Unit History and Background
The Guards have amazed audiences for more than eighty years with their unique combination of Prussian high-step and German close-order drill. This drill, known as the "Citadel Series", is passed down from class to class in a highly competitive and vigorous selection process from which only the most committed individuals emerge as the succeeding year's Guards. The exhibition drill staged by the Summerall Guards is known as The Citadel Series; it consists of various complex close-order drill movements, including variations of the standard manual of arms, the German Squad Movement, the flank by flank, obliques, successive peeling movements, and varied individual squad maneuvers. The drill is silent and automatic except for an occasional "sound off" in unison by members of the group. Summerall Guard tradition states that "The Series" has never been written down and has remained virtually unchanged since 1932. Becoming a member of the Guards is considered one of the highest achievements a cadet can achieve at The Citadel.
The Summerall Guards drill exclusively with the M1903 Springfield rifle with attached parade chrome plated bayonet. Other than regimental color guards, the Summerall Guards are the only unit at The Citadel to use this particular rifle. In addition to a butt stock identification number, each rifle is given both a first and middle female name. The name is carved, or burned, into the wooden stock of the rifle.
The unit has performed nationally at Disney World, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., Mardi Gras in New Orleans, numerous National Football League sanctioned games, and St. Patrick's Day parade in Savannah, Georgia.
The Guards have been disbanded several times in its history including the mid 1940s due to World War II and most recently, in 1998, due to administrative changes to the Bond Volunteer Aspirant (BVA) training.
In 2005, the Summerall Guards made their fourth appearance at a presidential inaugural parade. The Guards also participated in the inaugurations of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953, Ronald Reagan in 1985 and George H.W. Bush in 1989.
The Guards also frequently perform on the campus grounds and can be seen free of charge by the public during major events.
Read more about this topic: The Summerall Guards
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