New leadership announced for upcoming academic year by the Commandant of Cadets

As the Class of 2026 gets ready to join The Citadel’s Long Gray Line, new cadet leadership for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets is preparing to take the helm. To earn their positions for next year, these cadet leaders went through a series of rank board engagements, performance reviews and interviews.

The Citadel continues the tradition of developing principled leaders and citizen-soldiers through a 24/7 military structure on campus, positioning cadets to run the Corps by earning increasing rank throughout their time at The Citadel. Rank holders gain real leadership experience in these roles by making decisions that contribute to the academic, physical fitness, military training and overall success of the Corps.

The new cadet leadership was announced by The Citadel Commandant of Cadets Col. Thomas Gordon, USMC (Ret.), ’91, during a gathering in Jenkins Hall on March 5.

“If the Corps is going to lead the Corps you’re going to have to take charge. You’re going to have to hold your peers accountable. You’re going to have to uphold the standard,” said Gordon. “Be worthy of the position you’ve been assigned. I will not tell you what to do, but you can’t do nothing.”

The top-ranking cadets for the Class of 2027 will include:

Regimental Commander – Paul Scarpa

Major – Biology

Hometown – Beaufort, South Carolina

Deputy Regimental Commander – Wyatt Bland

Major – Management, Business Administration

Hometown – Irmo, South Carolina

Regimental Academic Officer – Jace Kraftchick 

Major – Mechanical Engineering

Hometown – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Honor Board Chair – James Horne

Major – Biology

Hometown – Fort Mill, South Carolina

1st Battalion Commander – Nicholas Renner

Major – Finance

Hometown – Lexington, South Carolina

2nd Battalion Commander – Connor Salch

Major – Physics

Hometown – Aiken, South Carolina

3rd Battalion Commander – Quentin Walsh

Major – Physics, English

Hometown – Silver Spring, Maryland

4th Battalion Commander – William Coppel

Major – Secondary Education

Hometown – Seabrook Island, South Carolina

5th Battalion Commander – Storm Judy

Major – Management, Business Administration

Hometown – Moncks Corner, South Carolina

Regimental Cadet Sergeant Major – Iris Shy

Major – Chemistry

Hometown – Huntington, West Virgina

The regimental staff will lead approximately 80 cadet officers in the command of the Corps’ five battalions and 21 companies during the next academic year, with positions ranging from battalion sergeant majors to company first sergeants.

1st Battalion

1st Battalion Commander – (see above)

A Company Commander – Ella Crider. Intelligence and Security Studies. Warrenton, Virginia.

B Company Commander – Melton Adams. Supply Chain Management. Sumter, South Carolina.

C Company Commander – Austin Truman. Mechanical Engineering. Clearwater, Florida.

D Company Commander – Mia Watson. Intelligence and Security Studies. Jacksonville, Florida.

2nd Battalion

2nd Battalion Commander – (see above)

E Company Commander – Daniel Melogy. Computer Science. Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

F Company Commander – Katherine Coltey. Intelligence and Security Studies. York, South Carolina.

G Company Commander – William Schaper. Exercise Science. Whispering Pines, North Carolina.

H Company Commander – Cheyene Hencely. Biology, Chemistry. Cumming, Georgia.

Band Company Commander – James Bruner. Mechanical Engineering. Summerton, South Carolina.

3rd Battalion

3rd Battalion Commander – (see above)

I Company Commander – Joseph Hiatt. Intelligence and Security Studies. Downers Grove, Illinois.

K Company Commander – Antonio Palma. Intelligence and Security Studies. Costa Mesa, California.

L Company Commander – Joseph Butters. Intelligence and Security Studies. Sumter, South Carolina.

M Company Commander – Jacob Pullman. Civil Engineering. Sanford, North Carolina.

4th Battalion

4th Battalion Commander – (see above)

N Company Commander – Hannah Wickham. Chemistry. Frisco, Texas.

O Company Commander – Michael Rogan. Criminal Justice. Newton, Massachusetts.

R Company Commander – Chandler Greene. Supply Chain Management. Hartsville, South Carolina.

T Company Commander – Caleb Stone. Mechanical Engineering. Beaufort, South Carolina.

5th Battalion

5th Battalion Commander – (see above)

P Company Commander – Aleah Turney. Intelligence and Security Studies. York, South Carolina.

S Company Commander – William Singleton. Supply Chain Management. Sumter, South Carolina.

V Company Commander – Dominic Farris. Mechanical Engineering.

Palmetto Battery Commander – Christopher Banks. Intelligence and Security Studies. Sumter, South Carolina.