Virgiania Military Institute 08-09 footage
A look at life on Virginia Military Institute campus.
This is a video showing an assortment of videos and photographs from the 2008-2009 academic year. This video was made to show the path taken during a Cadet’s first year at the Virginia Military Institute, known as Rat Year. Upon entering the Institute, “new cadets” are referred to as “Rats.” The title of Cadet is earned upon completion of the Ratline -the challenging and demanding indoctrination period every applicant must complete. When the administration, upper classes, cadre, and the 1st classmen (seniors) decide the “Rat Mass” is worthy enough to “breakout” of the Ratline, the Rats then go through Breakout Day. Breakout Day can be compared with “Recognition Day” for the Service Academies, but involves a full day of constant physical activity, culminating in the upper-class recognition of the Rats as Cadets. Once broken out the Rats go from being a Rat Mass to an official VMI Class. For example, at the time I made this video, the VMI Class of 2012 was the Rat Mass of 2009 + 3. Rats get most of their training of the VMI system and mentoring from the 1st Class, so the Rat Mass gets the designation of their 1st Class mentors (Known as “Dykes”) plus three years. Upon Breakout, Rats earn the official title of Cadets and are recognized as a class. Breakout typically occurs at the end of January, but the Ratline has been known to last longer or shorter depending on how well the Rat Mass is able to bond and work together as a Class.
