Staff Biographies
The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is extremely fortunate to be guided by a unique group of commissioned officers and civilian personnel that assist the cadet leadership in meeting the objectives of the Corps. Each member of this diverse group brings a different and valuable perspective to the day to day operation of the Corps.
Please select a staff member from the list on the right side, or scroll down the page to learn more about them.
Maj Gen Randal D. Fullhart, USAF (Ret.)
Commandant of Cadets
Major General Randal D. Fullhart, USAF (Ret.) is Commandant of Cadets at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.
General Fullhart received his commission in 1979 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy.
He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels, and has also commanded two expeditionary flying squadrons, an expeditionary operations group in Operation Allied Force, and an expeditionary wing in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition, he has served as the Commandant of the Air Command and Staff College. General Fullhart has held staff assignments that include experience in operations, safety, acquisition, and government affairs at the major command and Headquarters U.S. Air Force levels. He served as the Assistant Director of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and has joint experience at U.S. Transportation Command as well as joint, inter-agency experience as Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, National Security Agency. The general was Vice Commander, Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional), Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, prior to his final assignment as Director, Global Reach Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
General Fullhart is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours in the C-141, KC-135, C-17, F-16, T-38 and T-37.
General Fullhart's major awards and decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and three oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster Combat Readiness Medal.
General Fullhart is joined by his wife, Kathy. Their son, Stephen, lives and works in Texas.
Commander Michael Weaver, NOAA (Ret.)
Deputy Commandant for
First Battalion
Commander Michael Weaver, NOAA (Ret.) is a 1988 graduate of Virginia Tech and the Corps of Cadets and serves as Deputy Commandant of Cadets for First Battalion.
In 1990, Commander Weaver was commissioned in the NOAA Corps, a uniformed service that operates ships and aircraft in support of the scientific and survey missions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He served as an officer aboard the NOAA Ship MT MITCHELL, conducting oceanographic and survey operations in the Atlantic, and in the Persian Gulf immediately after the first Gulf War. Following flight training, Commander Weaver flew several NOAA aircraft in support of nautical and coastal environmental surveying, including a Cessna Citation II (CE-550). As Chief of the Remote Sensing Flight Program, he flew NOAA missions in support of the response to the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. Commander Weaver is a rated aviator with over 1,500 flight hours, and he is certified as an Airline Transport Pilot and Multi-engine Flight Instructor.
Commander Weaver's assignments ashore included leadership positions at the Space Environment Center, Boulder, Colorado, and the Remote Sensing Division of the National Geodetic Survey, Silver Spring, Maryland. He later served as Operations Director of the National Geodetic Survey, overseeing daily operations and leading strategic and program planning efforts of an organization that maintains the National Spatial Reference System and supports land surveyors across the nation. Commander Weaver attended leadership training as a member of the NOAA Leadership Competencies Development Program, which trains senior civilian and uniformed service officers for leadership in NOAA. His personal awards include the U.S. Department of Commerce Gold Medal, the NOAA Corps Commendation Medal (with two gold stars), and the NOAA Corps Achievement Medal (with two gold stars). He received a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University in 2004.
Captain James Snyder, USN (Ret.)
Deputy Commandant for
Second Battalion
Captain James S. Snyder, United States Navy (Ret) is Deputy Commandant of Second Battalion.
Captain James S. Snyder, a native of Pennsylvania and graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, received his commission via the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship Program. Following his commission and basic surface warfare training, he served principally on frigates and operational staffs in support of cruisers, destroyers and frigates. He commanded the Knox Class frigate USS AINSWORTH. He completed six deployments including Cold War operations against the Soviet Fleet in the Atlantic Ocean, North and Mediterranean Seas; maritime interdiction ops off Central America, Lebanon and Haiti; counter-drug ops in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific areas; and served on the Task Group Commander’s staff for the 1986 US strike on Libya.
Ashore, Captain Snyder was assigned as a recruiter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and served four tours in Washington, DC - on the Joint Staff, the Navy Staff, and as the Navy Representative to the Congressional Commission on Military Training and Gender-Related Issues. Selected and assigned to major command, he served as Commanding Officer, Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, San Diego, California. For his final assignment, Captain Snyder was the Professor of Naval Science and Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Virginia Tech. He is a graduate of the National War College and attained a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.
Captain Snyder completed over 30 years of commissioned Naval Service, before retiring and joining the Commandant's Staff in September 2004.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Payne, USA (Ret.)
Deputy Commandant for
Third Battalion
Colonel Charles T. Payne is Deputy Commandant of Cadets for Third Battalion.
Colonel Payne joined the U. S. Army in July 1973. Upon completion of Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, and Airborne School, he reported to the 82nd Airborne Division as a private in December. During his seven years as an enlisted soldier, Colonel Payne served as a mortarman in the 1st and 3rd Battalions, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, as a gunner in H Company, 3rd Infantry (The Old Guard), and as a Drill Sergeant at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Upon graduation and commissioning from Officer Candidate School in August 1980, and attendance at the Infantry Officer's Basic Course and Ranger School, Colonel Payne reported to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, where he served as Heavy Mortar Platoon Leader, Rifle Platoon Leader, Battalion Mortar Officer, and Company Executive Officer. In November 1985, he was assigned to Europe and spent three years with the Berlin Brigade, where he served as Battalion S3 Air and Company Commander. After command, he attended graduate school for two years, whereupon he taught military history at the U. S. Military Academy from 1990 to 1993.
His next assignment was with the U. S. Army Special Operations Command, where he served as Deputy Chief of Current Operations. Afterward, Colonel Payne's next three years were spent in the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, where he served as Brigade Logistics Officer, Battalion Executive Officer, and Brigade Executive Officer. In 1997, he was assigned as the Professor of Military Science at Oklahoma State University. Colonel Payne's last active duty Army assignment was in the Pentagon, where he served on the Army staff as a resource analyst. He retired at the grade of LTC after 28 years of service in July 2001 and was selected as Deputy Commandant for the 3rd Battalion with duty beginning 1 July 2001.
Colonel Payne holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Sciences from Campbell University and a Master of Arts Degree in History from the University of Georgia.
His awards and decorations include the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Pathfinder Badge, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
LTC Payne is married to the former Rosemarie Mazzoni, of Toms River, NJ, and has four children: Jason, Jennifer, Meghan, and Joshua.
Professional Affiliations:
Colonel Payne is an active member of the Society for Military History.
Lieutenant Colonel Donald G. Russell, USAF (Ret.)
Deputy Commandant for
Citizen-Leader Track/
VPI Company
Lieutenant Colonel Donald G. Russell, USAF (Ret.), is Deputy Commandant of Cadets for the VPI Citizen-Leader Track. He is a 1990 graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and received his commission through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.
He first served as a Minuteman II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile combat crew commander before cross-training in 1994 as an aircraft maintenance officer. He held various flight line officer positions in Air Mobility Command units and led air expeditionary deployments to Italy, France, Turkey, Egypt, Kuwait, and to Tanzania following the 1998 terrorist attacks on two U.S. Embassies. Lt Col Russell commanded two squadrons, the 92nd Maintenance Operations Squadron at Fairchild AFB, WA, and the 723rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Moody AFB, GA. He served 3 years as Deputy Director of the Air Force Fleet Viability Board leading independent technical assessments of aging aircraft for senior USAF leadership, prior to his final assignment as Deputy Commander for the 55th Maintenance Group at Offutt AFB, NE.
Lt Col Russell led teams supporting KC-135R/T, C-141B, C-5A/B, C-17, HC-130P, HH-60G, RC/OC/WC/TC-135, and E-4B aircraft. He retired from active duty in August 2012 following 22 years of service. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He received a Masters Degree in Political Science from the University of South Dakota in 1994, and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science degree from Air University in 2005.
Lt Col Russell is married to the former Carolyn Schuster of Philadelphia, PA. They have one daughter, Rachel.
Colonel Dave Miller, USA (Ret.)
Deputy Commandant for
Leader Development
Colonel Dave Miller, USA (Ret.) is the Deputy Commandant for Leader Development and Director of the MG W. Thomas Rice Center for Leader Development.
Colonel Miller served over 26 years in the Regular Army, commanding at all levels through brigade, including a four-year tour as commander of the Data Systems Unit of the White House Communications Agency. His military education includes Armor Officer Basic, Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff Officer’s Course and The Army War College.
Colonel Miller holds a Masters degree in Educational Technology from LSU, a Masters degree in Computer Resource Management from Webster University, and a Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology from Virginia Tech.
He has four grown children and eight grandchildren. He and his wife Suzanne live in Blacksburg.
Colonel Patience Larkin, USAF (Ret.)
Director of
Alumni Programs
Colonel Patience Larkin, USAF (Ret.) is the Alumni Director for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. Colonel Larkin served over 24 years as an intelligence officer with deployments to both Kuwait and Haiti. She held a variety of intelligence positions at all levels, from intelligence officer for an F-15 fighter squadron to the Associate Director for Policy and Records at the National Security Agency.
Her military education includes Joint Forces Staff College and Air War College. Colonel Larkin received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Virginia Tech and her masters degree in Counseling from Troy State.
During her years in the Corps, Col Larkin was a member of E-Frat 87, Gregory Guard, Scabbard and Blade, Arnold Air Society and served as the Second Battalion S1 her senior year.
Ut Prosim!
Lieutenant Colonel Gary Jackson, USA (Ret.)
Associate Director,
Undergraduate Admissions
Lieutenant Colonel Gary N. Jackson, USA (Ret), is currently serving as Assistant Director for Undergraduate Admissions for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets.
Lieutenant Colonel Jackson was born June 12, 1956 in Richmond, VA, and was raised there through graduation from Manchester High School in 1974. He attended Virginia Tech, and was a member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, the Regimental Band, the Military Honorary Society of Scabbard and Blade, and the Baptist Student Union. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management in June 1978.
His professional military education includes the U. S. Army Engineer Officer Basic Course, 1979, the U. S. Army Engineer Officer Advanced Course, 1986, U. S. Army Command and Staff Service School, 1990, and the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, 1994.
LTC Jackson earned his commission as second lieutenant following graduation from Virginia Tech in 1978. Following initial officer basic training, he went on to several assignments in Combat Engineering, Recruiting, ROTC, and Facility Engineering. LTC Jackson served in specific units such as the 548th Engineer Battalion, 63rd Engineer Company, and 20th Engineer Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Other units of assignment were the Richmond Recruiting Battalion, 972nd Engineer Battalion, Virginia Tech Army ROTC, 81st Regional Support Command, and the U. S. Army Reserve Command.
LTC Jackson retired after twenty two years of service, June of 2000, and resides in Blacksburg, VA with his wife and two daughters, Sarah and Rachel.
LTC Jackson has served the Office of Undergraduate Admissions since August, 2000.
His significant military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Reserve Forces Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.
Major George McNeill, VA Militia
Director, Regimental Band
Major McNeill is the band director of the Highty-Tighties.
Major George McNeill, a retired member of the United States Army, comes to the Highty Tighties after 22 years of military service in the Army Band Program. Upon completion of AIT at the Naval School of Music in 1968, Major McNeill was assigned to the 324th US Army Band, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. In 1975, he was reassigned to the 296th Army Band in Camp Zama, Japan.
In 1979, he returned to the US to serve with the First US Army Band, Fort Meade, MD until his retirement in 1990. Major McNeill took over as band director for the Highty-Tighties in 1992 and has overseen the rise of the band in terms of numbers and musical quality.
Major Rewa Mariger, VA Militia
Corps Recruiting
Major Mariger, a graduate of Purdue University, served eight years in the U.S. Navy. She received her commission via the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship Program. Following her commissioning and basic surface warfare training, she served aboard USS SHASTA (AE-33), as the Combat Information Center Officer and later as the Auxiliaries and Electrical Officer.
For her follow-on sea tour, Major Mariger was privileged to be hand picked to be one of the first women to serve aboard a Pacific Fleet cruiser, the USS PORT ROYAL (CG-73). She served as the Strike Officer and Public Affairs Officer. Her shore duty was as a Naval ROTC Instructor at Virginia Tech.
She earned a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and E-Commerce from Virginia Tech in 2001 and spent five years conducting research for the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute before joining the Commandant’s staff in March 2006.
Major Mariger is married to Dr. S. Christian Mariger of Logan, Utah and they are the proud parents of two daughters.
Major Carrie A. Cox, USAFR
Executive Officer,
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
Major Carrie A. Cox is the Executive Officer for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. She earned a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1998, and a master's degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech in 1999.
During her active duty career Major Cox served as an aircraft maintenance officer leading flightline maintenance on the C-130 and A-10 aircraft while commanding the Sortie Support and Sortie Generation Flights. As an Air Force ROTC instructor at Virginia Tech, she taught freshman and junior cadets and served as the Commandant of Cadets for the Air Force Detachment. In 2004 she was honored as the top AFROTC instructor nationwide. Since 2006 Maj Cox has worked as an Admissions Liaison Officer in the Air Force Reserve, assisting high school students in southwest Virginia who are interested in the Air Force Academy or AFROTC scholarship programs.
Major Cox is married to Dr. Steven Cox, an alumnus of Virginia Tech. They have two children, Lee and Ana.
Leketa Miller
Commandant's
Executive Assistant
Mrs. Leketa Miller is currently serving as the Commandant's Executive Assistant. Recently nominated for the President's Award for Excellence, she has served the university with distinction for 20 years and has been a key member of the Commandant's staff for the past 10 years.
Major General Jerrold Allen, the former Commadant of Cadets for twelve years, states, "Mrs. Miller's strongest attribute is her absolute dedication to the university motto, "that I may serve." Mrs. Miller is the key to the success of important Corps operations. For example, university housing officials have praised her effective management of housing 750 cadets in three buildings. She is the expert in virtually everything we do; I have heard cadets say "If you want to do something right, see Mrs. Miller for help."
Mrs. Miller repeatedly makes the effort to serve all of her customers - the public, cadets, parents, staff, the university, and the Commonwealth - with excellence.
Carol Brunelli
Alumni Executive Assistant
Carol Brunelli is the Executive Assistant for the Corps of Cadets Alumni Programs.
Her responsibilities include programming alumni events, developing and maintaining the Corps Alumni Website and database, and providing customer service and communication between alumni.
Dr. Alice Turner
Executive Assistant,
Rice Center
Dr. Alice Turner currently serves as the Executive Assistant of the Rice Center for Leader Development. Her responsibilities include: assistant advisor for approximately 750 students seeking the military leadership minor; and special events coordinator for the Leaders in Action program and the Cutchins Distinguished Lecture series. She has been acknowledged on several occasions for extraordinary contributions to the Rice Center for Leader Development.
Dr. Turner was born in Bluefield, WVA and is a graduate of Calvin Coolidge High School in Washington, DC. Through a HUD Fellowship she studied Personnel Administration at Tulsa University and later attended New River Community College and Radford University where she majored in English. She is a licensed minister and is currently attending Bethlehem Bible College and Seminary where she has earned a Doctor of Christian Education degree.
Dr. Turner has worked for the State of Virginia for approximately 19 years. After 15 years at Radford University in the Counselor Education Department, Dr. Turner came to Military Affairs in February 2002. She is married to Rev. Jack L. Turner, and they have five adult children: Vonetta Moore, London Turner, Alicia Rudd, Capt. Juanita Fairchild, and SGT Scott Turner. They are blessed to have eight grandchildren.
Jeananne Tiffany
Residential Learning Coordinator, Upper Quad
Ms. Tiffany is a 2007 graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and a Master of Education Degree in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia.
She will serve as Residential Learning Coordinator for the Corps of Cadets.
Ms. Tiffany comes from an Air Force family with her mother, stepfather, and brother all serving. She spent four years in Air Force and Army JROTC while in high school. Her family has been stationed at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, Langley AFB, Virginia, Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, Edwards AFB, California, JFC Naples, Italy and the Pentagon.
In her role as a Residential Learning Coordinator, Ms. Tiffany will serve the Corps as a liaison and advocate to Housing and Residence Life, provide support and connections to academic and co-curricular resources on and off campus, and assist in cadet leader training in partnership with the Rice Center for Leader Development, to include Commander Residential Advisor training.
In addition she will partner with Deputy Commandants and staff in the conduct of various cadet learning activities.
As a Residential Learning Coordinator, Ms. Tiffany will live on the Upper Quad in an apartment in Thomas Hall.
Commandant's Staff:
-
MAJ GEN Randal D. Fullhart
Commandant of Cadets -
CDR Michael Weaver
1st BN -
CAPT Jim Snyder
2nd BN -
LTC Charles Payne
3rd BN -
Lt Col Donald Russell
Citizen-Leader Track/VPI Company -
COL Dave Miller
Leader Development -
Col Patience Larkin
Alumni Relations -
LTC Gary Jackson
Asst Dir. of Undergraduate Admissions -
MAJ George McNeill
Director, Regimental Band -
MAJ Rewa Mariger
Recruiting - MAJ Carrie A. Cox
Executive Officer Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets -
Leketa Miller
Commandant's Executive Assistant -
Carol Brunelli
Alumni Executive Assistant -
Dr. Alice Turner
Executive Assistant, Rice Center -
Jeananne Tiffany
Residential Learning Coordinator
