South Carolina Corps of Cadets

Cadets progress through a four-year structure which determines their eligibility for leadership positions, as well as various privileges including the number of overnight's and weekend leaves which can be exercised each academic semester. The structure is largely independent of academic standing, particularly during the first year, in which all cadets are known as "knobs" and must follow a prescribed system of training known as the Fourth Class System. Knobs are expected to walk at 120 paces per minute anywhere on campus, utilize specific entrances and exits from buildings, walk only in designated areas, salute commissioned and cadet officers, and memorize information including historical facts and the menu in the mess hall. While in the barracks, knobs must "brace," or pull their chin in, roll their shoulders back, and tuck their arms tightly against the sides of their body. Many other requirements, such as military drill and inspections, exist in order to expose the cadets to the traditions and values of The Citadel and to build camaraderie and bonds between the knobs.

The Fourth Class System is unique among other senior military Colleges, in that it is the only freshman training period lasting a full nine months. The end of this training period is marked by Recognition Day, near the end of the second semester, which includes a march to Marion Square, where the cadet oath is repeated while facing the Old Citadel after a final physical challenge on campus where they are recognized.^[3]

Upperclass cadets remain subject to inspections and participate in military drill, and attend additional leadership training through the Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics throughout their cadet careers, gaining more and more privileges as a class at each grade level.

Day-to-day life is highly regimented at The Citadel. Two mornings per week, regimental physical training is conducted at the company level on Summerall Field before the start of the academic day. Classes are conducted after the daily morning formation, and typically last from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon. Additionally, Cadets participate in two mandatory drill ceremonies a week. On Thursdays, a practice parade is held in preparation for Friday's review parades. For most of the week, all cadets are not allowed to leave campus. All classes are allowed general leave on Wednesdays after classes have ended. As well as, on the weekends beginning on Fridays (after parade) and ending on Sundays before the start of evening study period. Seniors may also leave on Mondays. Weekdays are typically ended with an evening formation, after which all cadets have a designated evening study period until lights-out at 2300.

All cadets may participate in a number of activities, including varsity sports as members of The Citadel Bulldogs teams, club teams, drill teams including the Summerall Guards and the Junior Sword Arch, the newspaper The Brigadier, and a variety of other programs designed to enhance the academic, military, spiritual/ethical, and physical growth of each cadet.

All cadets live by a strict honor code, which states, "A Cadet does not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do." The system is run by the cadet Honor Court, which conducts investigations, trials, and recommends sanctions. The typical sanction is expulsion.

The honor court consists of seniors who are elected in the spring of their junior year and continue to be honor representatives until their graduation the following spring. Each company elects two rising seniors to be honor representatives. Every NCAA-sponsored team at The Citadel elects one of their rising seniors to be an honor representative. In contrast, each Battalion elects one rising senior (who must have been elected at the company level first) to represent the battalion. After this preliminary round of elections, all new honor representatives (battalion, company, and NCAA) meet to elect the Chairman of the Honor Court (a Cadet Lieutenant Colonel) and his Vice Chairs of Education, Operations, Investigations, and Defence (each a Cadet Major). Battalion honor representatives are each Cadet Majors, while company and NCAA representatives hold no formal ranks.

These honor representatives hold both judicial power at the school while simultaneously serving in an educational role. The job description not only includes forming the court, investigating honor violations, conducting trials based on evidence and recommending sanctions, but also instructing the corps on the purpose of honor, writing, amending, and distributing the current years honor manual, which includes training members of the staff, faculty, and cadets on all matters relating to honor or the honor court on campus.

The Honor Court serves as a plot point in Pat Conroy's The Lords of Discipline, in which the main character, Will McLean, serves on the Carolina Military Institute's cadet Honor Court. Pat Conroy himself was a member of the Citadel's Honor Court during his time as a cadet.

Founded in 1909, the Regimental Band and Pipes at The Citadel is one of the institution's most recognisable units. Representing the Citadel at numerous tattoos around the world, it is one of the foremost cadet bands in the United States. While officially the Band is under the purview of Regimental Staff, they are administratively assigned to Second Battalion, and inhabit the entire ground floor of Padgett-Thomas Barracks.