Parents' Weekend features awards, parade, football and fun
Members of the Class of 2014 were promoted on Parents’ Day Saturday to cadet privates, signifying the end of the cadre training period that began in August. Earlier, on Friday, 415 members of the Class of 2011 received their senior rings.
The 4th Class promotion and presentation of class rings are the highlights of Parents’ Weekend 2010, which concludes Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010. Parents' Weekend is one of three big weekends held annually at The Citadel. The others are Homecoming Weekend in November and Corps Day Weekend in March.
Following a promotion ceremony in each of The Citadel’s five cadet battalions in which the 659 knobs were presented with new company letters, the 4th Class was officially inducted into the South Carolina Corps of Cadets during the military dress parade. The Class of 2014 is now fully integrated into the South Carolina Corps of Cadets but will continue its 4th Class duties and responsibilities until Recognition Day in the spring.
The Cadre Leadership Award recognizes squad sergeants for physical fitness, knowledge of training regulations, ability to teach drill and ceremonies and inspection techniques. The award was created by the training and operations division of the Commandant of Cadets.
Cadet Sgt Demarrio Sims of Tango Company and Cadet Cpl. Regina Maxwell of Romeo Company were honored as the top squad sergeants for fall sports cadre.
Earning top cadre squad sergeant recognition for working with the Class of 2014 during the training period are Cadet Staff Sgt. Sutton Ward and Cadet Andrew Smith, both of India Company. Each cadet’s name will be engraved on the cadre leadership trophy displayed in Jenkins Hall.
Two other awards also were presented on Saturday. The Regimental Commander's Bowl for 2010 goes to the Corps’ newest company, Sierra Company. The award was established in 1972 to recognize the cadet company with the most successful cadre as demonstrated by the fourth class attrition rate and fourth class performance in close order drill, physical training and knob knowledge.
The 2010 Kelly Cup goes to Alpha Company. Each year cadet companies compete for the Kelly Cup, which is awarded to the best-drilled fourth-class squad in the Corps of Cadets. The four best-drilled squads were chosen after preliminary competitions among all 20 cadet companies. The four that competed for the Kelly Cup Saturday morning were Alpha, Echo, India and Sierra companies.
