Discourse communities (citation) are in no way shape or form a unique concept or existence.  They exist on many different levels, from the broadest reach of their definition, being those that speak a specific language, down to the level of regional and local dialects, then the webs of communal speech patterns and tendencies, then those based on specific occupations and shared commonalities forming almost their own separate language as a subculture of the overarching grammatical and linguistic conventions that tend to bend and break rules of “normal” speech.  These more advanced and specific forms are what we have focused on in class.  These smaller groups are forged from a group of individuals, relatively small to that of all speaking their common language, with a shared activity, this activity requires its own set of descriptors, and the isolation due to the time in this activity causes a split from the mother tongue.  This can, and has been used for indoctrination, and assimilation, a good example of this being specifically here at VMI.  The discourse community (citation) of the Virginia Military Institute has been formed over the past hundred and eighty something years to accomplish the goals of “Mother I”.

Our discourse community (citation) has been carefully sculpted over time to, in conjunction with the physical undertakings, to mentally form a subconscious bond with other members of the institute.  This extends from such little thinks as the arguable overuse of the word “dyke”, meaning both uniforms, to get prepared for parades, and our first class mentors, to the extensive system of acronyms, use of military / twenty four hour time, to the names we have for specific items that have not changed for over a century.  Many of these serve to connect cadets to the history of the institute, and the legacy left by our predecessors.  This serves to make the cadets here, even as rats, feel like members of an exclusive club.  It provides heroes that have been in similar situations, that even spoke and wrote like us, and did the same tasks because the objects are still called the same.  Our hays are no longer made of hay, yet we still refer to them as this because of the tradition.  To believe we sleep on hays, as well as the very first cadets in the 1830s, despite our hays being vastly different in terms of makeup and material, makes a person feel as though they could have been those first cadets, and are in some way, part of the institutes founding.  This, however, is most likely the unintentional result of a tradition of traditions that the Institute is built upon and forms the core of the corps so to speak.  Without our tradition and identity, VMI is no different from an academy or other senior military college.

Then there’s the use of language to put us down.  For the majority of militaries and similar structures, a similar theme of breaking people down through constant demoralization, tough trials, and hard living, then a rebuilding of the person through this forge of difficulties into that which the facilities seek to produce and use appears time and time again.  VMI follows this trend in a slightly way, in that the rat line lasts much longer than that of a bootcamp and other trainings.  This is very much so intentional and allows the effects to be much stronger.  The day to day life of a rat, from the very existence and usage of the word “rat” is to dehumanize and demoralize the individual.  Curse words, and other adult language are commonplace, and often directed towards rats, as well as the manner in which its delivered, the primary method being screamed in the face of a rat, causes an intensity not felt in the life of a civilian.  It alienates the rat from the corps, and forces them to bond with their brother rats, as they are the only real support one can get.  The glue of the ratline and VMI is the abuse faced in the early months here, supported by Cadre and upperclassmen.  If the unique use of what could be described as harassment and bullying to mold a cadet is almost beautiful in the end result and how effective the tactic is overall.

Then there is the adoption and constant daily use of military terminology to prepare cadets for a career in the US military by the use of lexicon.  Everything from the names of our formations, our customs and courtesies, such as the daily greetings to officers, comm staff, and civilians, and the overuse of acronyms.  We refer to our bathrooms as heads quite often, Crozet is sometimes called the chow hall, we do not live in dorms, we live in barracks, we do not go to class, we form up for class periods, we do not have a curfew, we have taps.  Every fact of life here is in some way military, or at the very least militarized to aid in the aimed for environment of a military institute.

The mixture of all these, mainly being artifacts of the Institutes founding create an extremely unique and efficient environment for the creation, training, and preparation of leaders.  The VMI system has been proven time and time again through the countless generals, politicians, teachers, and otherwise successful alumni of the Institute.  Our ratline, and experiences here serve to form better people than those that simply matriculate.  The discourse community (citation) serves to better the individual and the whole they belong to, as well as all that they belong to in the future based on their belonging to it.  Honor, discipline, and selflessness are made through the varying uses of the language specific to the Virginia Military Institute, and not only are they made, but they are also ingrained and forged into a person.  These values are pounded into the very being of a cadet through the years of hard work, and the hammer that strikes these human anvils is a unique few twists on the English language.  The Virginia Military Institute is made by the unique individuals that attend the school, and the people here are all made by the language of the school and those before them.  Without our discourse community (citation), we quite simply would not be us, and it is a must for this discourse community (citation) to continue, as it does with the vast network of the Alumni services.  VMI is not just a school, it is a lifestyle formed from your time here, and all aspects of this carry into your later life.