Black Hawk helicopters land on Citadel campus for commissioning
CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - From kindergarten to college, graduation season calls for pomp and circumstance.
The Citadel will make no exception Friday morning, ahead of its annual military commissioning ceremonies.
Three Black Hawk helicopters, flown by alumni of the Citadel, were scheduled to land on the military college's WLI field at 7:30 a.m. So far, two of them have landed.
The Blackhawks will fly in honor of the 151 cadets who will be commissioned throughout the morning.
They will officially be sworn in as officers During a ceremony for their military branch.
Army cadets will make up the largest group with 105 men and women being sworn in. The Navy will have 16, followed by the Air Force and Marines who will commission 15 each.
The Citadel commissions more new military officers each year than almost any institution in the United States. Officials say they are second only to West Point for the number of new Army officers produced annually.
The Citadel has more active duty pilots and drone pilots around the world. That number will grow as the class of 2016 will add 16 new air crew officers this weekend.
Officials say the commissioning ceremonies are open to the public.
Graduates being commissioned into the Army will have their ceremony from 8 to 9 a.m. The Air Force commissioning ceremony will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
The Navy/Marine commissioning ceremony will be from noon to 1:30 p.m.
All of the ceremonies will take place at the Summerall Chapel.
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