Sierra Company joins the Corps of Cadets as 20th company

The South Carolina Corps of Cadets is now 20 companies strong.

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Sierra Company was officially activated on Friday, Sept. 10, 2010. With 95 cadets, Sierra Company makes its home in 5th Battalion (Stevens Barracks). During the Friday afternoon dress parade Commandant of Cadets Col. Leo Mercado presented the company guidon to Sierra's cadet leaders. 

The SIerra Company shield was created by cadets to begin building company pride, tradition and customs.

Under the leadership of Company Commander Cadet Capt. Noah Koubenec, our newest company is off to a strong start,” Mercado said.

Many military ceremonies center on flags, also known as “colors,” and guidons are carried by each unit. In early military history, the success of the battle was determined by the advancement of the colors and guidons along with the units’ positions on the battlefield. The very heart and soul of a military organization at any level is embodied in its flag. It serves as a rallying point and guardian over current and future generations. The acceptance of the guidon by commanders symbolizes total accountability and responsibility for the command.

The creation of Sierra Company will not dramatically increase the size of incoming freshman classes. Instead it is part of the college’s effort – as directed by the Board of Visitors in 2006 and the college’s strategic initiatives – to sustain the Corps of Cadets enrollment at 2,135.

“An ideal size for a company is about 100 cadets,” Mercado said. “Sierra Company will allow us to stabilize the size of all our companies, some of which have significantly more than 100 cadets.

Papa Company was the last company created to help with higher student enrollment. Deactivated in 1951, Papa Company was reactivated in August 2007. Sierra Company is new; it has no previous history in the Corps of Cadets.

Koubenec said his goal is for Sierra to be a top performing company in academics, physical fitness, community service, extracurricular activities and military duties.

Upper-class Sierra cadets have the opportunity to help shape the new company’s traditions and customs through their actions and activities, he said. Life in the company is new for the knobs and their company identity will be created this year and carried forward as they move through the four-year leadership development program at The Citadel.

“We’re not interested in Sierra being an average company,” Koubenec said. “It is implied from our start that Sierra is a well established company with high standards.”