ALT Alt: An adorable lab puppy looks up while sitting at the feet of a line of first year cadets in uniform. Additional info: Bedford will spend the next year completing his initial training and will join cadets on Upper Quad next fall. He will officially report for duty in the fall of 2028 after a year of shadowing Growley III, call sign Stryker. Once Bedford assumes Growley duties in Fall 2028, Stryker will begin his well-deserved retirement and will be cared for by a former cadet handler. Legend says the original Growley was a beloved Depression-era dog cared for by cadets sharing breakfast scraps. He returned to Virginia Tech in 2016 when Echo Company introduced a new furry friend to boost Corps morale and serve as an ambassador for the Corps.
ALT A yellow lab puppy walks on a turf football field with a wall and VT logos in the background
ALT A lab puppy sits next to an adult lab on a turf football field
ALT Homer Hickam in a Virginia Tech Hokies cap and striped shirt stands in a crowded stadium wearing a thoughtful expression.
ALT In a stadium filled with an orange-clad crowd, Homer Hickam and a current member of the Corps of Cadets stand beside a large cannon. Smoke billows from the cannon in both images, suggesting it has just been fired. One person, dressed in a uniform, is holding a sword, while the other is wearing an orange shirt and cap. The atmosphere is vibrant with a clear blue sky in the background.
