a cougar, through and through

He survived the Rat Line at VMI.

He’s served his country in every armed conflict since 1984, and there have been many.

He operated from one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces in Baghdad and delivered intelligence briefings to high-level American officials.

He traveled through Southeast Asia with the POW-MIA task force, searching for the remains of servicemen lost during the Vietnam War.

He earned a master’s degree from the US Army War College and created a surveillance balloon that saved millions of dollars and an untold number of lives.

Most recently, he’s worked at the Pentagon as the chief of force development (intelligence division) in the office of the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff.

Amidst his far-flung travels and myriad experiences, Col. Lee Wimbish has remained a Cougar through and through.

Yesterday, the 1980 graduate returned to his roots to deliver the inaugural presentation in the Centennial Speaker Series.

During his presentation on the Oates Theater stage, Wimbish shared his wisdom gleaned from a lifetime of observation and action and regaled the audience with humorous reminiscences of his days on North Mooreland Road.

“It’s important to give back,” said Wimbish, the recipient of the 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award.

“Collegiate is the land of opportunity. These are the greatest days of your life.

 “If one or two guys or girls take away something that I impart, then my time here is worthwhile.”

Addressing the Upper School, Wimbish spoke of the value of positivity.

“When I was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990 as part of Desert Shield and later Desert Storm,” he said, “we were very hot, often very tired, and unsure of what lay ahead.

“There were miserable soldiers camped in the desert as we prepared for war.

“I always had a smile on my face. 

“Remember, positive attitudes are contagious.”

He spoke of the influence of his coaches – Petey Jacobs (baseball) and Grover Jones (football) – and the importance of holding fast to time-honored principles that they conveyed.

“They taught me commitment to excellence, dedication, and teamwork,” Wimbish said. “They stood for sportsmanship and integrity.

“Both expected 110 percent out of you at all times. They expected you to do things correctly.

“The staff at Collegiate taught me that to those that much is given, much is required.

“I carry those lessons with me today.”

He spoke of preparation and repetition.

“Success (results from) being well trained and well prepared,” he said. “It’s essential that you work hard in all that you do.

“Poor performance results from not being prepared, and that can often cause a significant emotional event.

“Eliminate the emotional events. It’s a way to learn, but a painful way to learn.”

And he spoke of the enduring friendships among members of his class and referred poignantly to the support they offered Kent Smith, one of their own, who died January 6 after a valiant fight with cancer.

“Some of my very best, lifelong friends are my Brother Rats,” he said.

“I’ve been deployed multiple times. My Military Band of Brothers are still some of my closest friends.

“But no one can match the camaraderie that I share with the 47 boys that I graduated alongside from Collegiate in June 1980.”

Many of those were in attendance and peppered him with questions about memorable occurrences and walk-the-line escapades that gave that group its character.

He responded with typical candor and self-deprecating humor.

“We were more rough-and-tumble back in the day,” he said afterward. “We might not have always made the right decisions or done things what were prudent – the occasional food fight, skipping class – but the same spirit and educational principles are still in play.

“Today’s students are more engaged on world and national events than we were. They’re focused on taking in all the school has to offer.”