Fork Union rolled out the red carpet for the newest addition to one of the area’s oldest institutions. Led by Brandon Chiesa, manager of the Fork Union branch of BB&T. Bank, community and business leaders formally welcomed J. Scott Burhoe, a retired Coast Guard Rear Admiral, to the vibrant community as the newest headmaster of Fork Union Military Academy.

Burhoe joined the faculty of one of the oldest independent, Christian-oriented, private all-boys school in Central Virginia in July. Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) was founded by Dr. William Hatcher, a prominent Baptist minister, in 1898 and has become of the preeminent and most successful military schools with a renowned reputation for a top-notch education.

The informal get-together in the Fork Union BB&T lobby, was well-attended by many, with business leaders, such as Tom Phillips, owner of Fork Union Community Market, and also County Supervisor for Fork Union, Mozell Booker, as well many of those that operate businesses in the growing and dynamic Fork Union area.

Dane Yonce, of the Fork Union Pharmacy, was pleased to be a part of the welcoming party. He called Fork Union Military Academy a fine member of the community, especially for the numerous local residents it has on staff. He spoke of the historic school as a “well-known” member of Fork Union’s strong heritage, stating that even if someone does not know of the actual village of Fork Union, they have heard of the Fork Union Military Academy.

Burhoe is a tall, imposing figure with a soft-spoken demeanor. Despite his size, he is approachable and humble, and well aware of his enormous task at hand: to helm a school that has a reputation for academic excellence. FUMA’s headmasters have spent long tenures at their posts, having only 10 headmasters since its opening. Burhoe comes from a military background. His father had a career in the U.S. Army. He has spent much of his life in Virginia, attending high school at Denbigh High School in Newport News and graduating from Virginia Tech. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard, where was based up and down the East Coast at bases in New Jersey, Florida and Yorktown.

The transition from military to academics seemed to come easy to Burhoe, as he spent much of his career training coast guardsmen. “I really enjoyed working around young people,” said Burhoe while speaking about his training work with new uniformed Coast Guard members and now the FUMA students.

He was always impressed with the historical high school level military schools in Virginia. “I always had that in my mind when I retired,” said Burhoe, and he hoped he would become a part of that long heritage.

When Fork Union Military Academy opened its headmaster position, he applied and was later offered the job. He said he loves the combination of military and academic aspects of the old school.

Burhoe has already set to work on his goals for the school. He wants to raise enrollment of boarding students, finish the new high-tech student barracks, raise more funds to help improve already existing campus facilities and to reinvest in the school’s people, with the goal of an increase in pay. He said he hopes to do all of this while continuing to carry out the school’s mission to give students one of the best college-prep programs in the state.

Burhoe is happy to make his home in Fork Union and work at the academy. When it comes to what appeals to him about FUMA, he said he likes the openly Christian atmosphere, a staff of dedicated people and the “tradition of a school that is such a large part of the community.” He also enjoys how the school positively interacts with the larger Fork Union community. He said he was thrilled to be a part of the business reception, where he got to meet with village leaders. It was a welcome he appreciated.