Lee Wimbish '80: Serving with Joy and Distinction
It was a steamy August day in Ft. Stewart, GA, back in 1990, and the Second Squadron, 4th Cavalry of the U.S. Army’s 24th Infantry Division was preparing for deployment to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield and, later, Desert Storm.
Lee Wimbish, Collegiate class of ‘80, served as the S-2 (intelligence officer) in that unit, and as he was preparing to fly halfway around the globe and into harm’s way, he was approached by Lt. Brian Edholm, a young colleague with a wife and two small children.
Capt. Wimbish, Edholm said, if we have to go, there’s nobody I’d rather be with than you. I know you’ll keep us alive and everything will be all right.
Since that moving vote of confidence, Wimbish, now a colonel, has quietly, humbly, and respectfully left his mark on the military intelligence community while stationed stateside and in Kuwait, Iraq, and Bosnia.
He’s been headquartered in one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces in Baghdad that eventually became Camp Victory and delivered daily intelligence briefings to Ambassador Paul Bremmer and his staff.
For three years while he was stationed in Hawaii, Wimbish traveled extensively through Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia as the Army’s collections manager for the POW-MIA task force, which searched for information and remains of American servicemen lost during the war in Southeast Asia.
He was one of a select few chosen to attend the National War College at Ft. McNair (Washington, D.C.) where in June 2009 he earned a master’s degree in national security strategy.
Most recently, he has served at the Pentagon where, among other duties, he spearheaded the Army’s initiative to develop a cost-effective aerostat, a tethered balloon with a camera and sensor range of 25 kilometers that hovers high above base camps and allows personnel to monitor activities and be alert to enemy encroachment.
Previously, the Army bought the dirigibles for $20-million apiece. Despite much skepticism, Wimbish and his team created a $3-million product within seven months.
Initially, they produced 14. Now, 126 are in service.
“We saw something to fruition that they said couldn’t be done,” Wimbish said. “It’s become a game changer.”
His superiors recognized his excellence and expertise and promoted him to chief, force development (intelligence division) in the office of the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff. In that role, he is responsible for securing funding for the procurement of equipment for the Army’s worldwide intelligence initiatives and appears often before congressional committees.
Over the years, Wimbish, still a huge baseball aficionado and diehard Boston Red Sox fan, has earned a host of commendations, medals, and decorations.
Today, he received the latest –Distinguished Alumni Award – at Collegiate’s commencement ceremony.
“This is absolutely one of the greatest honors ever bestowed upon me,” Wimbish said. “I was stunned. Collegiate is full of distinguished individuals doing great things every day, and I accept it on behalf of the 48 other boys in my class.
“Collegiate is a place for opportunity. I think I seized that opportunity.”
Almost 28 years into his career that began October 7, 1985, five months after he graduated from Virginia Military Institute, Wimbish remains passionate about and fulfilled by his work.
“Every day in the Army, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done,” he said. “Ted Williams (Boston’s Hall of Fame outfielder) said that the baseball seems to spin slowly and he could see the seams.
“When I do intelligence work, the baseball spins very, very slowly, and I can understand what’s going to happen next. It’s been a gift. I’m blessed that I’ve been able to use it.”
Wimbish has a mandatory retirement date of June 1, 2015.
When he returns to civilian life, he can rest assured that he’s contributed to the welfare of others just as his mentors contributed to his.
“I had the opportunity to be on teams at Collegiate,” he said. “Petey Jacobs (his baseball coach) and Grover Jones (football) were all about team.
“The Army is a super team. As a leader, it’s so important to take care of the NCO’s, the soldiers…your subordinates. I want to make sure that we always mitigate risk and reduce uncertainty.
“And Collegiate taught me to do the right thing. VMI reinforced that. As a soldier, I’ve always tried to do the right thing.
“I think the soldiers who have worked for me have said, You’ve made it a great place to work. We’ve accomplished the mission. We’ve done the job right.”
Wimbish occasionally hears the words, "Thank you for your service."
That show of gratitude always warms his heart.
“It’s a privilege,” he said, “to work as a soldier in the United States Army.
“The service men and women who put their lives at risk do it for the betterment of the country.
“It’s a privilege to lead and work with those young men and women.
“It truly is.”
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