Staff

Gary A. Bissell '89

Colonel Gary Bissell graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1988 with an Economics degree and commissioned in the U.S. Army. He completed the Aviation Officer Basic Course (AOBC), Initial Entry Rotary Wing course (IERW), and Air Assault School in 1989. Following OBC, he served in Camp Page, Korea as an Aeroscout Platoon Leader flying OH-58 helicopters. In 1991, he completed the Aviation Officer Advance Course (AOAC), Airborne School and Ranger School before being assigned to Fort Riley Kansas where he served as the Assistant Battalion Flight Operations Officer.

Colonel Bissell then transferred to the Kansas Army National Guard, where he served as the Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Platoon Leader, General Support Aviation Platoon Leader, and the Company Operations Officer. While in Kansas, he completed a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Kansas State University.

In 1994, Colonel Bissell moved to Germany where he served in the U.S. Army Reserves as the Assistant S-2 and HHC Commander for the 166^th Aviation Regiment while also teaching middle school for the Department of Defense Dependent’s Schools (DoDDS) in Wurzburg.

In 1997, Colonel Bissell returned to Lexington, VA where he taught math and science for two years at Rockbridge Middle School serving as the 8th-grade team leader, before returning to VMI. During his tenure at VMI, Colonel Bissell has served as the Assistant Commandant of Cadets for Operations and Training, Associate Registrar, Officer-in-Charge of the Company Tactical Officer Program, Officer-in-Charge (OC) in the VMI Barracks, Cadet Veteran’s Liaison, and Advisor to the Class of 2007. During this time he also served in the U.S. Army Reserves as the Battalion S-1 and Battalion S-3 for the 5-159th Aviation Battalion and commanded a CH-47 Heavy Lift Helicopter Company in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. He then served in the District of Columbia Army National Guard as branch chief in the DA Operations division. In 2009 he completed his Master of Education degree Cum Laude from Norwich University. From 2009 to 2010 Colonel Bissell was mobilized for a tour at the Army Operations Center in the Pentagon. Upon returning to VMI, he was assigned to his current position as Deputy Chief of Staff and Operations. From 2011 to 2013 he served as Battalion Commander of the 1-320^th BCT in Abingdon, VA, while also completing the United States Army War College where he received a Master of Strategic Studies Degree. From 2013 to 2014 he was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army working with the Army Science Board and from 2014 to 2016 he served as Brigade Commander of the Forces Command Augmentation Unit in Ft Bragg, NC. Colonel Bissell’s current reserve assignment is as the Reserve Advisor for the J5 in the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

His awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Reserves Component Achievement Medal (with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters), National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass and “M” Device), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (Second Award), Army Superior Unit Award, Army Staff Badge, Senior Army Aviator Badge, Ranger Tab, Parachute Badge, Air Assault Badge.

He is married to Colonel Marti Bissell. They have two children, Joshua and Briana.

Lieutenant Colonel Sean Harrington assumed the duties of Secretary to the Board of Visitors & Executive Assistant to the Superintendent on August 1, 2015. He graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Economics. He was a member of the VMI varsity soccer and golf programs, and was inducted into the Kappa Alpha Order upon his graduation. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Force Support officer in 2013.

During his Air Force career, Lieutenant Colonel Harrington served in a wide variety of assignments to include deployments in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He has held various command level assignments, as well as multiple headquarters Air Staff level assignments at the Pentagon.

Lieutenant Colonel Harrington is a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Air Command & Staff College, and Squadron Officer School. He also received a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from Troy University in 2002.

Lieutenant Colonel Harrington’s decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, and the NATO medal.

Lieutenant Colonel Harrington is married to the former Karon E. Henry of Texarkana, Arkansas. They have two children: Jonathan (VMI Class of 2018) and Erin (13).

Colonel Jamie Inman ’86 assumed the duties of Chief of Staff on June 24, 2013.

As Chief of Staff, Inman is responsible for coordinating the actions of the Institute’s primary staff officers and ensuring integration of all organizational and post operations, events, and issues. His additional duties include publishing and maintaining all general orders, special orders, and memoranda, and in coordination with the offices of the Registrar and the Commandant of Cadets for official cadet files. He serves as chair of the Institute Planning Committee, composed of senior VMI executives who issue policy guidance and provide advice to the Superintendent.

Colonel Inman is a native of Trenton, Tennessee and he received his Bachelor's Degree in English from the Virginia Military Institute in 1986. He also holds Masters Degrees in Liberal Arts from Louisiana State University and in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University.

Colonel Inman's military education includes the Command and General Staff College and the National War College.

His most recent assignment before retirement was as the Commander of the National Capitol Region Warrior Transition Brigade. In this capacity, he was responsible for all wounded, ill and injured soldiers in the NCR. Other assignments include Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Cadet Command; Field Artillery Branch Chief, Human Resources Command; Commander 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery,101st Airborne Division; duty at the United States Military Delegation to NATO in Brussels Belgium; and other field artillery assignments as a company and field grade officer.

Military awards and decorations that Colonel Inman has received include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, and Purple Heart.

He wears U.S. campaign ribbons for combat duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Desert Shield/Storm. He is also authorized to wear the Air Assault Badge, Senior Parachutist Wings, Ranger Tab, and the Joint Staff Identification Badge.

Colonel Inman is married to the former Lori L. White of Kilbourne, Louisiana. They have two children: Maria and Eric.

General Peay assumed command of Virginia Military Institute on 1 July 2003. He was born in Richmond, Virginia on 10 May 1940. At graduation from the Virginia Military Institute in 1962, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery, awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, and the Institute’s prestigious Society of Cincinnati Medal. As a cadet, he was a quarterback on the football team, a member of the Honor Court, and a Battalion Commander. He holds a Master of Arts degree from George Washington University and is also a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College.

General Peay's initial troop assignments were in Germany and Colorado. During two tours in the Republic of Vietnam, he performed duty as a Firing Battery Commander in the 4th Infantry Division and later as a Field Artillery Battalion Operations Officer with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Assigned to Hawaii in 1975, General Peay commanded the 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division. He then served as Senior Aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C. and later as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, I Corps, and Commander, 9th Infantry Division Artillery at Fort Lewis, Washington. In 1985, he was reassigned to the Army Staff as Executive to the Chief of Staff, United States Army. From 1987-1988, he served with the Screaming Eagles as the Assistant Division Commander (Operations), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky, followed by an assignment in July 1988 as Deputy Commandant, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He assumed command of the 101st Airborne Division on 3 August 1989 and led the Division throughout Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM in the Persian Gulf. Promoted to Lieutenant General, he was assigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Department of the Army and Senior Army Member, United States Military Committee, United Nations, from June 1991 until March 1993. On 26 March 1993, he was promoted to the rank of General and appointed the 24th Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army. His last assignment was Commander in Chief, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, from 5 August 1994 to 13 August 1997, with responsibility for the region encompassing twenty countries in Africa, the Middle East, Persian Gulf and South Asia.

Military awards and decorations that General Peay has received include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Silver Star and Purple Heart. He wears U.S. campaign ribbons for combat duty in Vietnam, (seven campaigns) and Saudi Arabia (three campaigns) and has received foreign awards from Vietnam, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

GEN Peay and his wife, Pamela, have two sons: Jim, VMI Class of ’98, and Ryan, VMI Class of ’02. Their grandfather was J.H.B. Peay Jr., VMI Class of ’29.