APR – WA Alpha President Ensign Gordon Ernest Ruehl, U.S. Navy passed away in Spokane, Washington in his sleep nineteen months after being diagnosed with Mesothelioma (asbestos cancer). In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials may be made to Hospice of Spokane, Westminster Congregational Church, to WSU School of Architecture c/o Greg Kessler, PO Box 64220, Pullman WA 99163 or to the charity of your choice.

12 MAY – World War II Navy Veteran, SigEp Citation Recipient and IL Gamma Founding Father Harold Arthur “Red” Poling passed away in Pacific Grove, California at the age of 86. In July 1943, at the age of 17 and just two weeks after graduating from high school, Red enlisted in the Navy and serves as an aviation cadet before being discharged in October 1945 following an injury. In 1993, the United States Navy Memorial presented Brother Poling the Lone Sailor Award adding him to an impressive list of Navy veterans who have distinguished themselves by drawing upon their military experience to become successful in their subsequent careers and lives, while exemplifying the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to friends, family and chapter brothers of Gordon and Red, and the SigEp Patriots Project pledges that their service will always be remembered. 

CELEBRATIONS!

WELCOME HOME! Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran and FL Iota Brother Specialist Adam Pietri, U.S. Army returned from Kuwait last week. Adam’s unit, 2-8 CAV, 1BCT was among the last to withdraw from Iraq. On Thursday, two-time Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Veteran and HI Alpha Brother Major Siegfried Ramil, U.S. Army returned from his tour in Afghanistan. Thanks to brothers Pietri and Ramil for their patriotic service.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

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

Generosity

The Huffington Post
May 16, 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brad-rothschild/we-take-care-of-our-own_b_1519788.html

Brad Rothschild

Last week I had the privilege of witnessing generosity on a scale that truly astounded me.

Earlier, I'd received a phone call from my college roommate, Jeff Bash, who is a renowned orthopedic spine surgeon in Connecticut. I don't speak to Jeff as often as I'd like, as our lives seem to be moving at a pace that prevents regular conversations. But when Jeff calls, I'm always happy to talk with him -- he never fails to provide me with at least one memorable quote or story that reminds me of what makes him such a unique character.

When he called last week, though, he was more serious than usual. "Willa's not doing so well," he told me. "Willa" is Willa Kenner, our fraternity's former cook who, along with her late husband, Ben, took care of us in college. Willa, now in her seventies and in failing health, apparently had not paid her property and sewage taxes in several years. Fulton County, Georgia, where Willa resides, had sold her $7,000 debt to a company called Vesta Holdings; if Willa couldn't come up with at least $2,500 immediately, Vesta would be putting her house up for auction in June.

Jeff and his wife, Hope, had always had a soft spot for Willa, as did many of us from our fraternity. Even though it's been over 20 years since we've graduated from college, our memories of Ben and Willa have remained fond. Time, if anything, only enhanced them in our eyes. Picture them: an African-American couple in their fifties, cooking and cleaning for a bunch of over-privileged northern white kids. I think they got a kick out of us and I can't remember a single instance of anyone being disrespectful to either of them. To call Ben and Willa surrogate parents would certainly be misstating their roles -- no one enjoyed the parties we had at the fraternity house more than Ben, and Willa spent many afternoons watching TV in the kitchen.

At the time of her call, Willa must have been out of options, as turning to Jeff and Hope for help was probably not her first consideration. But her children can't or won't help and she seemingly had nowhere else to turn. Luckily for her, she made the right decision and turned to the right people. Jeff and Hope immediately decided that our former fraternity brothers would raise the money to help Willa. When Jeff called me, I offered to help without hesitation. I suggested that instead of calling or emailing everyone, as we would have done a couple of years ago, we should leverage technology to streamline the process. One of the great innovations to emerge out of the digital revolution in the past decade is crowdsourcing -- websites can now be set up to raise money from anything from independent films to new products to charities. Within five minutes, we set up a page on www.donationto.com and we asked a couple of other alumni to send an email appeal with a link to our page to our fraternity brothers.

It was only a matter of minutes before the donations started coming in. Guys who graduated before I had even started college, whose names I only knew from the composite pictures that hung in the fraternity house's living room, began sending in large amounts of money. I watched as the donation meter grew. The generosity people showed for a woman who most of us hadn't seen in 20-25 years was truly overwhelming. I was touched to hear about the brother who called Hope and told her that if there were any shortfall whatsoever, he would personally make it up. More donations quickly began streaming in from the people who were in school with me and within 48 hours, we had raised over $10,000. Once Willa's debt is paid off, we plan to set up an account using the balance to pay her taxes going forward. When Hope called Willa to tell her the news, Willa was overcome with emotion.

This story has a happy ending for all involved, right? We donors can feel good about doing a very good thing for a friend in need, and Willa can stay in her home without the threat of eviction hanging over her head. This is all true. However, it occurred to me that Willa had the good fortune of having worked for people who cared for her enough to provide a safety net when times got tough. But what about those who aren't as lucky? It's possible that Willa didn't make wise financial decisions and of course, she's solely responsible for her own actions, but she's an elderly widow with little formal education and she is most certainly not the only one in her neighborhood who has found herself facing foreclosure and homelessness.

It turns out that Fulton County routinely sells off its uncollected taxes to Vesta Holdings. Vesta, according to its website, "is a major purchaser, servicer and owner of delinquent county and municipal real estate tax liens. Lien sales help maintain equity in the property tax system by assuring that conscientious and timely taxpayers are not unfairly burdened and forced to pay for individuals who disregard their tax obligations." Seems fair enough. After all, people who do pay their taxes shouldn't be burdened by those who can't be bothered to do the same. But what about instances when property taxes have been assessed at too high of a rate and people on fixed incomes like the elderly and the infirm can't afford to pay the increases? Unfortunately, this happens with regularity in poor neighborhoods around the country. In most cases, homeowners are simply out of luck and have no real recourse if they can't afford to pay their back taxes. In the United States of 2012, the safety net that once existed to help keep people afloat has frayed badly and a fix doesn't seem to be on the horizon.

We take care of our own, as Bruce Springsteen sings. I'm so moved by what we've done for Willa but incredibly sad that we had to.

---

TN Alpha (University of Tennessee) Recruitment Video

As much as I try to avoid playing favorites here, sometimes I have to take "administrator's privilege" and show off my home chapter. This Tennessee Alpha rush recruitment video is very well done. It stays focused on the chapter and its accomplishments, and does so with a minimum of text - just enough to communicate the essential information.

You will notice the end display has a number of other SigEp chapter videos. Check them out as well.

Write Less, Say More: The Power of Brevity

Are you graduating and still looking for a job? Or looking for a job. period? Read this article before you write your next cover letter, presentation, or re-tweak your resume (again). 

Write Less, Say More: The Power of Brevity:

When it comes to great writing, less is more. But even if you're familiar with the mantra to "omit needless words," tightening your writing is harder than it looks. Which words should you omit? How can you write more clearly? Danny Rubin, a national news consultant and former television news reporter, demonstrates—with examples—the power of brevity.

There is a common misconception when it comes to writing that is professional in nature that a person must write in a verbose manner to come across as intelligent.

I am sorry. Let me do that again.

People often make a mistake in thinking that writing long-winded sentences with big words makes them appear smart.

Actually, let me try this one more time.

You don't need to write a lot or use big words to sound smart.

Now, that's better.

Too often, people write sentences like the one at the top when they should choose version #3. The main culprit, in my view, is the loathsome college essay. Only in college are we forced to write a paper a certain length. We develop strategies that balloon our paragraphs so we can fill out eight, 10 or 12 pages and pick up our gold stars on the way out.

In the real world, most people don't enjoy reading cover letters, resumes and presentations. It's extra work and burdensome. Worst of all, trying to write beyond our skill level screams ‘I'm in over my head.'

The rest of the article...

'via Blog this'

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 07 – 13 MAY

Brothers,

Please check the “Recent Loss To The Roll” section for some timely information.

07 MAY 2010

U.S. Army Korean War Veteran and KS Gamma Brother Boyd Lee Burns died on this date in Chanute, Kansas. Boyd was born at the Johnson Hospital in Chanute on 04 JUL 1927. He graduated from Chanute High School in 1945 and the University of Kansas in 1950. He studied piano from the age of 5 through college and was an accomplished pianist. Brother Burns was drafted into the Army shortly after college and served during the Korean War with General Eisenhower's NATO forces in Germany. In 1953, he began his business career in Chanute.

Respect can be paid to Brother Burns at Memorial Park Cemetery, East 14th Street, Chanute, Kansas.

08 MAY 2010

On this date, Vietnam War Veteran and TN Alpha Brother Major Selman “Sam” Lea Bass, U.S. Army (Retired) died in Clarksville, Tennessee with his family by his side.

Sam was born 12 OCT 1942 in Madison College, Tennessee. He received a BS in Personnel Management and was a Distinguished Military Graduate of the Army ROTC program from The University of Tennessee in 1969. His Army service included Infantry, Military Police and Russian Foreign Area Specialist, serving in the United States, Vietnam, and Germany (during the Cold War). He was also Commander of the Check Point Alpha, Berlin Brigade, U.S. Army.

His awards include Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, RVN Gallantry Cross with Palm, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. He was a member of Military Order of Tennessee Rangers, Western Kentucky-Tennessee Chapter of the 101st Airborne Division Association, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and Sunrise Rotary Club, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow.

Brother Bass retired from the military in 1986 and enjoyed a variety of positions in Highlands, NC, Gaithersburg, MD and Clarksville, TN. In Clarksville he was Executive Secretary and Treasurer of the 101st Airborne Division Association, veterans organization of current and former Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until his retirement in 2009.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center or the Screaming Eagle Support Fund c/o The 101st Airborne Division Assoc., P.O. Box 929, Fort Campbell, KY, 42223.

Brother Bass was laid to rest with full military honors, and respect can be paid to him at Section 6, Site 0404, Kentucky Veterans Cemetery – West, Hopkinsville, KY.

On the same date, OK Alpha Brother Grant Milbourn graduated and began his patriotic service in the U.S. Air Force when he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.

10 MAY 2011

U.S. Army World War II Veteran, Korean War Veteran and CO Gamma Brother Captain/Dr. John Russell Carney, U.S. Air Force died on this date in Scottsdale, Arizona.

John was born on 24 AUG 1924 in Greeley, Colorado and graduated from Colorado State University with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. There he was active in team roping and bull riding in the College Rodeo winning the buckle for College All-Around Cowboy. Having relocated to Arizona where he practiced veterinary medicine in Chandler and Mesa, John was active in political and community organizations and served on several boards and commissions. He was a 60 year member of the Masonic Lodge and Order of the Eastern Star in Chandler and Sr. Life Member of the Rotary club. Governor Raul Castro appointed him in 1975 to be the Arizona State Bicentennial Chairman.

He participated throughout the state in Bicentennial celebrations and in 1976, was invited to the White House. Governor Bruce Babbitt appointed him to the Merit System Counsel of the Department of Public Safety which he served on for 10 yrs. He was given the honor of the Life Member of the AZ Highway Patrol Association in 1987. Starting his political involvement, John became Vice Mayor of Chandler at the age of 26. He was appointed Chairman of the Maricopa County Democratic Party in 1966 leading the delegation to the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. Later, John was appointed by Governor Rose Mofford to the Commission of Trial Court Appointments. John and his wife traveled extensively all over the world which qualified them to be members of The International Circumnavigator Club, an organization comprised of people who have traveled around the world in one trip.

Respect can be paid to Brother Carney at Green Acres Cemetery, Scottsdale, AZ.

RECENT LOSS TO THE ROLL

09 MAY – U.S. Army Korean War Veteran NC Beta Brother Charles Helms passed away in Conway, South Carolina. A memorial service will be held 12:30 PM Saturday at Goldfinch Funeral Home, Conway Chapel. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service at the funeral home.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

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

Meet the Fastest Growing Fraternity in the Nation … Alpha Sigma Phi, 60% Growth Rate Per Year! » Phired Up Recruitment Blog

60% a year? How do they do that? More to the point, is there something SigEp could learn from their experience?
Be sure to hit the link and read the whole article. It is fascinating.

Meet the Fastest Growing Fraternity in the Nation … Alpha Sigma Phi, 60% Growth Rate Per Year! » Phired Up Recruitment Blog:

Phired Up: Why now? Gordy, what is Alpha Sig doing different now than when you and I served on staff after college – let alone the 150+ years before then? 

Alpha Sig: Here’s one big difference: We rarely hire guys right out of college. Today, Alpha Sig’s consultant team includes a guy with a law degree, a past employee in sales, and a guy with business experience. We only have one staff member that joined staff straight from his undergrad experience. Five members of our team have master’s degrees and Four members of our headquarters staff have masters degrees in higher education … three are former Greek Advisors. That’s important since 87% of our chapters received visits from headquarters this academic year.

Phired Up: What!? That hiring model is so different from what Alpha Sig used to do, and it’s very different from the traditional consultant/expansion model of other fraternity headquarters. 

Alpha Sig: We’re hiring professionals to do professional work. We’ve recently hired two staff members who are not members – Tabatha Sarco and Danny Miller. We like that type of diversity of thought and experience. We think the number of staff members we have with higher education degrees and Greek advising backgrounds puts us in a position to better understand how we can improve upon the partnerships we have with our host institutions.

'via Blog this'

To be clear, I am not advocating that we attempt to grow at anything approaching that rate. We could, however take a lesson on how they are able to successfully petition a campus, and at the quality and the model of their paid staff and the volunteers & alumni advising the chapters.

It is definitely worth some discussion.

(P.S.: thanks to "SigEp Sam" Moschelli for finding this article. I stole it from his Facebook page.)

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 30 APR – 06 MAY

Brothers,

This month, hundreds, perhaps thousands of patriotic Americans around the country will graduate from college, take the oath and receive their commission as officers in the U.S. military. Meanwhile, every day across this great land, Americans are signing up to join the military. The SigEp Patriots Project believes the beginning of this selfless journey is worthy of recognition, and it gives us another reason to be proud to call such men brother.

02 MAY 1918

On this date, NY Beta Brother (then) First Lieutenant James Armand Meissner, U.S. Army Air Service won his first aerial engagement while flying a French-made Nieuport 28 about three miles above Foret De La Rappe, France. Jimmy would go on to become a WWI Ace.

For his service on this date, Brother Meissner was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in accordance with General Order 121, W.D., 1918,

“The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James A. Meissner, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Toul sector in 02 MAY 1918. First Lieutenant Meissner attacked three enemy planes at an altitude of 4,800 meters over the Foret De La Rappe, France. After a short fight he brought down one of the machines in flames. During the combat the entering wedge and the covering of the upper wings of his plane were torn away and after the battle he was subjected to heavy fire from antiaircraft batteries, but by skillful operation and cool judgment he succeeded in making a landing within the American lines.”

04 MAY 1925

Born in Ontario, Canada, World War I Veteran and Renaissance Brother Captain James Naismith, U.S. Army National Guard (Kansas) became a naturalized U.S. citizen on this date.

01 MAY 1942

MT Alpha Brother John Woodrow Bonner entered the U.S. Army on this date and served during World War II.

01 MAY 1956

On this date, World War II Veteran and VA Zeta Brother General Robert Jefferson Wood, U.S. Army became commanding general of Fort Bliss and commandant of the Antiaircraft Artillery and Guided Missile School.

02 MAY 1998

FL Theta Brother Lieutenant Commander Christopher Sacra, U.S. Navy began his military service on this date. Thank you Brother Sacra for 14 years (and going) of patriotic service!

01 MAY 1999

On this date, TN Theta Brother Kenneth Michael Ballard began his patriotic service in the U.S. Army.

05 MAY 2008

World War II Veteran and VT Alpha Brother Captain George Sander, U.S. Army Air Force of Whiting, New Jersey, died on this date.

George was born 04 JUL 1916 in Philadelphia, PA and raised in Ocean City.  He attended Norwich where he was part of the baseball team, basketball, team, track, intramurals, and was a member of the Junior Weekend and the Winter Carnival Committees.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1938.

Following his service as a radar officer in the U.S. Army Air Force, he was a district sales manager for Johnson Controls and made his home in Baldwin, Long Island until his retirement in 1981.

Respect can be paid to Brother Sander at Section KS, Site 8479 of Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, New Jersey.

01 MAY 2009

World War II Veteran and CO Delta Brother Ensign Floyd D. Burnside, U.S. Navy Air Corps died on this date.

Born in Westfield, Pennsylvania in 1922, Floyd met his wife Charlotte while attending Painted Post High School in New York. Floyd graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a professional degree in petroleum engineering, and in 1941, he enlisted with the Navy Air Corps serving as an ensign with Navy Squadrons 18 and 20 from 1941 to 1946.

On 03 JUL 1948, Floyd and Charlotte were married in Bath, NY. Together they traveled the world, climbing the pyramids in Egypt and kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland. They raised their family in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Floyd spent 28 years with Shell Oil and also enjoyed several years as a petroleum instructor with his friend, Jerry Bond.

Respect can be paid to Brother Burnside at Section 26, Site 900 of Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.

RECENT LOSSES TO THE ROLL

* 19 APR – U.S. Army Veteran MO Gamma Brother Donald Preston Wilson, 78, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Roper, North Carolina.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the chapter brothers, family and friends of Brother Wilson. Unfortunately, this list is likely incomplete, and the small group of dedicated brothers working the SigEp Patriots Project could use your help. If you know of a brother patriot that has passed away we appreciate an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com.

SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT (SPP) UPDATE

* Two more brothers honored us this week by joining the SPP official Facebook group – SigEps Who Serve. It is our pleasure to welcome aboard MO Kappa Brother Jake Bauer who recently completed BCT, and AL Alpha Brother Staff Sergeant Chris Howard, U.S. Army.

* We are always looking for brothers-in-arms, and we hope you will reach out. Join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve. Not on Facebook? Write to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com to join the listserve. In both cases, you will be asked to provide 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 Improv, That Shit Cre - YouTube

SigEp Improv, That Shit Cre - YouTube:
"This is a bit NSFW (language). In fact I am not certain how appropriate is is in any context. But I am sharing it because some effort and thought went into the video. I'd appreciate someone letting me know if this is mainstream (and I am closing in on "full-geezer" status) or if others are somewhat taken aback, as I was, by the way this scenario plays out.

Now "Get Outta my yard" and go watch it."

'via Blog this'

Requiem for my chapter

Wm. Hydrick, LA Gamma (Loyola) sent this post saying goodbye to his home chapter.

Requiem for my chapter

All things die.¹ Birds die. Fish die. Flowers and trees die. Dogs and cats and hamsters die. Even cars, and ships, and buildings die. People die, too, as do ideals and their expression. Dying is simply the logical end to living. Things come into existence, serve their purpose, and exit the stage of life’s great drama. Some things die in a matter of hours while others go on for centuries before their end comes. Millions of years from now even our sun will die and fade. All things die.

A man of wisdom² once wrote that being finite “may be the greatest gift our race has ever received. To live on . . . is to leave behind joy, love, and companionship because we know it to be transitory; of the moment. We know it will turn to ash. Only those whose lives are brief can believe that love, is eternal.” Would that I would not have lived to see this day; happier I would have been to enter that eternal realm of knowing nothing, ignorant of when this day would come. But come it has, the curse known to the parent who outlives his child. To know now not the joy of watching a becoming but to feel the desolation of having no further purpose and the emptiness of failure; this is all I am left with.

As a youth, I remember hearing the parable of the sower and the seeds³. Having not read the passages myself, I always thought it was a treatise concerned with the distribution of wealth; that we were the seeds. Some seeds feel on good soil and flourished (the rich), some seeds fell on rocky soil and toiled harder (the middle class), and still others fell upon the road and were devoured or trampled (the poor). It is therefore not the seeds at fault for their circumstance but rather a result of the environment in which they were place. As seeds we are equal. But as an adult studying the Gospels I came to understand we are not the seeds but the soil.

The biblical texts go on to explain the seed is the Word and the soil is those who hear it. I think that is equally true in Sigma Phi Epsilon. The seeds are the values of the fraternity and WE are the soil. For some, the values are hollow and meaningless. They never take hold and those men never understand the true meaning of our motto. Some will hang on through graduation but many will simply fade with time. Then there are those who become the weeds and choke the life from the new growth. There are also those for whom the meaning is clear but it doesn’t survive long beyond the academic halls. These men find true solace in the values while in school but consider it only a passing phase. Once they graduate they quickly fall into new routines and the fraternity is quickly forgotten or only viewed as a childish affectation now put aside. Then there are the few where the lifetime responsibility of brotherhood takes deep root and the values of Sigma Phi Epsilon are foremost in their minds to their dying day.

I have seen you all in the men of my chapter. I have loved you all as you passed in and through my life.

And now you are gone.

Last Week in SigEp Patriot History, 23 – 29 APR

24 APR 1942

World War II Veteran WI Alpha Brother Corporal Everett Roudebush, U.S. Army entered the Army on this date after finishing a concert tour with Salvatore Baccaloni, noted Metropolitan Opera Company star.

27 APR 1964

World War I Veteran, Judge (5th Judicial Circuit) and U.S. Congressman (Virginia) VA Eta Brother Private Joel West Flood, U.S. Army died on this date in Richmond, VA.

Joel was born 02 AUG 1894 near Appomattox, Virginia, became a SigEp at University of Virginia, and later attended Oxford University. After studying law he was admitted to the bar in 1917 and commenced practice in Appomattox.

During WWI, Brother Flood served in Company A, 350th Engineers, 80th Division. The same year he completed his military duty, Joel was elected Virginia State Commonwealth Attorney of Appomattox County in 1919. He served until 08 NOV 1932 when he was elected to the Seventy-second Congress to fill a vacancy. Brother Flood then resumed the practice of law, and after serving as a delegate to the 1936 Democratic National Convention was appointed assistant United States attorney for the western district of Virginia in 1939.

In JAN 1940, Joel was elected as a judge of the fifth judicial circuit of Virginia, and he served in this capacity until his death.

Respect can be paid to Brother Flood at the Flood Mausoleum, Appomattox Courthouse Square, Appomattox, VA.

29 APR 2005

World War II Veteran and NY Alpha Brother R. Charles Backus died on this date in Mexico, New York at the age of 84. He was an owner of the Oswego County Weeklies for over 50 years. He was a nationally known Holstein Auctioneer with R. Austin Backus Inc. He served many years as a delegate of the National Holstein Convention. He was a member of the Holstein Association of New York State and on the national level. He was a member of the Oswego Country Club and The Elms Golf Course. He was a cryptographer during WWII in the Signal Corps.

Respect can be paid to Brother Backus at Mexico Village Cemetery.

27 APR 2006

A hero died on this date at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas as a result of wounds received during combat operations in Habbaniyah, Iraq. Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran and MI Beta Brother Sergeant Matthew Alan Webber, U.S. Army National Guard (Michigan) was 23 years old.

Matt attended Western Michigan University and joined the Army National Guard in 1999. He was called to active duty in June of 2005. Brother Webber was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), Michigan Army National Guard when he sustained injuries 21 NOV 2005 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee.

Respect can be paid to Brother Webber at Pine Plains Cemetery, Big Rapids, Michigan.

25 APR 2008

U.S. Army Veteran PA Epsilon Brother Robert Edward Lee Anderson died on this date in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Born in Lancaster, Robert was the son of the late Herbert K. and Ella P. Anderson. He was a 1945 graduate of J. P. McCaskey High School and served in Europe as a member of the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948. After his patriotic serve, Brother Anderson graduated with a degree in civil engineering from Lehigh University where he was pole vault champion.

Robert retired from Philadelphia Suburban Corp., formerly Huth Engineers.  He was a past president of the American Business Club and a former board member of the Lancaster chapter of United Cerebral Palsy.Repect can be paid to Brother Anderson at Greenwood Cemetery, Lancaster, PA.

25 APR 2008

World War II Veteran and PA Delta Brother TECH 5 C. Crandall Shaffer, Jr., U.S. Army of Dublin, Ohio died on this date.

Respect can be paid to Brother Shaffer at Kingwood Memorial Park, Lewis Center, OH.

24 APR 2011

On this date, Korean War Veteran VT Alpha Brother First Lieutenant Robert Kinsman Horne, U.S. Army died at his home in Palm Desert, California following a valiant fight against Alzheimer's/Dementia.

At Norwich University, Brother Horne played three sports and was Captain of the Hockey Team the 52-53 season. The Team was inducted into the Norwich Hall of Fame in 1993, and in 1998 Bob was inducted personally into the Hall. Following college he served as an Army First Lieutenant in Germany during the Korean War. He is a lifetime member of the Melrose Wyoming Lodge of Masons. His business career included work in Truck Leasing with several companies reaching a pinnacle as a National Sales VP for the Hertz Co. He concluded his career as President of "Trader Horne" - a Transportation Consulting Co.

He relished in physical activity and dancing of any kind. His busy life was full of gardening, photography and international trips where he and his wife visited many exotic countries where they were assimilated into the local communities eating, dancing, living and reveling in many different cultures. Our saying was "If it's muggy and buggy and the natives wear bones in their noses, we'll be there."

Respect can be paid to Brother Horne at Pacific View Memorial Park, Corona del Mar, California.

26 APR 2011

U.S. Army Air Corps Flight Surgeon and World War II Veteran Flight Surgeon, NC Gamma Brother Richard Elwood Nitschke died on this date at the age of 97.

Richard was born 05 JUL 1913 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and he lived there until the age of six when the family re-located to Philadelphia and later to Utica, NY. He entered an accelerated undergraduate program at Duke University in 1931. Brother Nitschke was the number one half miler on the cross country track team that won the Southern Conference Championship. After graduating from Duke Medical School in 1937, Dr. Nitschke moved to New York City for his internship at Columbia Presbyterian and residency at Roosevelt Hospital. His specialty was internal medicine but he also trained at the Neurological Institute of New York. While still in New York, he enlisted in the Manhattan Division of the 101st horse cavalry. Upon the onset of World War II, he was assigned to the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field, San Antonio, Texas. Brother Nitschke served as Flight Surgeon with the Army Air Corps, with the 30th Bomb Group of the 5th Fighter Wing and was stationed at Ballinger, Texas, Lubbock, Texas and Oahu, Hawaii. Dr. Nitschke was a dedicated physician of Internal Medicine, serving his patients in the San Antonio community from 1946 until his retirement in 1985.

On this date, U.S. Air Force Veteran and IA Delta Brother Thomas Michael Hamilton also died after a courageous battle with brain cancer.

Tom was born on 03 MAR 1938 in Davenport, Iowa. At Drake University he played football and was a proud member of the 1958 Sun Bowl team. He received his undergraduate degree in business, followed by a Master's Degree in Psychology. After graduation, Brother Hamilton served his country in the Air Force. He began his professional career at Northwestern Bell and then worked with Personnel Inc. before founding Hamilton & Associates in 1972. There he truly found a profession he loved, helping clients achieve success through talent acquisition while taking great satisfaction in assisting individuals in advancing their careers. He merged his business with McGladrey and Pullen in 1988 and worked as a Senior Consulting Partner until he retired from the firm in 1999. He then co-founded Selection Resources with his son and offered advanced pre-employment testing services. He was an accredited SPHR through the Society of HR Management. His career was also highlighted by community service in leadership roles with the Chamber of Commerce, Youth Homes of Mid America, the YMCA, Hope Ministries and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was a member of Rotary International for 43 years and was a "7 Gallon" blood donor to the Blood Center of Iowa.

RECENT LOSSES TO THE ROLL

* World War II Veteran and VA Alpha Brother Lieutenant Grover Cleveland Pitts Jr., U.S. Navy

Grover Cleveland Pitts Grover Cleveland Pitts Jr., 94, passed away on Friday, 20 APR 2012, at his home in Charlottesville, Virginia.
* U.S. Army Korean War Veteran DE Alpha Brother Warren VanArsdalen Jr. also passed away peacefully Friday, at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, Delaware.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the chapter brothers, family and friends of brothers Pitts and VanArsdalen. This list is likely incomplete, and the small group of dedicated brothers working the SigEp Patriots Project could use your help. If you know of a brother patriot that has passed away we appreciate an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com.

SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT (SPP) UPDATE

* 461! The SPP official Facebook group – SigEps Who Serve – reached 460 members and pushed one over that mark last week when TX Alpha Brother Captain Connie Lane, U.S. Army and DC Delta Brother 2LT Charlie Kerry, U.S. Marine Corps honored us by joining our ranks. Welcome aboard brothers!

* 2356! Over the past week, the SPP database gained names and information about over 540 brothers-in-arms, bringing our holdings to 2356 brothers who serve/served patriotically in the U.S. military.

We are always looking for brothers-in-arms, and we hope you will reach out. Join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve. Not on Facebook? Write to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com to join the listserve. In both cases, you will be asked to provide 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

Brothers,

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noice of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. ~ Steve Jobs

To End Fraternity Hazing, End Boozing First

From the Chronicle of Higher Education. You may not agree with all of the article, but consider the frustration endured by those who have spent years trying to alter unacceptable behavior. The points are worth (ahem) sober consideration.

To End Fraternity Hazing, End Boozing First

Joyce Hesselberth for The Chronicle

Enlarge Image

By Douglas E. Fierberg

Universities have spent years trying to solve the problem of hazing—putting into effect numerous regulations, training seminars, and programs to create a Maginot line. Standing alone, those practices have no real chance of achieving meaningful success. Instead, campuses should be concentrating on changes that will actually prevent hazing and other activities that result in injury and death, particularly the vast majority of incidents in which alcohol is a factor.

Here are steps colleges should take to protect their students from harm and themselves from liability:

SDSU FRATERNITY LEADER FOUND DEAD

SDSU FRATERNITY LEADER FOUND DEAD | UTSanDiego.com: (<-link to full article)
"SAN DIEGO — A San Diego State University fraternity leader was found dead in another fraternity house Friday morning, campus officials said.

Barzeen Barzanji, 20, of Santee was president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon campus fraternity and a junior criminal justice major, school spokeswoman Gina Jacobs said.

Someone at another on-campus fraternity house, Phi Kappa Theta, called 911 around 8:30 a.m. about a student found there unresponsive, Jacobs said.

Jacobs said campus police and the county Medical Examiner’s Office were called in to investigate.

The Medical Examiner’s Office said Barzanji was found dead in bed. The cause of death has not been determined pending an autopsy, but Jacobs said a preliminary investigation does not indicate foul play."

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Balanced Man Scholarship | USF SigEp

The BMS page on the Florida Iota website is particularly well done. Clean layout, straightforward explanation of the concept, and no "SigEp-ese" phrases that could confuse a non-member or parent. In fact, most of their pages are laid out in a similarly accessible manner.

Balanced Man Scholarship | USF SigEp:

"The Balanced Man Scholarship
To support our mission of Building Balanced Men, Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity (SigEp) proudly brings the Balanced Man Scholarship to the University of South Florida. During the 2012-2013 school year, SigEp chapters will award over $225,000 at 160 campuses across the country through the Balanced Man Scholarship program. We believe that recognizing students who exhibit balance and all-around excellence is a way to promote this important ideal.We are offering one-time scholarships up to the amount of $2,000 at the University of South Florida. Our goal is to reward men who exemplify the qualities of a Sound Mind and a Sound Body, as we believe they are essential to leading a balanced life."

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