Founded in 1990, The Citadel Rifle Legion Drill Team is the all-class co-educational drill team at The Citadel.
The regulation team drills using United States Marine Corps regulation drill, utilizing demilitarized M1 Garand rifles generously supplied by the NROTC Unit on campus. These rifles - first manufactured in 1933 and used in World War Two, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War - are still used by the United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Team today. The rifle weighs 9.5 lbs and is made of a composite fiberglass stock.
The exhibition
team of the Rifle Legion, nicknamed "the Praetorians" after the elite
Roman Empire Guards, is composed of tweleve cadets who perform under a
unique and ever-changing drill manual. They, too, utilize the M1 Garand
rifle, and perform in the same uniform used by the South Carolina Corps
of Cadets. The Praetorians perform a silent, exhibition drill routine
which involves complicated spins, throws, and movements.
Community Involvement
The Rifle Legion has judged Junior ROTC
drill meets across North and South Carolina and has performed as a color
guard on many occasions. The team is dedicated to improving its surrounding
community, and is available to judge both ROTC and JROTC drill meets throught
South Carolina and its surround states for a nominal fee. To request more
informatin regarding judging for your event, please fill out the Judge
Request Form.
The Rifle Legion also provides Color Guards
for various events throught the region. To request a Rifle Legion Color
Guard, please fill out the Color Guard Request Form.
As Color Guards are often in high demand, the team may not always be available
to perform; should this be the case, the Rifle Legion will gladly help
you find another color guard to perform at your event.
Competition
Every year, the Rifle Legion Drill Team
copetes in the annual Tulane NROTC National Drill Competition. Hosted
in New Orleans, Lousiana by Tulane University, the team has continuously
been ranked in the top ten. In 2005, the team placed sixth in the Armed
Exhibition category and, in 2007, the team placed second (the 2006 competition
was cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina). On this annual trip, the Rifle
Legion marches in the New Orleans parades on the days leading up to Mardi
Gras.
The Bulldog Drill Meet
Beginning in 2006, the Rifle Legion Drill
Team has hosted a JROTC Drill Meet encompassing all service units in North
and South Carolina. In 2006, twenty-two schools competed in the event.
This year, the event will take place on Saturday, 18 October 2008.
The Rifle Legion hopes to bring in even more schools this year, and has
added four areas of competion to last years eleven. For more information
on the event, please visit the Bulldog Drill
Meet page.