No, the Keydet is not a kangaroo, although the term "Keydets" has been used over the years to refer to VMI's athletic teams and the kangaroo has become the established mascot.

The kangaroo was adopted as VMI's mascot in 1947 when two VMI cheerleaders saw a picture of a kangaroo on the front of the magazine and realized how uncommon the animal was as a mascot. The marsupial was originally named "TD Bound", but sometime later his identity changed to "Moe".

VMI is one of only four colleges across the nation to have a kangaroo as a mascot, and only one of two schools among NCAA Division I institutions.The University of Akron's "Zippy" joins "Moe" as the only kangaroos in the Division I ranks.