COVER STORY
Kappas lay wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier
transitioning to freedom by provid- ing “housing, education, employ- ment training, and medical care.” Members of the The Old Guard volunteer to serve as Tomb Guard sentinels. It is an honored duty with detailed requirements ranging from their physical stature to their ability to memorize pages of information on the history of the grounds and monuments, pass rigorous tests, and perform the ceremonies with ulti- mate precision. They are responsible for guarding the Tomb, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, regardless of weather conditions. The Tomb itself holds the remains of an unidentified Ameri- can Soldier from World War I. The sarcophagus above the crypt is or- dained with various words and sym- bols representing the significance of the monument. For example, one panel depicts the three Greek figures for Peace, Victory, and Valor. How- ever, most prominent is the inscrip- tion on the back of the Tomb: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.” The site also holds the crypts of three other unknown Soldiers from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The Kappa wreath laying was coordinated by the Military and Veterans Affairs Commission (MVAC) while members of the Grand Chapter young man, I was naturally drawn to an organization with leaders that achieved. What I did not realize was that their achievements on our college campus were only the beginning of many accomplishments that were to come. One of my line brothers, Keith Perdue (Iota Pi 1982), would graduate the next year and start blazing the trail for so many others through his engineering work and success in Atlanta. We encouraged, cajoled, challenged and
synergistic view of education and achievement that prioritizes making oneself and others better each day. The leaders on Georgia Southern’s campus in 1981 were Kappas. Brother Reggie Miller ran the Army ROTC program and his number two in that program, Larry O’Neil, was also a Kappa. There were Kappas on the student judicial board, and on the water polo team. They also served as members of the Student Government Association (SGA). As a of Directors (Alumni), represented the Grand Chapter while then-Major General Leslie Smith and Lieutenant Colonel Robert James, both of the U.S. Army and Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter, represented Kappas in the military. Several brothers from the surrounding areas, Including MG (R) Hawthorne "Peet" Proctor, MVAC Chairman, Col (R) Dwight Thomas, Vice-Chairman of MVAC, Steve Yearwood also a member of MVAC and other vet- eran Brothers were in attendance to observe the ceremony and represent Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. “Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. Service to country is the common thread that binds all who are remembered and honored at Arlington.” Active military service of one day, or greater, beyond training and char- acterized by an Honorable Discharge is the minimum eligibility criteria for above-ground inurement on the premises; in-ground burial require- ments are the most stringent. One of the many interesting historical facts about the cemetery is it once was the site of Freedman's Village. Beginning in 1863, Freed- man’s Village served to assist slaves
At the request of Grand Polemarch Thomas L. Battles, Jr., brothers of the Fraternity and the U.S. Army participated in a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington Na- tional Cemetery to honor America’s fallen. The wreath was solemnly laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in accordance with protocol and tradition. Led by a Soldier from the 3 rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), four brothers were honored to represent Kappa Alpha Psi ® in this public ceremony. Christopher Cross, Junior Grand Vice Polemarch, and Jimmy McMikle, Grand Board
service. The organizational skills that I developed, combined with the appreciation for teamwork and family are basic tenets that continue to serve me well, and have proven valuable to others at the highest levels of business and government. The ability to lead ever-changing organizations is built on the foundations of competence, commitment, and professionalism; but, most importantly, it is built on character. Kappa encourages a
18 | THE JOURNAL
Publishing achievement for 105 years
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