New Corps Staff

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets continued to add new faces to the staff. 

Brian Callsen

Brian Callsen started as the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets’ Director of Alumni Relations on May 1, 2025.  He is a 1990 graduate of Virginia Tech and the Corps of Cadets. After graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and completed Air Force intelligence training in Texas. Callsen had assignments in the United States, Germany, and Japan, as well as deployments to Saudi Arabia, Italy, Turkey, and Afghanistan. After a number of years on active duty, he transitioned to the Air Force Reserve and began work as an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he served as an analyst and manager, leading and producing intelligence assessments for the most senior policy makers and warfighters on national security topics that included South Asia and the Pacific region.  Callsen retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve in 2012 and later retired from the CIA in 2023.  

Senior Chief Kim Ford

Command Senior Chief Petty Officer (Surface Warfare/Air Warfare) Kimberly A. Ford, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania joined the commandant’s staff in January as the senior enlisted advisor for 1st Battalion. She enlisted in the Navy in April 2002, and her assignments include multiple tours as the leading chief petty officer for Deck Division on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Halsey, USS Gridley, and USS John Finn. She also served as the recruiter-in-charge of Naval Recruiting Station Newton, New Jersey, and as deck leading chief petty officer for several boatswain’s mate training commands and courses throughout the Navy. For her last assignment, she served as the senior enlisted leader for the Naval ROTC program at Virginia Tech from 2021 to 2024.   

 Ford is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy and the Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat Course. She is a qualified master training specialist.   

 Her personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), as well as other personal, unit, and campaign awards.  

Kim Tilley      

Kim Tilley joined the commandant’s staff as the Tailor Shop manager this February. Prior to the Tailor Shop, she worked as a business services analyst for Virginia Tech Athletics. A 1995 graduate of National Business College, Tilley was one of the first employees at Virginia Tech to complete all four phases of the Fiscal Training and Development program. She is a lifelong resident of Giles County and resides in Pearisburg with her husband, Randy. She has two children, Caleb and Chandler, and enjoys camping, spending time with friends and family, NASCAR races, and the occasional jaunt to the Caribbean.

CRAIG ALIA      

Colonel Craig J. Alia (U.S. Army, retired) is now serving as the Corps’ first vice commandant of cadets. He has been a member of commandant’s staff since 2019 as the deputy commandant of cadets for 1st Battalion. 

Alia, a native of Saddle Brook, New Jersey, was commissioned in 1992 upon graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point. 

Following his commission, he served as an aviation platoon leader and staff officer in the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. He then served in Korea as the garrison commander for Camp Page. Upon his return from Korea, Alia was assigned to the 82nd Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as a staff officer and company commander. He deployed his UH60 Company to Bosnia in support of peacekeeping operations. Following command, he served in the 18th Airborne Corps G3 aviation section until his move to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Alia served as the Headquarters Company Combined Arms Center company commander for a year, after which he attended the Army Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies. 

Upon graduation, Alia returned to the 82nd Airborne Division, where he served as both the Division G3 plans officer and the G3 aviation officer. Following his tenure on the division staff, he served as the executive officer for 2nd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade during the battalion's deployment to Afghanistan. Shortly after returning from Afghanistan, he served as the executive officer for the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade. Alia was then assigned as the 82nd Airborne Division deputy J3/G3 and plans chief (J35) for the division’s deployment to Afghanistan. After returning from Afghanistan, he assumed command of 4-3 Assault Helicopter Battalion in January 2011 and deployed as the Task Force Brawler commander to Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, in December 2012. Following his return from Afghanistan, he attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Col. Alia commanded 101st Combat Aviation Brigade from February 2016 through August 2018 and changed command while deployed to Afghanistan. Following command, he became the chief of staff for the Army’s Future Vertical Lift program. 

Alia is a graduate of the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course; Aviation Officer Basic and Advanced Course; Maintenance Managers Course; Command and General Staff College; School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), and the Naval War College. He has earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Saint Mary (Kansas), a Masters of Military Arts and Science in theater operations from SAMS, a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College, and his doctorate in education from Liberty University. 

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal (with “V” device), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and other awards. He has earned the Combat Action Badge, the Senior Aviator Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge. 

Col. Alia is married to the former Darla Fritz of Vancouver, Washington. They have a daughter, Caitlin, and two sons, C.J. and Cole. 

Our New Corps Staff article would not be complete without mentioning Maj. Gen. William Seely, our newly arrived commandant. For his full biography and more inside information on our new commandant, read our article here.