The Quartermaster Account

The college catalog contains a brief description of the Uniform, Books, and Supplies Deposit in the Expenses section.  This deposit is commonly referred to as the Quartermaster Deposit or Quartermaster Account.  Many parents do not understand this deposit.  This page is designed to provide more detail about the deposit.

The college determines the amount required for the quartermaster deposit annually. There is a different amount required for freshmen (because of uniform purchases) than for upperclassmen.  The deposit is designed to cover the minimal costs associated with the cadet’s purchase of books, academic supplies, uniforms, accessories, haircuts, special infirmary charges, dry cleaning, and tailor shop alteration charges. 

Many cadets exceed the amount of the billed deposit because their academic major requires more academic supplies or more expensive books than the minimum.  As the catalog notes, when a quartermaster account is overdrawn, the overdrawn amount needs to be paid.

How the Quartermaster Account Works

This account works like a prepaid credit card – it starts off with the credit balance in the amount of the deposit. Thus, if the amount currently due on a quartermaster bill is a negative number (-), then the cadet still has a credit and no payment is necessary.  If the statement shows an amount due that is a positive number, the account statement needs to be paid by the due date on the paper billing.

The college does limit charges to the account for several reasons: because uniforms and personal appearance needs to be kept in proper condition, some academic majors are more expensive than others, cadet officers may incur more costs, and all cadets need to be able to get appropriate medications and treatment at the infirmary.

IMPORTANT Notes

• If the amount owed is a positive number, it needs to be paid.
• The Quartermaster statement that is mailed, resembles a credit card statement.   It will show the date of the charge, the location of the charge, and the amount of the charge - but not the specific detail of what was purchased.
• Each cadet is furnished a receipt for all items charged to the quartermaster account.  If a parent has questions about what was charged, he or she must talk to the cadet.
• Cadets whose quartermaster accounts remain unpaid after a billing cycle may not be permitted to pre-register for classes and, if graduating, may not receive a diploma or transcript.
• When parents discuss quartermaster charges with their cadet, they are asked to remember that the amount of the deposit was the minimum amount required. The college does not want to collect a deposit for more than the minimum. Therefore we need parents/students to pay their quartermaster account quickly.   

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

• As a result of a recent audit of our internal procedures, we determined that due to the myriad of Federal and South Carolina state regulations relating to the confidentiality of students’ records, The Citadel can no longer provide, directly to parents, the detail of cadet charges to the Infirmary, Gift Shop, Tailor Shop or the  Cadet Store.
• If you have questions about what your cadet has purchased, you need to talk with your cadet.  The Gift Shop and Cadet Store provide detailed receipts to cadets for each charge - just like a local merchant does with your own credit card purchases.  Cadets should be able to answer any questions about purchases they made.
• Cadets will have to personally go to the Infirmary to request detail for Infirmary charges.  If you need that detail for insurance purposes or medical spending plan purchases, you can only get it from your cadet.  If the cadet is not here because of furlough or other reasons, then he/she will have to send us a signed release before we can release that information.
• Should your cadet be unable to explain Cadet Store or Gift Shop charges, the cadet may go to the store manager and request the information.  It will only be furnished to the cadet.
• We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this change in operating procedures may cause you.  Please understand that we are motivated by our requirements to be in compliance with state and federal legislation. But, most importantly, we are committed to protecting the confidentiality of your student’s records. We never know who is at the other end of a phone call that is making an inquiry concerning the health status or financial status of a student.