recognized!

Evan McMullen

RECOGNIZED!

The weekend before the week leading up to recognition day started out on Fripp Island

with Grandma and Grandpa. Here they are eating Easter lunch on Dawtaw Island.

Lots of prayers were said that week!

Recognition Day at The Citadel means that the 4th class system is no longer in effect and the knobs are no longer referred to only by their last names. It is the first day that the upper class men call them by their first names. It also means that they no longer have to shave their heads!!

This was the night before rec day. Here is Matt Miller, Brett Collins (senior mentor) and Evan.

Brett wasn't going to be at rec day so it looks like he got his last bit of razzing done that night.

My parents came from Fripp and picked me up at The Charleston Airport.

Upon arriving at the hotel, we ran in to Kelly Wright (Fox News Correspondent).

He was there to officiate a wedding. Such a nice man!

We were anxious to meet Evan for dinner and get him allll "carbed" up for Saturday morning!

We took his friends Matt and Amy to meet up with the other Bravo knobs for dinner.

It's a good thing that we did because rec day started at 5:30 SHARP!

This is just one of 5,000 push-ups that Evan would do that day!

They were crawling toward the guideon...but the knobs were instructed

NOT TO TOUCH IT!

Evan is front and to the right with his back to us.

They had PT, meetings and breakfast all before we heard them at 10:00

and then saw them running down

the hill to the soccer field for The Gauntlet part of the morning.

Evan told me later that this part of the morning made him really nervous.

Here they are...Evan is front, right of center, in between a knob and an upper

classman (upper classmen have hair).  The sound that filled the air was, "We love BRAVO!"

The Gauntlet consisted of eight different strenuous stations where the knobs stayed ten minutes and then rotated to the next one. Here are some pictures of Evan at some of the stations.

They had to do deep knee bends all the way up and down the field.

Evan is second from the end.

Here he is on the end.

Because they are called, "Bravo Beach" they HAD to hit the sand!

This picture was taken after they had moved to another station. I left that previous station watching a poor guy throwing up his Gatorade and an upper classman yelling to him, "Come on Man! You're a football player!" I was relieved to see the smile on this TENNIS players face!

Matt and Evan

George and Evan

Evan and his friend who has lost over 40 pounds since matriculation day...

 hydrating!!!!

In between each rotation they would all come together and yell, "We love Bravo!"

But this was the best one because they were FINISHED with The Gauntlet!!!

He had made it! Now it is time to line up for the last mile run around campus.

(evan is in the center)

Here is Bravo after their mile run heading into Battalion 1 to get ready for their

class set of push-ups (2015...215 push-ups) and for their crawl to the "B", their final brace, the announcement they have waited 9 months to here, and for the handshake and first name recognition.

(evan is in the center behind the dark haired guy with his arms up)

We were not allowed inside of the barracks so I had to take some of the next shots from the Sally Port Gates.

Evan on the left doing his class set of push-ups.

They put a towel under them to help pull them up.

Evan had to do fifty on his own first. Then they put the towel over their

head as they lay on the floor, and pour water over them.

Crawling to the "B".

Evan in the center crawling to the "B" for Bravo painted on the wall.

Evan reaching the "B"!

Preparing for their final brace!!!

Evan is third from the left here...

Second from the left here...

and second from the left here.

The announcement that the 4th class system is no longer in effect!!!!

Evan on the end (right)

Evan in the middle.

What huge cheers we heard all over the campus!!!

Lining up to be recognized!!! :)

(evan is behind General Rosa's hand)

General Rosa

President of The Citadel

Evan coming out for just a minute so that we can give him a big hug!

Yeah, it was VERY emotional!

Those are pure tears of JOY! He said he had never been so happy!

Evan and Grandma

(my dad came and had to miss this day because he was so sick)

Justin and Evan

(tennis teammates)

Now it is time to head back inside to eat some lunch, shower,

and get dressed in their summer whites to walk three miles downtown

Charleston to Marion Square where the first Citadel still stands to take

the cadet oath.

Eating his lunch.

This is the old Citadel that is now a Raddison Inn.

They were having a farmers market and pony rides on the square.

But, they cleared out to make way for the new cadets.

Here they come!

Bravo!

(evan is hidden in this picture)

There he is!

And there they go back to the Citadel...another three mile walk!

Mom and I took a taxi to Marion Square and back so we were able to see them march back in

to the gates of The Citadel!

BRAVO!

Evan marching in!!

Almost "home" boys!

Evan in the center.

ONE more picture before we headed off the EAT!!!

Whew!!! What a day!

The next morning we had to be on our way early.

Evan was so kind to take more pictures before we dropped him back

off at The Citadel. Here he is with Grandpa...who is feeling much better!

Grandma and Grandpa

Me and my brave son!!!

This time it is not so hard to say good-bye...I will see him in 2 1/2 weeks!!!

So happy for you E!

And very proud of all you that have accomplished this year!