VPI Battalion: Semper Paratus, Hokies

By Ken Mallory '06, Director, Citizen-Leader Track

It was a long time coming. On a Tuesday morning before morning colors this April, cadets and students in the Virginia Tech Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP) gathered in formation in front of Lane Hall. In a brief ceremony, the detachment’s colors were unfurled for the first time before the Commandant of Cadets Maj. Gen. Fullhart and the director of the Citizen-Leader Track. The unit’s activation marked the culmination of the enormous efforts of several cadets. 

Cadet Cameron Alemand, Class of 2025, was all smiles as he addressed the unit that he was instrumental in establishing. “I’ve been planning for this since I was a freshman. I had plans for what I wanted to do even before I was unit leader.”  A member of the Citizen-Leader Track since his first year, the U.S. Coast Guard has always been his goal. “In high school, I wanted to join the Navy,” Alemand said, “but then I saw a pamphlet about the mission and roles of the Coast Guard. It said they save on average 12 lives a day. I felt like it was the place where I could make the most difference.” 

When Cadet Alemand came to the Corps, there were others in the Citizen-Leader Track who were interested in the same path, but with no common effort or training to help them pursue their goal. “When I arrived, there wasn’t much guidance, there were only six of us, and there were no expectations or direction. I had to figure everything out for myself. The future of the program was always uncertain.”  

In the three years since Cadet Alemand joined, the detachment has experienced an explosion in growth. Due to his efforts, and those of Corps alumni who remain active in the local Auxiliary flotilla, support for the detachment has grown tremendously. Ensign Kyle Hector ’22 and Charlie Fladhammer ’22 were instrumental in sitting down with VPI BN leadership and improving connections to the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Cadet Alemand and Cadet Brendan Moriarty combined the resources of both organizations to begin developing opportunities for cadets to earn qualifications needed to advance in the Auxiliary and compete for officer candidate school slots upon graduation.  

“This year, we’ve taken things to the next level. We PT as a unit and we have set training plans that help us earn necessary qualifications,” said Moriarty. Also new this year, with financial support from the commandant, twelve cadets traveled to Coast Guard Base Portsmouth, Virginia to network with active-duty Coast Guard members. They listened to personal stories, gained wisdom and advice, and learned more about the importance of the Coast Guard’s missions of maritime safety, security, and stewardship. Cadet Springer, a senior who joined the unit this past year, shared that the support has been tremendously impactful. “As I move on from the Corps, this unit has given me new purpose,” said Springer. 

The base visit also offered an opportunity for the unit to purchase much-needed uniform items, boost morale, and further the recognition this new unit has achieved. The base’s “lucky bag” store provided an opportunity for cadets to purchase gently worn uniform items at steeply discounted prices. “This is critical for us right now as a new unit, and this is an important piece to building a cohesive identity and showing everyone that this is a serious program,” says Alemand. Unlike traditional four-year collegiate ROTC programs, the Coast Guard currently does not offer a similar commissioning pathway and there are few scholarships. Individual students must take the initiative to train and prepare on their own, possibly through the Auxiliary, before applying for officer candidate school. Interested cadets who have earned enough qualifications can apply for unpaid summer internships with the active-duty Coast Guard to gain more experience and further qualifications. 

These barriers make what Cadet Alemand and his team have accomplished even more special. “We are now a unit with direction and guidance, with the very real and achievable goal of graduating and commissioning into the United States Coast Guard,” said Springer. 

A fund for the new Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program has been established. To support cadets in this program, visit give.vt.edu/CoastGuard