For this year’s Veterans Day, The Citadel chose a new way to pay tribute to those who have served our country — with a powerful display of American flags, placed along Summerall Field, each dedicated in honor of a veteran or active-duty service member.
“The visual representation of these flags waving in the wind on Summerall Field is another reminder of how connected The Citadel is with our military and of our shared commitment to honoring those who have served,” said Sally Levitt, Director of the Veteran Student Success Center. “It helps our veteran and active duty students feel valued, and the funds received will go directly back to support their needs and success while here.”
This display is a powerful reminder that service continues to connect members of the military community to something greater — a shared bond of duty, sacrifice and honor. All proceeds will benefit the Veteran Student Success Center, or VSSC, which plays a vital role in supporting veteran and active-duty students throughout their academic journey at The Citadel.
“Each flag on the parade deck represents more than a name — it tells a story of service, sacrifice and resilience. As veteran students, we carry our commitment to service beyond the uniform, and this initiative gives our community a meaningful way to honor those stories while supporting the next generation of veterans continuing their mission here at The Citadel,” said Staff Sgt. Mackenzie Baker, an Army reservist and president of The Citadel Student Veterans Association. “Veterans Day is about connection — between those who served, those who still serve and those who support them. Each flag symbolizes that bond and reminds us that the strength of our community lies in how we honor and invest in one another. I can’t think of a better institution than The Citadel — a college and community that forges principled leaders and esteemed military officers — to lead an effort like this.”
The Citadel Student Veterans Association, or SVA, is a chapter of the National Student Veterans of America and advocates for veterans, active-duty and military-affiliated students within The Citadel community.
The Citadel SVA provides resources for the military community and aids in the transition from soldier to student to leader. Through monthly meetings, socials and access to a variety of programs, The Citadel SVA ensures success in becoming a principled leader in any future endeavors.
“The idea started as a tribute to our veteran and active duty students and then grew to incorporate all veterans, whether Citadel alum or not,” said Melissa West, Associate Director of the Veteran Student Success Center. “As a team, we wanted to find a way to acknowledge their sacrifice and, as a campus community, show how much we appreciate them being here.”
There are more than 330 veterans and active-duty students currently studying at The Citadel as either undergraduate or graduate students. They can take classes as day students alongside the Corps of Cadets, evening students with other non-cadet students or online. The Citadel’s Veteran Student Success Center also offers resources to these students to ensure they have an easy transition and excel here.
Named #1 Best College for Veterans in the South for eight consecutive years, the Military College of South Carolina is honored to help our nation’s heroes advance their education.
More than 100 flags were purchased in honor of a veteran or active-duty service member.
The full list of honorees include:
- Michael Joseph Annetta
- Albert E Bauman, III
- Albert E Bauman, Jr.
- Ken Bellamy
- Ray Bellamy
- Greg Bellamy
- COL Ken Braddock
- Kevin Brickhouse
- Lt. Col. Vincent L. Bristow, USAF (Ret.)
- Jesse Brooks, USN
- Orrin Brown
- Benjamin Bryant
- Lieutenant Commander Gerald J. Carroll, USN (Ret.)
- Fil Castaneda
- Gary Catoe
- Willie Cessor Sr.
- Frank A. Chesno, Sr
- Col William A. Clark, USAF (Ret.)
- Richard W. Cleeve, Jr. EMCM(SS)
- In Memory of Col. Jack Cochran, USAF
- Ronald Coleman
- Dan Coleman
- Dennis Courtright, U.S. Army, Vietnam
- Teresa Dailey
- Bryan Dailey
- Kyle Davidson
- Col Harvey Merrill Dick
- Nathan Dillehay
- Tom DuPre, USN (Ret.)
- In Memory of Carl J Fisher, USMC, ’80 *
- SrA Jayden Forbes, USAF
- Harold Foster
- Larry M. Free
- Artopee Gaillard
- Billy A. Garrett, USAF
- CAPT Reza Ghaffari, USN (Ret.), ’80
- Col. John Giorgio, USMC, ’80*
- Col. Thomas Gordon, USMC (Ret.), ’91
- Greg Gordon
- David Allen Griffith
- In memory of Hancock, Ralph B: b. 9/4/1925, d. 8/7/1996, US ARMY, LTC, KOREA
- Michael Holliday
- Sgt Thomas Houser USMC
- Ethan V. Howard III
- Paul Hunt, US Army, ’80*
- Matthew Hurtt
- CDR John Jaskot, USCG
- Alan Johnson
- Joseph R. Johnson
- Matthew Jones
- Kearney K. Kelley
- Lt. Col. Marvin Kirkland, US Army, ’80*
- Colin Koester, USN
- Honor of my son, Jonathan Lee
- Shawn A. Levitt, US Army (Ret.)
- Capt. Garrett E. Lockee
- 1/Lt. Dan Thomas Malcom, USMC
- Maj Megan McClung, USMC
- In Memory of Alex McCrackin, USN
- In memory of George McCoy
- Lance McCuiston
- William McDaniel
- Matthew McDaniel
- Christopher McGinnis
- Walter W Momeier Jr
- Dayton Mosser
- CWO3 William H. Nelson Jr.
- Amy L. O’Neill, USAF, SSgt
- Chris O’Neill, USAF, SMSgt
- Rick Orth
- Richard C. Orth
- SPC (ABN) Dawson Palermo, 11th Airborne, Anchorage, AK
- AJ Pascoe, USAF
- Frank Perry, Jr., US Army, WWII
- Anyssa Poirier
- LTC John Powell
- Freddie Prioleau
- Capt Patrick Rapicault, USMC
- Shavonna Reichenbach
- Juan Ridout
- Corey Robinson
- Davis Rosenblum
- In Memory of SFC (Ret.) Warren Schaeffer, US ARMY 07/08/1946 – 06/10/2021
- In Memory of 1/Lt. Charles “Chuck” Jeffery Schnorf, USMC
- Duncan C Seaman
- Richard R. Shank, LTJG, USN, WWII 1924-2021
- Chuck Sotire ’59
- Rex Stotts
- Yudai Stout
- COL Joe Trez
- Joseph S. Wardach
- Gen. Glenn Walters, USMC (Ret.), ’79
- Everett L Waters
- Pierce K Waters
- MAC (EXW/IW/SW) Michael White Sr.
- LCpl Christopher M. Witherspoon, USMC
- LT William L. Yaeger, Sr. USN
- 1/Lt. George Hampton Yarborough, Jr., USMC
- Maj Doug Zembiec
- 4th Infantry Division
- All Service men and women
- IHO All ’80 Veterans
- Purple Heart Recipient
*Multiple flags purchased in their honor.
The VSSC is dedicated to ensuring veteran and active-duty students have the tools and resources they need to succeed at The Citadel. Providing wrap-around support for military-connected students, the VSSC also processes students’ VA Education Benefits and serves as a central meeting location for those who have served in our nation’s military. The VSSC is open to all veteran students Monday through Friday at 204 Richardson Avenue on The Citadel campus. To learn more about the VSSC, click here.
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