Homecoming at CMA

By: Casey Robinson on Oct 24, 2018 | Categories: General, Athletics

Camden Military Academy celebrated its 2018 Homecoming on Saturday, October 20th with a lot of activities throughout the day. The Admissions Department held an “Open House” as a dozen families signed up and attended the morning event that included a campus tour with cadet guides and personal appointments afterwards with Casey Robinson (director), Marshall Sheorn (associate director), and Kathy Sherrill (office administrator) at which time the CMA personnel answered any and all questions the family members had about the CMA program.
Cadets’ family members and friends also arrived and were able to join the cadets in the dining hall for lunch (which included fried chicken) that is served family style. Colonel Eric Boland welcomed the guests, as the room was bustling with conversations among the parents, as a majority of them had registered in the Risher Administration Building and obtained name tags that included their names, as well as the names and company of the young men that they were visiting. Although some did not actually sign in, we have a list of at least 50 families and alumni who attended from the Carolinas, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia and even as far as Colorado, Minnesota, and Nevada.
After lunch, the corps of cadets marched onto the CSM Rosvelt Martain Parade Field and lined up in front of the reviewing stand and the crowd of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other family members, as well as alumni. They performed rifle drills and were quite impressive throughout their routine. After the parade they turned in their rifles to the armory and headed to the football field for what is called the “March On.” They march around to the area that the football players descend onto the field as they run under the goal post and between the two lines of cadets.
Awaiting their arrival on the field, the Color Guard posted the flags of the United States, Camden Military Academy, and Carlisle Military School and the band played the National Anthem. The new stadium stands were filled with guests and cadets as the game began and CMA defeated the Carolina Gladiators, of Asheville, NC. Also, during the halftime period, the Blackjacks Drill team performed and looked quite awesome, especially since they had attended a drill competition during the morning hours.
After the game, CMA hosted a picnic of hamburgers and hotdogs to all who attended, along with the corps of cadets.
Although there was a slight sprinkle of raindrops at the beginning of the parade, it didn’t deter the crowd and the day ended with sunshine and a good time was had by all. Some of the cadets were able to go off campus with their parents for a few hours, if approved by their company TAC officers.