Operation Purple Pride Headlines
- Operation Purple Pride welcomes personal diaries or journals, photos, quick news updates about you and other classmates serving in Afghanistan or Iraq.
- Nursing soldiers and cheerleading Rachel Engler ('05) took on the challenges of the U.S. Navy, nursing and the Washington Redskins
- Supporting U.S. troops from the air Jeffrey Cretz ('03) serves second deployment in Middle East
- Second tour in Iraq feels right U.S. Army officer and ROTC program graduate Jeffrey Farmer ('88) takes major changes in stride
- Helping make Baghdad a safer place JMU ROTC graduate Capt. Dan Hodermarsky ('03) keeps HQ vehicles in top shape
- No clowning around for this Navy 'bozo' Aviator David Hunter "Bozo" Bankart ('99) takes pride in giving back
- Hobby turns into career Brennan Sweeney ('97) enjoys the art of aviation
- Baghdad, family crisis and intercultural cooperation Eric Johnson ('95) reports on the first days of Operation Iraqi Freedom with Task Force Tarawa Marines
- Different perspectives Will Schiek ('87) leads more than 500 U.S. soldiers providing logistics, security and communications for their Iraqi counterparts
- A service-oriented life Joe Clem ('89) provides medical support in Baghdad
- Rebuilding Iraq Civil Affairs officer Maj. Patrick Creed ('93) works with Iraqis to rebuild a nation
- Serving with JAG Corps in Iraq Lt. Col. Michael McWright ('85) with the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps
- Bringing democracy to the Afghani people and airwaves Maj. Patrick Kerr ('90) with Task Force Lightning
- Securing Baghdad's west side Capt. Shawn Harper ('97) reports on duty in Iraq
- Learning to fly Black Hawks Former JMU recruiter Lt. Kenny Ward ('03) now in 82nd Aviation Brigade
- A brief hello to fellow Dukes Lt. Col. Don Mosman ('85) reports from Iraq
- JMU's award-winning ROTC program Program repeatedly ranked in the top five percent in the nation.
- Maj. Mitchell Bell ('88) rescues injured Marines Marine reservist serves in Al Taqaddum, Iraq
- 1st Lt. James Sheasley ('02) cheers on the Dukes Purple, gold and green for this Marine
- Supporting the global war on terrorism Charles May ('83) is serving in Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- Coming home Iraqi war veteran returns to JMU ROTC
- Warhorn History: Lt. Col. Laurie Moe Buckhout's ('84) Operation Iraqi Freedom diary
- MREs for 200,000? Army food service director Lt. Col. Don Vtipil ('84) serves three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan
- A Blackhawk pilot's view of Operation Iraqi Freedom A journal entry by Major Donald R. Nitti ('88)
Learning to fly Black Hawks
Former JMU recruiter Lt. Kenny Ward ('03) now in 82nd Aviation Brigade
Lt. Kenny Ward ('03) in his Black Hawk.
Recruiter for JMU
After earning his B.S. in computer science and completing JMU's ROTC program, 2nd Lt. Kenneth Ward ('03) was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army. From September to October 2003, he worked as a recruiter for JMU and then departed for flight school in Fort Rucker, Ala.
Learning to fly UH-60 Black Hawks
From October 2003 through October 2004, Ward learned to fly UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, honed his survival skills and participated in dunker training (underwater escape from a helicopter).
Ward successfully completed flight school and went on to the three-week Basic Airborne School in Fort Benning, Ga., where he learned to parachute.
The next destination for Ward was Fort Bragg, N.C., his current station. In November 2004, Ward joined the 82nd Airborne Division, where he worked for about eight months as an executive officer in the Headquarters Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 82nd Aviation Brigade.
With 82nd Aviation Brigade
In August 2005, Ward became a platoon leader in the Alpha Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 82nd Aviation Brigade. He is responsible for five UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, including their maintenance, personnel, pilots and accompanying crews.
"Here at Fort Bragg, I've been enhancing my pilot skills and doing more mission-oriented training," he says. "Fort Bragg is a unique place to serve -- here we regularly practice our airborne skills by jumping out of perfectly good aircraft," he explains. "That's something that you don't really get to do much across the rest of the Army, especially for soldiers who aren't in the infantry."
Marriage to Valerie Mahr ('05)
Ward's company was sent to New Orleans to assist relief efforts for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Ward helped prepare the company for its deployment, but did not go to the disaster area for a rather important reason. "My company commander was very considerate and let me stay back so I could get married as planned on Sept. 17 to Valerie Mahr ('05), whom I met while I was still in school," he says.
According to Ward, JMU's ROTC program helped prepare him for his responsibilities in the Army. "By making the third- and fourth-year students run everything, [students] actually learn leadership and teaching through daily practice," he says. "I used to hate being in front of large groups. Now, I'm fine with getting up and teaching a class or giving a briefing."
Ward feels satisfied with his career choice and proud to be serving his country. "The Army may be an unusual choice for a computer science major, but I think it was a good choice," he says. "Certainly my skills learned at JMU have helped me on the job, but I really wanted to get out and do something interesting and worthwhile while I was young."
View photos of Ward at the following links: http://www.thekenny.com/gallery/famday0804/ontail.jpg http://www.thekenny.com/gallery/simulators/kennysim.jpg http://www.thekenny.com/gallery/famday0804/class04-05.jpg http://www.thekenny.com/gallery/famday0804/uptop.jpg
