Inaugural ‘W&L Salutes’ Alumni Event Strengthens Connections, Honors the Military Service of W&L Community Members The weekend event was commemorated with a ceremonial coin presentation with a coin designed by ROTC Cadet Carey Camp ’25.

By Emily Innes
March 21, 2025

Washington and Lee University’s Office of Alumni Engagement hosted W&L Salutes: Generations of Service, a special weekend event on March 15-16 on W&L’s campus to honor the more than 1,300 living alumni who have served in the armed forces, W&L’s faculty, staff and student veterans, and current students who are members of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

More than 100 individuals – including 59 alumni and 11 current ROTC cadets – gathered for the inaugural veteran alumni event, which featured time for oral history collection, campus tours and networking sessions. The special occasion introduced ROTC cadets to the broad W&L network in the military and offered valuable opportunities for alumni and current students to connect. The inaugural event’s steering committee included alumni and students at various stages of their military careers: Lieutenant General Anthony Ierardi ’82, U.S. Army Retired (Honorary Co-Chair); Paul Youngman ’87 P’27, U.S. Army, and associate provost at W&L (Co-Chair); Colonel Christopher Beckert ’88, U.S. Army Retired; Colonel Anthony DeMartino ’89, U.S. Army Retired; Captain Julia McCormick ’13, U.S. Army; Captain Wells Goddin, Jr. ’80, U.S. Army; Captain John Bruch ’14, U.S. Army Reserve; Cadet Carey Camp ’25, U.S. Army.

“Washington and Lee’s Generations of Service event provided active duty and veteran alumni from all of the military services, and current W&L ROTC cadets, a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community to reflect on their service and the service of their classmates and friends to the nation’s military,” said Ierardi. “The event’s campus venues created the perfect ambiance of fellowship, social interaction and an ability to remember the fallen – allowing participants to interact with each other in extremely positive ways and reinforcing the incredibly favorable impact that Washington and Lee provided everyone as a basis for their service.”

The W&L Salutes ceremony was held in the University Chapel, followed by a cocktail reception at the university’s Memorial Gate Plaza. In a panel facilitated by Gen. Ierardi, alumni and students shared cross-generational experiences and insights on service, leadership and the intersection of military and civilian life. The panelists included Captain Michael Holifield ’89, U.S. Navy; Colonel Beckert; Cadet Camp; and Cadet Rob Mish ’25.

The service concluded with a ceremonial coin presentation. In the military, “challenge coins” are significant symbols of unit pride, belonging and camaraderie, and serve as tokens of appreciation and recognition for service members’ hard work and achievements. Cadet Camp led the initiative to design and produce a commemorative coin for W&L Salutes that represents the imagery and deep connection to W&L and its ROTC program. The coins were presented to all active and retired military veterans and current ROTC cadets, marking not only the bond between service members but also highlighting the meaningful relationships between W&L alumni and students.

“For me, the whole night was summed up by the coining ceremony,” said Youngman. “To see each veteran in the room rise and receive the new coin from General Ierardi and Colonel DeMartino, and knowing that the coin was designed by current cadet Carey Camp was so special. I love the symbolism of that. The coin, which we hope will become the emblem of W&L Veteran identity and pride in this and future reunions to come, was offered by a student with the hopes of joining that company of veterans and of further strengthening the bond, and as a gift of respect for those who’ve come before her. It just made for a very special evening.”

The weekend’s programming ended with a ceremony dedicated to a remembrance of the fallen led by Colonel David Shugart ’87, U.S. Army Retired and Colonel Demartino, followed by a breakfast at Hotchkiss Alumni House. W&L welcomed a range of alumni and friends of the university to campus, and notable attendees included  Lieutenant Colonel Joel Snow, U.S. Army Retired, professor of military science and head of the W&L ROTC detachment from 1987-1991; Bennett Ross ’83 P’18, Emeritus Board of Trustee Member; Retired Major General Cedric Wins, superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute; and Lieutenant Commander Carola Tanna, U.S. Naval Reserve and spouse of W&L President Will Dudley.

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