Uncategorized – Page 13 – Dorie L. Griggs, M.Div.

March 7, 2012

Where we dine when visiting The Citadel

A year or so ago I posted this question on Facebook,”What is your favorite Charleston restaurant.” A wide variety of friends chimed in with their favorites.

Like everything else, if you ask 5 different people this question you will get 5 different answers. To get the conversation started here I’ll list some of our favorite places to visit when we are in town.

Marina Variety Store Restaurant This restaurant is near the campus, right on Lockwood Blvd. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have a terrific menu, and is right on the river at the Charleston Marina. Great food at a good price and it is a casual restaurant. We eat here for Sunday brunch before driving home.

The Wreck Right on the river off of Shem creek. Extremely casual, with paper table clothes and plastic utensils. The food is off the boat fresh. Check their operating hours and get there right when they open.

Virginia’s On King – Not far from Marion Square, Very good Southern cooking.

Jestine”s Kitchen – a traditional spot for tourists to visit. The food is good, but expect a wait.

Charleston Crab House on James Island – Great location with none of the parking hassles of downtown Charleston. The food is consistently good. We went here with 30 people on Ring Weekend.

Vendue Rooftop – a great view, live entertainment.

Tommy Condon’s– A Irish pub with good food and atmosphere.

Sticky Fingers – A great place for barbecue and wings. Several locations.

Melvin’s – Not too far from campus terrific barbecue.

West Ashley Crab Shack – across the river from The Citadel campus. We’ve never had to wait for a table and have enjoyed all the meals we’ve eaten here. A good place to go for seafood without the parking hassle and crowds of in town.

Hominy Grill – An award-winning restaurant. We ate brunch here the Friday of Ring Weekend. The restaurant is close to campus.

Ye Old Fashioned Ice Cream & Sandwich Cafe – We stop at the location just over the bridge from The Citadel once each visit. The ice cream is great, but the sandwiches and salads are too.

Poe’s Tavern On Sullivan’s Island. A great pub with terrific burgers and sandwiches.

My friends favorites:

SNOB (Slightly North of Broad)

82 Queen

Rita’s

Poogan’s Porch

For a good listing of Charleston area restaurants visit the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau “Where to Dine” web site. A number of websites give reviews on area restaurant’s. Fodor’s is just one I check.

Please leave your tips in the comment section of this entry.

March 2, 2012

Finding a place to stay in Charleston

My son’s knob year I looked at hotels.com to find an affordable hotel in the Charleston area for Matriculation Day and Parents Weekend. I had never been to Charleston and didn’t know the area. We were budget conscious, but at the same time we didn’t want to stay in a bad area of town. The first few visits we stayed at properties that were a little higher in price, but were also well-known chains.

BravoCadreParentsWeekend2009 — The Cadre of Bravo Company lead push ups during the promotions ceremony Parents Weekend, 2009.

After talking with other parents on our visits I picked up a few tips. If I had this information earlier we could have saved a good bit of money. Learning this one tip took me from the decent AAA discounts to the DEEP discounts I enjoyed for the final 3 years.

BestWesternDowntownCharleston — Sunset over the Ashley River as seen from the Best Western Downtown Charleston balcony.

So here is The Tip: when making hotel reservations, call the hotel directly and ask if they offer a special rate for Citadel families. The following hotels are all near campus and may offer discounted rates for Citadel families, but they fill up quickly and you need to call them directly and ask if they have rooms available at the discounted rate for Citadel families. Charleston Marriott, Best Western Charleston Downtown, Courtyard Charleston Marriott, SpringHill Suites Charleston, LaQuinta Inn & Suites Charleston Riverview, Comfort Inn

A very industrious hotel general manager found our Facebook group for Georgia Parents several years ago and offered us a special rate at the Hawthorn Suites, a great property about 7 miles from campus that offers a 2 room suite with kitchen facilities, an indoor pool, and a full breakfast in the lobby each morning. They still offer discounts to all Citadel families if you call the hotel directly in advance and rooms are available.

Every hotel I’ve stayed in: the Embassy Suites in North Charleston, Best Western Charleston Downtown, SpringHill Suites Charleston, LaQuinta Inn & Suites Charleston Riverview, and the Courtyard Charleston Marriott, and the Hampton Inn & Suites Charleston/West Ashley, have laundry facilities for your cadet to use while off campus visiting with you. Be sure to have plenty of quarters and your own detergent.

Charleston is known for its wonderful restaurants, historic inns and beautiful luxury hotels. For an overview of all that Charleston has to offer, you can visit the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CACVB) website. The CACVB website is also a great place to visit if you are looking for help in booking function space for a graduation party, Ring Weekend celebration or other big event.

EmbassySuitesHistoricCharleston — Recognition Day, April 2008. Embassy Suites-Historic Charleston in the background.

A few families with RV’s have found camp grounds in the area they like to frequent. A number of families like to rent homes or condos by the beach when they visit. VRBO.com is a good place to start to find a rental property.

If you have tips, or a favorite hotel or rental company you like to through, please leave a note in the comments section of this entry.

(unless of course you want to keep your special place a secret)

February 24, 2012

Reflections

I listened the other day as a young mom called after her son to, “WALK PLEASE!”

In that instant I was brought back to a time when my boys were 4 and 6 years old. I was convinced I’d go to my grave yelling Walk! If there was a puddle in an acre of land, my two sons were in the middle of it.

Years later, when my oldest son decided to apply for an Army ROTC scholarship, and to attend The Citadel, I reminded myself of these two mud covered boys and the times when they would play soldier.

It really is in their DNA.

Not much has changed.

February 20, 2012

The Citadel: Tips from One Parent for Graduation Weekend

It won’t be long until your senior cadet will be graduating. The cadets wait four years for this weekend, then spend the rest of their lives wishing they could return.

In some cases the cadets will be commissioned into a branch of the military, graduate and report for duty. Other cadets will graduate and begin their careers in the business world or go on to graduate school.

The events of commencement weekend begin on Thursday with an awards ceremony and the baccalaureate service. The Star of the West competition is also held Thursday.

firstsalute — LT Lalli receives his first salute from SFC Polidoro photo by Stanley Leary

The commissioning services are held Friday morning. The Army usually goes first. Check with your cadet and/or the ROTC office if you have questions about the ceremony.We were told to arrive an hour early to secure the best seat. Two family members may pin the bars on the new lieutenant and may sit with him or her. The rest of the family and friends sit behind them. After the ceremony in the chapel the lieutenants go out to the parade field to receive their first salute from a non-commissioned officer (NCO). It is customary for the new officer to give the NCO a silver dollar at this time.

We gave our cadet a Lifetime Membership in the Citadel Alumni Association. All new Lifetime members and up to 3 other guests may attend a gathering in their honor at the alumni building. A cadet miniature ring or pendant is a nice gift idea for a cadet to give their mother. Since they are expensive it may be a gift for later, after the graduate has worked for a few years. Other scheduled events Friday include instructions and photos of alumni and their graduate son or daughters or grandsons and daughters.

The Summerall Guards perform for the graduating class prior to the final graduation parade. The schedule states that in the case of inclement weather the parade will be canceled. In May of 2011 President Rosa told us the only reason they would cancel the parade was if there was lightning. True to his word, the parade took place in the pouring rain. We were soaked, but happy.

You will want to find a spot across from your cadets company during the parade. At the designated time the seniors are called out of their companies and from the Long Grey Line, standing shoulder to shoulder the length the parade field. They then march toward the review stands and away from their companies. When they reach the other side the graduating seniors turn around and wave to their companies. Be sure to have your cameras, and tissues, handy!

I was warned by a friend whose son graduated a year before mine not to be surprised if my son didn’t spend a lot of time with us. The seniors begin to realize that the closer they get to graduation the closer they get to saying good-bye to their close friends. They have lived for the day when they no longer had to worry about an SMI or a Friday parade, but graduating also means they will never again live with all these good friends again. As an observer throughout the weekend I could see this realization hit the new graduates one by one.

May of 2011 it poured throughout the parade. We were soaked and decided to skip the reception at the president’s home. I’m sure most years it is a lovely event to attend.

graduationday — McAlister Fieldhouse fills up quickly on graduation day. photo by Stanley Leary

Graduation on Saturday is pretty typical of most college graduations. Each cadet is given up to 8 tickets to use. If you need more tickets your cadet is told to resource with friends who may not use the allotment. The Cadet Activities office handles the ticket process. The tickets are assigned to you and can be any where in the field house. I am not sure of the procedure for accessible seating. When in doubt check with the Cadet Activities office directly.

Like the parades when the companies are in alphabetical order, the cadets sit in alphabetical order. Once you spot one or two you know you can then start to narrow down where your cadet is seated. We played a modified game of “Where’s Waldo” to keep my daughter occupied. If you have you ger family members I suggest packing quiet activities like coloring books since the ceremony will last at least 3 hours.

whereswaldo — We played "Where's Waldo" while waiting to hear our cadet's name called. photo by Stanley Leary

At the very end of the graduation ceremony the president will dismiss the cadets for the last time. Be sure to have your camera ready. The photos with all their covers in the air are really fun!

It helps to have a plan after the ceremony of where you will meet. Many families met on the floor. Others met outside.

Notes:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General information regarding commencement weekend tickets and handicap access, see the FAQ link above for more information.

Many seniors never want to see their uniforms again. If you want to have it, make sure you let your cadet know prior to graduation week. Many of them leave their uniforms behind. The underclassmen then through the rooms of abandoned clothes and pick up what they will need for the next year.

Rental houses and condos book up quickly. Get yours as soon as you can. We stayed in a hotel and had no trouble getting reservations a few months ahead.

Each company and group of friends have their own traditions at graduation. We were invited to a luncheon by the family of one of our sons friends. I’ve heard of others who rented homes and hosted beach parties.

Dress for the weekend events – See FAQ link above. Most people dress up a little more for the commencement weekend events than for regular parades during the year. Graduation and the Commissioning ceremonies especially. You will see a wide variety of outfits though. The general rule of thumb is to match the uniform of the day for the cadets which for graduation and the parade is their most formal. For the commissioning ceremony, the Lifetime Membership Luncheon and graduation my daughter and I wore dresses and my husband wore a tie. If it is a sunny weekend, you may want to wear a hat with a wide brim to help shield you from the sun during the parade.

bravocake — The Citadel, Bravo Company 2011, photo by Stanley Leary

February 15, 2012

Congratulations to the 2013 Summerall Guards!

My Facebook feed is lighting up with congratulatory notes for the new members of the 2013 Summerall Guards. Cuts Day was yesterday when the 2013 BVA’s were put through their paces. The school usually posts the full list right before Corps Day.

Be sure to make your hotel reservations now for the weekend of March 16-18. The rifle exchange usually happens Saturday morning. Last year the outgoing 2011 Summerall Guards did not do the whole Citadel series before passing their rifles to the 2012 BVA’s, now the 2012 Summerall Guards.

2011SGpassingtherifle — 2011 Summerall Guards prepare to pass their rifles. photo by Stanley Leary

Prior to March 17 be sure to ask your son whether he will be closer to the stands or the chapel side of the field as they march out. That way you will know what side of the field to stand on to take photos. Be sure to meet as many other Summerall Parents as you can so you can share photos and video. Fortunately many of the families post their videos to YouTube.

2012BVA2011SG — 2012 Bond Volunteer Aspirants march onto the parade field. photo by Stanley Leary.

They host a BBQ lunch that afternoon. You can purchase your Summerall Guards Parent t-shirt at the luncheon. It is a fundraiser for the Summerall Guards to help pay their expenses.

Their first big performance is the Azalea Festival in Wilmington, NC.

Congratulations to the 2013 Summerall Guards!

corpsday2012 — The 2012 BVA's prepare to receive their rifles and become the 2012 Summerall Guards. photo by Stanley Leary

February 11, 2012

Learning Cadet Speak

1stbattalionquad — 1st Battalion Quad photo by Stanley Leary

I am now bilingual. I speak English and Citadel parent. It took a while to catch on to the new terms, abbreviations and slang terms, but by my son’s sophomore year I was just about fluent.

A number of parents of high school seniors are starting their journey to learn about the 4th Class System. A quick look at the search terms leading to this blog tell me there are a good number of new families seeking information.

I’ll post a few terms here. If you are reading this and are the parent or family member of a cadet, please put the terms you’ve learned over the years. You can purchase a copy of the guide book for knobs called The Guidon, or download it here and read about other terms. The Guidon is updated each year and is available online and in the bookstore in Mark Clark Hall on campus.

Terms:

All in – When all cadets are to be in their room in the barracks.

Black Badge, Red Badge – ROTC pins for cadets who are on an Army or Marine contract.

BVA – Bond Volunteer Aspirant, a junior cadet who wants to be a member of the Summerall Guards.

Brace – a form of attention that knobs must do around any upper class cadet. Try to touch their chin to their spine

Blitz polish or make shine. Brass and shoes can be referred to as being “blitzed out”

Confinements or Cons – punishment for a violation.

Corps Day – a weekend in March to celebrate the founding of the Corps of Cadets.

Division – in the barracks the floors are referred to as divisions, ex. the fourth floor is the 4th division.

El Cid – slang for The Citadel. years ago some cadets cut up a bumper sticker to rearrange the letters. The name stuck.

E.S.P. – Evening Study Period

“Fix your smile” – refers to the band on your cap. Keep it down or else you can see a “Smile” of white between the black bill and the white cap.

FTX – Field Training Exercise, usually a weekend trip with the ROTC program.

Gaudy – a term used when a knob or other cadet acts a bit cocky or outrageous

Guidon – a military flag that designates a company or platoon sized group. Each company has a guidon at The Citadel. The clerk (sophomore cadet officer) carries the guidon during the parades. Knobs don’t touch the guidon. Also the name of the book published each year that Knobs have to memorize.

Knobbie mission – when a senior sends a knob to play a prank, usually on another senior.

Knobbie walk – 120 paces a minute

Ombudsperson or Ombudsman – The officials on campus appointed to investigate concerns. A great resource for parents.

Open and Closed weekends – Open means the upper class cadets can go off campus for the night(s) if they don’t have any tours or confinements. Closed means everyone must be in the barracks at the appointed time each night. You can visit knobs on Open AND Closed weekends. They will not be on campus FTX weekends.

PT – Physical Training

Press and Full Press – The press is the metal dresser with drawers for folded clothes, The full press is the closet for hanging clothes.

Quad – the red and white open area of the barracks. See this link for a panoramic view of 1st Battalion (Murray Barracks)

Sallyport – entry gate to the barracks

SMI – Saturday Morning Inspection

Shirt stays – an elastic band that attaches to the bottom of a uniform shirt and to the top of dress socks. It keeps the shirt in place and the socks pulled up.

Sir sandwich – begin and end all answers to an upperclassmen with sir

Spirit Run – Physical training time that takes place with the knobs and the cadre.

Table top – while bracing the knob leans as far back as possible without wavering making them look like a tabletop

TAC officer (Training Advising and Counseling) the staff person usually active duty or retired officer. Each company and battalion has a TAC officer assigned. One point of contact for parents.

Tours – punishment for a violation. walk the Quad with your rifle for one hour = one tour.

February 6, 2012

The Citadel: Learning About LDAC and Branch Assignments

***Updated LDAC links for 2013***

The summer before our son started his senior year I had a lot of questions about how the transition from ROTC cadet to an active duty Army second lieutenant would happen. That summer my husband was peaking at a conference in Charleston. My daughter and I went along and I made an appointment with a Major in the Army ROTC department at The Citadel to ask a few questions. I was clear that I wasn’t there to ask about my son in particular but rather I wanted to learn what steps are involved in going from a cadet to an officer. I didn’t tell my son about the meeting either;)

LDAC 2010 Graduation — Graduation from LDAC 2010. photo from LDAC

The Major was very helpful. He gave me a chart. I’ll explain the system as I understand it, but I encourage you to do your own research. Just like cadet life each persons path is different.

Our son was on a 4 year Army ROTC scholarship. That meant while I was in Charleston the summer of 2010, he was in the Seattle area at Joint Base Lewis McChord going through the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC). The chart we reviewed dealt with the LDAC process too.

The summer before senior year, for 4 year cadets, or after senior year for 3 year cadets, they attend LDAC. They enter the course with a grade from their sending school’s ROTC department. During the 29 day course they are graded on various tasks including the Army Physical Fitness Test. They accumulate points for each task. If they do really well in each task they can earn RECONDO status, which gives them an extra point. If they are the top several cadets in a platoon they earn an extra half a point. The Major said the extra point for RECONDO status can bump a cadet up on the point list over 1,000 names.

A note for parents: The Public Affairs office at Joint Base Lewis McChord does a terrific job of keeping family members posted. The cadets have to give up their cell phones a few days into their time there. You can send packages but they have to eat what ever is sent when the package is opened. They usually share with the people in their platoon. Be sure to ask your cadet to tell you their company and platoon. You can then know how to mail them letters and packages and also will know what group of photos my contain a glimpse of your cadet. The LDAC Facebook group is usually posted a month or so before the first group reports. the Warrior Forge blog has links to the Flickr photo site and other helpful information like training schedules. They broadcast the graduation online for each class. The cadets who have just graduated from their college are commissioned at the end of this graduation. The Citadel rising seniors (4 year ROTC cadets) are commissioned the day before commencement

At the end of the summer, early in the first semester, the Army looks at where they need to fill positions. The cadets have already filled out forms indicating which branch of the U.S. Army they would like to serve. Three of their choices must be combat arms related branches. At some point in the fall the assignments are given.

At the Citadel they have what is called the branch meeting. All the graduating Army ROTC contract cadets are gathered in a seminar classroom and each receives an envelope with their assigned branch. The cadet is not guaranteed a spot in their choice of branch. Our son listed Armor as his first choice and that is where he was assigned. I heard from others who were assigned branches far lower on their list.

Some cadets will know their duty station, or where they will be based after training, before graduation. Some will find out at their Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC). Each branch of the service trains at a different base. Armor and Infantry are at Ft. Benning, GA. Our son was in the Armor branch so this is where his training in the Armor BOLC took place. A quick Google search for the branch and BOLC should turn up the base website and Facebook groups they may have.

taking the oath — Army ROTC cadets take their oath in Summerall Chapel. photo by Stanley Leary

The school will post the details of the commissioning service on the main website or the page that lists the various commencement weekend events. The Army is usually the largest group to be commissioned and the service is held early Friday morning. Plan to get to the chapel an hour early for the best selection of seats for the service. Two family members can go forward during the service to pin the bars on the new officer. After the ceremony inside, the new officers go outside to the parade field to receive their first salute, usually from a friend who is a non-commissioned officer (NCO). It is customary for the new second lieutenant to give the NCO a silver dollar after the salute when they shake hands.

Report dates for each new second lieutenant will vary greatly. some may need to report right away and for others it could be months before they start their new job in the Army.

2new2LTandfriends — The new second lieutenants, friends and family. photo by Stanley Leary

February 1, 2012

BVA's and Summerall Guards: Cuts Day, Mardi Gras and Corps Day

2011SG2012BVArunning — The 2011 Summerall Guards run with the 2012 BVA's the Friday night of Corps Day Weekend. photo by Stanley Leary

Well, February is here. At The Citadel that means the Bond Volunteer Aspirants (BVA’s) are moving close to Cuts Day. I checked the training schedules the other day to find that Cuts Day for the 2013 BVA’s is Feb. 6. *NOTE: since this posting a parent has told me Cuts Day is delayed until Feb. 14. if you have other information, please post it to the comments section below.

While the BVA’s look forward to Cuts Day as the end of their training period, the current Summerall Guards are moving closer to their trip to New Orleans, LA and Mardi Gras. The time has flown by since my son was a junior and BVA. We waited anxiously to hear if he had made the Summerall Guards. I combed the internet for photos of their first big appearance after Corps Day at the Azalea Festival.

I’ve written about our journey before but this time of year the memories come flooding back. I’ll include a few tips here for parents of both the BVA’s and Summerall Guards.

Be sure to ask or email your BVA and have a plan for how they will inform you if they have made it. I logged onto Facebook the night we thought my son would find out and began to see congratulatory messages being sent to some cadets. My son went tot he gym to work out that night and we received a call from him on his way back to the barracks. Once they find out they have made it, practice for their first appearance on Corps Day begins.

The Mardi Gras schedule is usually known sometime in January. This year the Summerall Guards posted the schedule to their Facebook group page. I’ll include the schedule here in case you aren’t on Facebook.

2012 Summerall Guards Mardi Gras parade Schedule:
17 Feb 1830 hrs Le Krewe d”Etat
18 Feb UNK time Krewe of Endymion
19 Feb 1200 hrs Krewe of Thoth
21 Feb 1000 hrs King Rex Parade

The Times Picayune posts news, photos, videos and more on their website. I watched one parade via their web cam last year.

Corps Day Weekend 2012 is March 16 – 18. On Saturday the current Summerall Guards will march onto the parade field first. The schedule is posted to the main website about a month ahead of time. Last year the 2011 Summerall Guards did not do the entire series. They marched out did an abbreviated series then prepared to greet the BVA’s. The BVA’s march onto the field and in a very moving ceremony they take their rifles from the preceding class of Guards.

One tip: find out from your cadet if when they march out they are on the side closest to the barracks or closer to the Summerall Chapel. This will help you know where to stand to watch. My son was in the barracks side 5 rows back on the end. We stood in front of the reviewing stands right on the rope. As with the parades it is really hard to tell the cadets apart. Knowing their position will help you get great photos. While the new class goes through their performance of the series the out going Guards kneel to one side and watch. When it is over the new guards receive their patch from one of the out going Guards. They usually have a fundraising BBQ lunch. At the lunch you’ll have the opportunity to purchase the Summerall Guards Parent and Supporter t-shirts. The 2012 Summerall Guards set up a web site to sell the t-shirts and receive donations. I’m not sure that will be continued with the next class.

The first big performance of the new Summerall Guards is the Azalea Festival in Wilmington, NC. I found photos through the official website and the local newspaper. The festival now has their own Facebook page too. The Summerall Guards act as escorts for the young ladies (high school aged) who are called Belles and serve as guides for the tour and festival. I don’t know many families that attend this festival. If you live close by and can post photos for the other families I’m sure everyone will appreciate it.

A quick search on YouTube will turn up scores of videos posted of the Summerall Guards over the years. I’ve noticed the number of videos increase each year. Be sure to introduce yourself tot he other families of the current guards. You can share photos and videos with each other. A great way to commemorate your cadet becoming a Summerall Guard is to purchase a nutcracker made by Carolina Cadets. She usually sells ornaments at a table during Parents Weekend and other major weekends. I ordered mine online.

Best wishes to all the 2013 Bond Volunteer Aspirants and their families!

A special thanks to my husband, photographer, Stanley Leary, for the photos. You can see all his photos of Corps Day 2011 here. To see what the ceremony looked like March of 2010 see this clip. THe passing of the rifles is at about the 6:50 mark. A video of the March 2011 is here.

2011SummerallGuard — 2011 Summerall Guards photo by Stanley Leary

2011SGwatch — The 2011 Summerall Guard watch as the 2012 Summerall Guard perform the Citadel series for the first time.

CorpsDaycrowd — Family and friends greet the 2011 and 2012 Summerall Guards after the ceremony. photo by Stanley Leary

January 20, 2012

The Citadel: Preparing for Knob Year, Class of 2016

2015knobreports — A member of the Class of 2015 reports on Matriculation Day 2011.

It’s hard to believe it is time for the next class of cadets to prepare for their Matriculation Day. Last year at this time I began to post advice for the Class of 2015. The nice thing about a military school is the same routines are in place each year with minor changes. The advice in the post The Citadel: Unofficial Tips for Families of Knobs is still valid. A Letter to the Class of 2015 contains words of wisdom for incoming cadets of any future class and their parents too. Be sure to read these two entries and the links in them for information on reporting. Also review each link on the Citadel Parent Info page on this blog.

Visit the Matriculation Headquarters page. The required items to bring can be found in the Success Packet listed under Important Documents and Links.

To make it easier to find helpful information for new cadets and their parents I updated my blog with a Citadel Parents Info section. The information listed is a result of 4 years of volunteering with the Georgia Citadel Parents Group and The Citadel Family Association. I’ve updated the information and added links as I learned new information or when the schools main website updates their information.

With the help of my husband, photographer, Stanley Leary, I put together a slide show of Matriculation Day photos. The key for parents to remember about The Citadel is it is a leadership school. That means your high school graduate is treated as the adult they are. You raised them and now they must learn to handle their own affairs. Before Matriculation Day it is fine to help them get ready for school by making sure they have the necessary items, but they must take the responsibility for getting ready physically and mentally for the challenge ahead. That includes being able to meet the minimum physical training requirements prior to Matriculation Day. Military scholarship ROTC cadets should meet the highest requirements. The ROTC pages for each branch of the service will give you more details on the specifics of their training. The staff and websites for The Citadel Army ROTC , Navy ROTC, and Air Force ROTC are very helpful if you have questions as your student prepares to report.

MatDayvolandparents — Citadel Family Association, “Blue Shirt” volunteers wait with parents of the Class of 2015.

The top advice after physical training is to break in the black leather Oxford shoes. The incoming cadet should wear them each day for a few months prior to reporting.

To get a head start on learning the various aspects of being a knob the new cadet recruit should review The Guidon. Parents should read through it to become familiar with the terms used on the campus as well as the various traditions. The Guidon is published each year. The 2011-2012 edition is available in pdf format on the schools web site. Once additional tip for new families, when you have a questions about the school, most of the questions can be answered by reading the web site.

Tips on what to purchase can be found in the Getting Ready for Matriculation Day advice section of this blog. The school updates the Success packet each spring. Make sure you read the Success Packet thoroughly as it includes action items for your cadet and for you as well as the list of what your cadet Must Bring. The Matriculation Day Headquarters link is usually posted to the main page and also to the Admissions office page in the main website. The Citadel Family Association posts a Nice to Have List on their website. While most items on the list are a good idea to pack, be sure to ask your cadet what they want from the list. Remember you can help them get ready, but once they report you need to defer to your cadet. Each company and each battalion have their own traditions. Your cadet will learn what these traditions entail.

You can resource with other parents, but remember each cadet has their own experience.

Facebook groups for parents are listed by Battalion and by Company on the Helpful Web links page. Just remember the other parents are happy to help, but it is best to ask an individual about specific questions regarding your cadet rather than posting it to an open forum. You can find parent volunteers by region of the country on the Area Rep section of The Citadel Family Association website.

Your cadet will find out his/her company on Matriculation Day when you arrive on campus. Once you know the company and battalion you can always contact the parent volunteer listed in the Co. Rep section of the website.

As I mentioned earlier whenever possible encourage your cadet to work out their own problems using the cadet chain of command. They can always seek the help of the Ombudsperson on campus who is a confidential resource for cadets, faculty, staff, and parents too.

knobsandcadre — The Bravo Company cadre lead the new knobs of the Class of 2015 to lunch on Matriculation Day 2011. (Note the crew length socks)

More Tips for The Citadel Class of 2016

January 20, 2012

For Parents of BVA's as you wait for Cuts Day

This is the time of year parents of 2nd class cadets, or juniors, who are trying out for the Summerall Guard begin to get really nervous. There isn’t a lot of information of the topic. I found the Wikipedia information to be very helpful in explaining the process.

If you are interested in how I handled this my son’s BVA year, you can read by previous blog post for Off the Base and this blog too. The best advice is to let your son contact you. They are too busy and exhausted right now to be in touch a lot. Check the Training schedule for the key dates like Cuts day that takes place in the Second Phase. From the Wikipedia site regarding Cuts Day:

Perfection of the drill is also stressed and much time is spent by the aspirants outside of the designated times perfecting the drill. At the end of the second phase there is a final “Cuts Day” where the aspirants are graded on their drill proficiency and for each mistake a cut is assigned. Each BVA squad is moved from one station to another where they are instructed to complete different version of The Series. A total of eight Guard graders are assigned to each station, one for each member of the squad, to assign cuts for any mistakes made. When a squad has completed their last station on Cuts Day their time in the second phase ends. Each aspirant’s total number of cuts, from both Cuts Runs and Cuts Day, are tallied by the Guard leadership at the conclusion of Cuts Day.

I found most of the photos and video through the Facebook pages of my son’s friends who sent me friend requests over the years. The photos include cadets who are now graduates of the school. I’ll admit when I first viewed the video it was a bit disturbing. How could anyone function with all that yelling going on. I watched the clip about 8 times before I realized what was going on. In the following clip you will see a squad of 2011 BVA’s in formation being yelled at by the 2010 Summerall Guards on Cuts Day. Each BVA is wearing a number. They are going through part of a series of the silent drill.

If you listen carefully you will hear a BVA in the second row yelling commands. It is hard to discern this at first because of the yelling going on. What surprised me after viewing this was that I actually began to understand what was happening. I could explain to my friends that this clip demonstrates the focus needed to ignore the yelling and listen for that one voice you were to pay attention to. This same focus and ability to listen for instructions would be needed in a combat situation.

I also was reminded by my Citadel alumni friends throughout the process that these 2nd Class (or junior) cadets volunteered to go through this training. No one is required to go out for, or stay in, the BVA process. Even with this explanation I don’t doubt some viewers will still be confused by what they are seeing in the following video. I came to terms with the fact that it didn’t matter whether I fully understood this process or not. It was my sons decision to be a BVA. He is an adult, and my role then, as it is now that he is in the Army, is to respect his decision and support him as I can. Some cadets begin the process but need to drop out because they have to keep grades up or other important obligations, like scholarship duties. More than one BVA has told me their grades dipped during the year.

So with the previous caveat that the process IS very tough, here is a video from Cuts Day.

Here is another short video of 2011 Cuts Day for the Duckbutts.

If you have a BVA you’ve probably heard the various names of the squads. Each one has their own tradition of how they proceed during their training. The Duckbutts are the last squad and since they line up from tallest to shortest, they are the shortest squad. Be sure to ask your cadet which group they are in. They identify themselves by numbers like 3A2 which designates their position within the Summerall Guard.

As hard as his BVA year was I’ve heard my son tell people that it was his best year. He was the first sergeant of his company that year, and a BVA, and carried a heavy academic load, so it was a year filled with serious responsibility. Even with all the exhausting physical training he and his fellow BVA’s endured, they still look back on the experience with a smile on their face. Once they are Summerall Guards they have quite a few performances, some fun like the Azalea Festival, halftime at football games and Mardi Gras. They also perform in other venues for other groups that aren’t quite as much fun. In addition to the performances they are training the new crop of BVA’s so the time commitment is considerable senior year as well. It all ends for the Summerall Guard on Corps Day when they pass their rifle on to the next class.

A few photos from February 2010 follow.

The 2011 BVA's line up for the 2010 Summerall Guards. Photos from Facebook, Feb. 2010

2011 BVA outside 1st Battalion. photo from Facebook, Feb. 2010

2011 BVA Cuts Day Inspection of brass and belt. photo from Facebook, Feb. 2010

2011 BVA Cuts Day — The members of the 2011 BVA's are put through their paces by the 2010 Summerall Guard. photo from Facebook, Feb. 2010

2011 Summerall Guards, photo and video by Stanley Leary

Corps Day Weekend, 2011