The Citadel - The Military College of South Carolina is a four- year military college located in Charleston, South Carolina. It was originally founded as the South Carolina Military Academy in 1842. It is the only military school that has 9 months of training for the fourth class to get recognition, instead of the customary six weeks or six months for other military-college freshmen classes. It has a reputation for being among the toughest military colleges.

From www.citadel.edu : "Enrollment in The South Carolina Military Academy increased from thirty-four students in 1843 to two hundred ninety six in 1864. The $200 tuition in 1843 increased to $1,200 in 1864. When South Carolina seceded from the Union in December 1860, Major Robert Anderson moved his garrison of U.S. troops to Fort Sumter and requested reinforcements from the federal government. On January 9, 1861, Citadel cadets stationed on Morris Island fired on the U.S. steamer, the Star of the West, which failed to supply Fort Sumter with troops and supplies. This was the first overt act of the war. On January 28, 1861, the Corps of Cadets were made part of the military organization of the state and were known as The Battalion of State Cadets. The Arsenal and The Citadel continued to operate as military academies, however, classes were often disrupted when the governor called the cadets into military service. Mounting and manning heavy guns, guard duty and escorting prisoners were among the services performed by the cadets. On February 18, 1865, The Citadel ceased operation as a college when Union troops entered Charleston and occupied the site. The Arsenal was burned by Sherman's troops and never reopened."

During the Civil War The Citadel acquired several battle streamers:
Star of the West, January 9, 1861
Wapoo Cut, November 1861
James Island, June 1862
Charleston and Vicinity, July to October 1863
James Island, June 1864
Tulifinny, December 1864
James Island, December 1864 to February 1865
Williamston, May 1865
Confederate States Army

Graduates of The Citadel are well known for their military service. Citadel graduates have fought in every war since the Civil War. The Citadel is also known for producing a large number of Marine Officers every graduating class.

The school's sports teams are called the Bulldogs. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-AA, and the Southern Conference.

After enrolling in 1966, Charles Foster became the first black cadet to graduate from the Citadel in 1970.

On January 20, 1994, Shannon Faulkner, by court order, became the first female student to take day classes at The Citadel. After more legal battles, she entered as a member of the Corps of Cadets on Saturday, August 12, 1995, but dropped out after a week. Prior to this, female students were not allowed in the Corps of Cadets and were mostly limited to taking evening courses. A little known fact is that there was no male or female option on the application; it was simply assumed that all applicants were male.

On May 8, 1999 Nancy Mace became the first female cadet to graduate from The Citadel. Most people do not know that her father was Commandant of Cadets at the time. The first African-American women graduated on May 11, 2002. The Citadel, like the rest of the US military embraces gender norming of physical fittness tests. This means that while a male cadet of age 17, will have run two miles in thirteen minutes to achieve the maximum score while a female of the same age will only have to run two miles in fifteen minutes and thirty-six seconds to achieve the maximum score. This is a signifigant differance in times.[1] [2]  [3]  [4]  [5] 

Pat Conroy's 1980 novel The Lords of Discipline was based on Conroy's experiences as a cadet at The Citadel during the 1960s. This book highlights the brutal hazing experienced by knobs, but also shows the closeness and brotherhood that develops between the knobs as they endure taunting by upper classmen.

The Lords of Discipline was made into a movie starring David Keith and Robert Prosky in 1983.

In modern times The Citadel is a school steeped in tradition. The incoming freshmen are fourth classmen and are referred to as "Knobs" (also "Smacks", "Freaks", or "Plebes"). The reference "Knob" is to the shaved heads of the fourth class that make them look like door knobs. Female cadets do not shave their heads (still called knobs) but must keep their hair cut severely short. Knobs are always called by their last names and are not allowed to know or utter the first names of upperclassmen. All upperclassmen are referred to as "Mr." or "Miss". Knobs must survive a week of military indoctrination that is referred to as "Hell Week" followed by eight weeks of military training alongside of academic coursework to be formally accepted into the Corps of Cadets as cadet privates. From that point they must endure seven more months of rigid discipline under the Fourth Class System. The culminating point of their training is Recognition Day that occurs sometime around final exams. Recognition Day is a brutal crucible of Military Drill, Cleanliness, Inspections, and Physical Training. Recognition Day ends in a final "Spirit Run", a number of pushups (called a class set) that indicates the year the cadet is graduating in (105 for the class of 2005), and finally the ceremony where all of the upperclassmen (sophomores, juniors, seniors) shake the hands of the knobs, call them by their first names, and welcome then into the Corps of Cadets as upperclassmen.

The Citadel is organized into four battalions. Each battalion contains four companies. The companies are Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, F-Troop, Golf, Hotel, India, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Romeo, Tango. There is also the Regimental Band, which provides musical support to the Corps and to the city of Charleston, and the Palmetto Battery, the Corp of Cadet's Honor Unit, which provides Color Guards and maintains the salute guns. Both are attached to the Regimental Commander. Each battalion has its own staff and the regimental staff resides in second battalion.

Each class (not just the fourth class) is bound by the tradition of progression; only receiving privileges as they rise in seniority and rank.

Unlike most four year institutions; Seniors (first classmen) at The Citadel receive their Citadel Rings in a ceremony after midterms in the Fall. The Citadel Ring was first adopted in the mid-forties.