School President COL Michael Lierman, '73 Welcomes a New School Year

August is always an exciting time to be at Wentworth Military Academy and College. The fall sports team start their practices, ambitious and undefeated. A group of alumni comes to campus for Alumni Work Weekend, and old friends pitch in to paint and generally get the campus looking sharp before the cadets arrive. And, of course, the big source of excitement is the start of the school year, which begins on Monday, August 18.

So much has changed since I showed up for my first day here as a student in 1967. Students on campus are speaking Farsi and Chinese. They carry Google Chrome books instead of text books. Many of our finest cadet leaders are women. I literally might have laughed in your face had you described 2014 to me in 1967.

Despite all that change and modernization, I feel right at home. I look at the new cadets and see the exact same mix of excitement, fear and determination that I carried with me to campus. I see that the entire student experience is designed to reinforce the same Wentworth values of teamwork, honesty, integrity, respect and duty.

Wentworth has been here since 1880, but Wentworth is constantly new. We have historic buildings but, to the new cadets, this is all a fresh and exciting experience happening in real time.

 I hope that you find this new publication to be a helpful connection to today's Wentworth Military Academy & College. In many of our publications, we focus on our proud past, but this one will Focus on the Wentworth of today. Future issues will feature writing by current cadets, just like the old Trumpeter did. This will give them an opportunity to develop their talents, and you an opportunity to see their work. We hope that by publishing this newsletter on a monthly basis, we can keep you up to date on a real time basis.

The old Trumpeter was published on inked paper, but now it comes to you over the internet.  It might seem like everything has changed, yet, to me, it feels like it did in 1967.

Justin Aldred Steps Up as Battalion Commander of the 135th Corps of Cadets

Battalion Commander Justin Aldred takes the
Wentworth flag from Commandant Darren Fitz Gerald.

In the closing days of the last academic year, Cadet Justin Aldred was chosen from a strong group of up-and-coming young leaders to serve as the Battalion Commander of the 135th Corps of Cadets. From Waynesville, Illinois, a small town in Central Illinois, Aldred stood out in the Corps last year, commanding both Headquarters and Delta companies and being chosen for Phi Theta Kappa, the official honor society for two-year colleges. He will graduate this coming December and simultaneously be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.


Cadet Aldred is supported directly by his key senior cadets in the Corps, the Command Sergeant Major, the Battalion Executive Officer, and the three company commanders. The Command Sergeant Major is Jared Clasen, from Little Rock, Arkansas. Cadet Clasen enlisted in the Army during high school and was selected for Wentworth’s Army ROTC Early Commissioning Program (ECP). Cadet Clasen was one of the top leaders in Alpha Company last year and intends to commission into the infantry and pursue selection to a Special Forces assignment. The Battalion XO is Jade Dale-Perry. Cadet Dale-Perry is the daughter of a Wentworth Old Boy, previously served in the Air Force, is a member of the college basketball and track teams, and will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in May 2015.

Alpha Company is commanded by Stephen Quinn, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Cadet Quinn also distinguished himself in Alpha Company last year. He is a member of the 2+2 ROTC Scholarship Program and upon finishing his degree at Wentworth he will complete his education and earn his commission as an Army officer through the University of North Georgia. Headquarters Company is commanded by Alexandra Holcomb, from Seneca, Missouri. Cadet Holcomb is a member of Wentworth’s college volleyball team and earned recognition last year as one of the best Squad Leaders in the Corps. Her intent this year is to ensure a positive environment in HQ Company and leave a legacy of excellence for future members of the company. Delta Company is commanded by Max Flores, from Spring Hill, Kansas. Max came to Wentworth to prepare to be an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Max has represented Wentworth at Missouri Boys’ State, and as a Company Commander, he is the senior ranking high school cadet at Wentworth.

Lieutenant Colonel Darren Fitz Gerald, Wentworth’s Commandant of Cadets, is confident the Corps will have strong leadership this year, "Cadet Aldred understands the importance of the senior cadet leaders setting a positive example for the Corps. He has developed four key focus areas for his senior leaders to use to guide their cadets: discipline, esprit de corps, respect, and teamwork. He and his team are well on their way to starting a successful academic year the 135th Corps of Cadets."

Ed Chapline, '43, Gives Stock Instead of Cash to Help Wentworth "at a Discount"

Ed Chapline,’ 43, has quietly been one of Wentworth's top living lifetime supporters, amassing gifts of nearly a half million dollars over more than a quarter century of giving. Most of his giving, though, has taken advantage of a smart strategy allowing him to accomplish more by transferring stock instead of giving cash. ”Wentworth helped make me who I am, and I want to pay something back. The fact that I have found a way to avoid capital gains tax just lets me do more, because I feel like I’m giving at a discount," Chapline says.

While you should consult with your financial advisors to see how stock gifts might benefit your particular financial circumstances, the essential point is that if you give appreciated stock, you get to deduct the full market value of the stock when you give it, and you do not need to pay capital gains or the Medicare surtax on the amount of appreciation.

”Now that the market is up, a lot more people are sitting on stock which has appreciated, but they don’t think about the tax advantages of giving that stock to Wentworth instead of giving cash,” Chapline observed. "It’s just as easy to call your broker and get it done as it is to transfer cash from some kind of savings account, And you save some money to boot. If you think the stock might still go up, you can buy new shares with the cash you were going to give, and you get an increased basis. It's a win, win, win, if you ask me.”

Dan Ryan, Wentworth's Vice President for Advancement, appreciates Mr. Chapline's smart approach to giving. ”Clearly, Mr.Chapline gives because he appreciates what Wentworth did for him, and he wants to see his money support the young men and women following in his footsteps today. The fact that he gets a larger deduction by giving us stock rather than cashing it out and giving us the cash just makes his generosity accomplish even more."

The process is very simple, and your current brokerage is almost certainly capable of handling the whole transaction without much expense or paperwork. If you want to discuss making a stock gift to Wentworth, please e-mail Dan Ryan at dryan@wma.edu, or call him at on his cell phone at 816-225-4570. You may also give that contact information to your brokerage and Dan will work to complete the transaction seamlessly..

Homecoming 2014 Promises Huge Welcome for All!

For over 90 years, Homecoming events such as reunions, sporting events and parades have called Wentworth Military Academy and College alumni home to cherish memories, reconnect with old friends and catch that Dragon Spirit again.  As fall approaches, it’s time to make plans to attend Homecoming 2014!  Your Wentworth family is busy planning an amazing weekend that is sure to have something for everyone! 

Homecoming 2014 will maintain many traditional elements that are cherished by our alumni while continuing to move forward in finding new ways to celebrate with our students of today and yesterday!  We will be hosting reunions for 1944, 1954, 1964, 1974, 1984, 1989, 1994 and 2004, as well as a special reunion for cadets who were assigned to Charlie Company.  Saturday will feature a 5K Walk/Run and a Dragon Den Festival packed full of games and activities for your children and grandchildren.  This truly will be a weekend for alumni and friends of all ages!

Wentworth Military Academy and College is also proud to feature a Homecoming theme dedicated to “Honoring our Veterans”!  Your Wentworth family is both excited and humbled by the opportunity to utilize homecoming festivities as a heartfelt expression of gratitude for all who have served.  Homecoming attendees can expect to see this theme woven throughout the weekend activities.  While we expect the weekend to be filled with several surprises for our heroes, we would like to take this time to highlight a few exciting homecoming events.

• Veterans History Project – This year our veteran alumni will have the opportunity to join a national push to preserve the experiences of American’s heroes.  The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center which collects preserves and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from them.  
• The Wentworth Veteran Wall of Honor – Your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed by your Wentworth family and we want to salute you with a visual tribute to your service.  Over the next few months we will be collecting the names and photographs of alumni who have served our country in an effort to create a touching tribute to what it means to be heroic. 

This year we hope to add an exciting chapter to your experiences at Wentworth.  Whether you come to Homecoming every year or have never ventured back, this is the year you don’t want to miss!  You may register online at  https://wma.edu/homecoming-2014-registration/.

Satellite Campuses Extend Wentworth's Reach

Did you know that in addition to our main campus in Lexington, Wentworth Military Academy and College also has three other locations in Missouri where students can take classes?  That’s right!  For added convenience, Wentworth offers college classes at sites in Cameron, Lamar, and Hermitage. 

For over 20 years, Wentworth has served the community of Cameron, Missouri.  A variety of classes are offered year round.  The typical spring/fall enrollment at this site is 60. The Cameron Site Coordinator is Keith Mathews.

A partnership between Wentworth and the Lamar Area VO-tech Center has provided and educational opportunity to the community of Lamar, Missouri.  This site started in Sheldon, MO over 20 years ago and then moved to Lamar in the early 2000s.  The Lamar site typically has a spring/fall enrollment of 15.  Students are offered year round classes, in a variety of different subjects.  The Lamar Site Coordinator is Sam DeLaney.

Started by Gerda Fitz and Dennis McCulloch, the Wentworth College Hermitage site has awarded numerous college degrees.  As with the sites in Cameron and Lamar, Hermitage offers a variety of classes year round.  The average enrollment here is 25.  The site coordinator in Hermitage is Ray Aubuchon.

In fall 2013, students from these sites accounted for about 30% of Wentworth’s commuter enrollment and 17% of Wentworth’s online enrollment.

Wentworth leases classroom space from the local high schools at each of the sites.  In each of those school districts there are numerous former Wentworth students working as teachers or administrators.

For more information on any of the four Wentworth College sites, please contact Brent Zweifel.

Wentworth Red Dragons Fall Sports Preview

Coach Tom Hughes, the Athletic Director of the Wentworth Military Academy and College Red Dragon, likes what he sees as the fall sports teams prepare for their upcoming seasons. "I’ve seen each of the teams practice," he says, "and what stands out this year is the hard work and effort that each member of our teams have put forth."

Coach Hughes expresses overall optimism. ”Our fall teams have been practicing for about a week. While they are young, and somewhat inexperienced, they have brought a great work ethic to our practices. That’s what it’s all about."

Coach Andreas Commins is kicking off his first year as coach for the Men’s College Soccer Team. He is stressing the importance of conditioning to this year’s team. ” All the fancy ball skills in the world don’t matter if your opponents can out run you to the ball late in the second half. I see a lot of talent and determination on this team, so I’m excited to get the season started."

The Women's College Volleyball Team is the defending regional regular season champion team, under Coach Philip Bennett. The team has lots of new, talented players, and should face an exciting season.

College Cross-County fields both men's and women's teams under Coach Tim Casey. They are constantly training, and Coach Hughes anticipates that their steady determination will result in big successes in the coming season. COL Casey reports that the women’s team has more depth this year than it has in at least a decade.

The High School Football Team is also working harder than ever, and. according to Head Coach Mike McClafferty, the team chemistry is outstanding.

The High School Women's Volleyball Team, under Coach Becky Young, has had a great group of players come out, and should be fielding a team that will be competitive in all matches.

The JROTC Raiders team has 14 strong members, and anticipates that it will continue to build on past successes.

Finally, two big improvements in the Athletic Department give Coach Hughes genuine optimism for a great year. "First, we have hired an athletic trainer for the school," he reports. "This will not only help us handle emergencies, but it will also help with the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries, so that the athletes can get back on their feet as quickly as possible. Secondly, we have a newly refurbished weight room, which will help tremendously with strength and conditioning of all the athletes on campus."

If you want to keep up with the Red Dragon Fall Sports season, and check to see if they are playing near you, visit the athletics website at http://www.wmadragons.com/.