Commandant's Column

Run Through the Tape

Some thirteen years ago, when my wife, Kathy, and I arrived at Virginia Tech, we could not have imagined all the friends we would make, the wonderful people we would encounter, and the leaders this amazing team has produced for our nation and the world.

That "team" extends to family, friends, colleagues, and certainly alumni of the Corps who have contributed in different ways and means, large and small, to the reimagining of Upper Quad, making the Corps experience accessible with scholarships, and underwriting programs that make this senior military college a standout among its peers.

Simply returning to campus, encouraging cadets, and standing as examples has had an enormous impact.

On my desk, I have a photograph of a barn raising. It shows the framework of the building and a multitude of people crawling all over it, with help from people on the ground. They seem to range in age from young children to older adults. The title of the picture is “Collective Effort.”

It is the accomplishment of that collective effort of so many years that we all see today.

Thus, in my last letter to all of you, I want to take this space to say thank you. Thank you, on behalf of the cadets, past and present, who you have helped create. Thank you for creating the home of the Corps for the next 150 years. Thank you for all the support you have given to Kathy and me as stewards of your legacy. Thank you to the university and its leaders for their support. Thank you to all those who embraced our vision for the Corps and turned it into a reality. And most importantly, thank you to the wonderful staff of this Corps and its ROTC partners who gave so selflessly of their time, talents, and dedication to the cause.

In a category all her own, I want to publicly thank my wife, Kathy. We got engaged when we were seniors in high school. I cannot imagine a more kind, giving, and supportive partner to have shared this life with. From families to staff and cadets, she has been there, day in and day out, in a myriad of ways, to see to their well-being.

As we look forward now, I know that I can count on that same support and goodwill accruing to the university’s selection of a new commandant. I am confident they will select someone who shares a passion for developing leaders in partnership with a wonderful staff, and an enthusiastic friend and alumni base.

Kathy and I will always cherish this time with all of you and will be watching from afar as the Corps continues to grow and produce global, ethical leaders now, more than ever.

Until then, as I pledged to the cadets and the team, I will be running through the tape until the very end. These are the same words I give to the cadets, for everything they do in life.

Best wishes.

Maj. Gen. Randal D. Fullhart

U.S. Air Force (retired)

Commandant of Cadets

(July 2011 - July 2024)