“My ring’s weight will never fail to remind me that I must always strive to be a man of virtue and character.”

In a joint commissioning ceremony, members of the Class of 2021 accepted commissions into the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

Photo above: ROTC cadets at The Citadel gather for the 2020-2021 awards ceremony in McAlister Field House on April 8, 2021. The ROTC detachments at The Citadel provide cadets with leadership

Women are — and for decades have been — an integral part of the team that helps the Military College of South Carolina produce so many future leaders

Soon-to-be-officers joined a Zoom meeting where they practiced the ceremony. Each name was called, cadets gave their salutes remotely.

Despite a closed campus, more than 100 cadets are being recognized for their academic and military leadership and excellence during the academic year.