Pershing Rifles

The Pershing Rifles is a military fraternal organization for college-level students, founded by then 2nd Lieutenant (later General of the Armies of the United States) John J. Pershing in 1894 as a drill unit at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Over time, the Pershing Rifles organization was expanded to include several other universities, with companies consisting of drill teams as well as tactical units. Together, these units form what is known today as the National Society of Pershing Rifles.[1]

Contents

History

Founding

In 1891, General Pershing, then a 2LT in Troop L, 6th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bayard, New Mexico, became a professor of Military Science and Tactics at the University of Nebraska. Pershing wished to increase the morale and discipline of the battalion there, as well as to increase support for the Cadet Corps throughout the university's staff and community. To this end, he formed a hand-picked company of men, known as Company A, and made them his premier drill unit.[2][3]

The following year, Company A won the Maiden Competition at the National Competitive Drills held at Omaha, Nebraska, earning the "Omaha Cup" and $1,500 for the group. The spectators were so excited by the event that they left their seats and carried the cadets off the field.[4] In 1893, the special drill company became a fraternal organization bearing the name "Varsity Rifles." In 1894, the organization, in appreciation of the initiative and cooperation of LT. Pershing, changed its name to the "Pershing Rifles." Under Pershing's leadership, the organization won the Army Silver Cup for drill team competition, coming in second place after West Point.[5] When Pershing left Nebraska in 1895, at the request of a committee he gave to the company a pair of his cavalry breeches. These breeches were cut into small pieces and were worn on the uniform as a sign of membership.[6]

From 1900 to 1911, the Pershing Rifles reached the height of their existence prior to World War I. Membership was a great military honor that continued until 1911. After that date, the organization lost prestige and declined. Its activity suddenly seemed to cease, and the organization became a mere shadow of itself. Its military influence decreased, and its social activities lessened.

Reestablishment

In 1917, conditions became so bad that the organization was disbanded and its records burned. In 1920, the Pershing Rifles were formed again. By 1924, it had regained some of its lost prestige and special drill companies all over the country began to seek admittance into the Pershing Rifles.

The present National Honorary Society of Pershing Rifles owes its existence to Ohio State University (OSU). In the fall of 1922, a group of advanced course men got together and formed "The President's Guard". This new organization was too loosely-organized and too closely allied to the regular drill for the company to stand alone. On May 13, 1925, it applied for affiliation with the Pershing Rifles; the Nebraska organization refused. The OSU group, seeing the need of a national organization for basic men, threatened to nationalize "The President's Guard" and leave Nebraska out of it if the two organizations could not merge together. The Nebraska organization approved the formal application of the OSU group after a year of negotiations. The Dickman Rifles, organized at the University of Dayton to honor Major General Joseph T. Dickman, attended a Pershing Rifles drill competition in 1931. This competition led the Dickman Rifles to merge into the Pershing Rifles.[7]

In 1928, the National Headquarters was established at the University of Nebraska. This laid the foundation for a strong national unit. Over the summer, applications for charters were sent to many universities across the nation. As a result, today there are over 200 units in nine combined regiments. (At one time there were 17 regiments; they have been combined, and only nine remain.) The Regimental Headquarters serve primarily as administrative units acting as the liaison between National Headquarters and all units of their respective regiments. The regiment aids in solving various problems that individual units may encounter during the course of the year. The regimental commanders, the national commander make up the legislative body of the National Society of Pershing Rifles. This body dictates what happens in the society for the upcoming semester.

Membership and competitions

Active membership is restricted to college students enrolled at an institution that hosts a Pershing Rifles company. Members may be either male or female and while a majority have affiliation with the military (especially ROTC), it is not a prerequisite for membership.

Each company has latitude in selecting their uniform and weapons. They vary from company t-shirt and BDU pants to more formal uniforms, like the Army's service uniforms, or "Class A's". Many companies wear berets, in a wide variety of colors. The only real consistencies within companies are the wear of a Pershing Rifles rank shield and, on dress uniforms, a shoulder cord and the Pershing Rifles Service Ribbon, which is blue with six vertical white lines, symbolic of the six core values held by a Pershing Rifleman. The W-4 Company at The College of William & Mary may wear uniforms based on those of the Scots Guards as recognition of their role as the Queens' Guard, the College's ceremonial guard unit, twice mustered upon visits by Queen Elizabeth II to the College.

Most Pershing Rifles companies use older battle rifles (especially the M1903 Springfield or M1 Garand) in performing routines. More recently, some of schools have converted to the R550 sniper rifle due to the high prices of the weapon of choice. At the annual National Society of Pershing Rifles National Convention and Drill Competition (NATCON), active companies compete in various categories of regulation drill (like proficiency at performing a color guard) and exhibition drill (also known as trick drill, involving spinning or throwing the rifles).

Other Pershing Rifles companies, such as Company B-9[8] (University of Colorado at Boulder), Company C-9[9] (Colorado School of Mines), Company B-12 (Boston University) and Company C-12(ABN)[10] (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), focus on tactical training. These companies teach their members skills such as escape and evasion, survival skills, rappelling, hand-to-hand combat, and marksmanship. Company K-4(South Carolina State University) practices and focuses on regulation D&C, and a mastery of exhibition drill.

Alumni

Pershing Rifles National Alumni Association

The Pershing Rifles National Alumni Association (PRNAA) (formerly known as the Federation of Pershing Rifles Alumni Associations) was recognized by the National Society in 2007 as the official national-level alumni association for alumni and honorary members of Pershing Rifles, Pershing Rifles co-ed auxiliary groups such as CAPERS and Pershing Angels, and Blackjacks. PRNAA is incorporated in New York State as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and is led by a Board of Directors and a volunteer staff, both made up by alumni members. The National Commander and the National ROTC Advisor from P/R National Headquarters sit on the PRNAA Board of Directors as observers.

PRNAA is made up of unit-level alumni associations who have joined PRNAA as a group, and members at large, who do not belong to a unit-level P/R alumni organization. PRNAA is diligently working with National Headquarters to reactivate defunct units, charter new units, and organize alumni to assist newly chartered units that have no strong alumni base. They also have taken on the responsibility of finding alumni who have lost touch with their units and the Society at large, reconstituting Blackjacks at the high school level, establishing a scholarship foundation, publishing a national alumni newsletter, and helping alumni organize associations and events for their own unit. Since its inception in 2007, PRNAA has helped organize several new unit-level alumni organizations and reactivate or charter several collegiate P/R companies.

PRNAA has also taken on a large role in the organization of the 2011 Pershing Rifles National Convention (NATCON), through a Joint Planning Committee with National Headquarters. They have played a large part in reestablishing the Black Jacks Drill Competition at NATCON 2011 for JROTC, CAP, and other youth drill units, as part of their efforts at reconstituting Blackjacks at the high school level.

PRNAA Goals

The goals of the PRNAA are to:

1.Continue to foster the bonds of brotherhood among alumni members of the National Society of Pershing Rifles by coordinating, supporting, and sponsoring alumni events at the local, regional, and national levels.

2.Assist in the establishment of local, collegiate level alumni associations.

3.Provide a medium through which alumni at large can interact with fell Pershing Riflemen, connect with former classmates, and participate in Pershing Rifles active and alumni events.

4.Assist the active leadership of the National Society of Pershing Rifles in the accomplishment of their mission without interference into the daily operations of the undergraduates.

Notable alumni

Quotes

The above quote is a widely-accepted mission statement of the National Society of Pershing Rifles units today. The bulk of this "quote" is taken from the Purpose of the Pershing Rifles, by General Pershing himself.

Units

Known Pershing Rifles units past and present:

Notes

  1. ^ Colin Powell, by Geoffrey M. Horn, p. 18, Gareth Stevens, 2004. ISBN 0836852672.
  2. ^ Five Stars, by James F. Muench, p. 83, University of Missouri Press, 2006. ISBN 0826216560.
  3. ^ Encyclopedia of the Great Plains, by David J. Wishart, p. 833, University of Nebraska Press, 2004. ISBN 0803247877.
  4. ^ Pipe Clay and Drill, by Richard Goldhurst, p. 42, Reader's Digest Press, 1977. ISBN 0883490978. This work goes on to note "These cadets constituted themselves as the Varsity Rifles, later changing their name to the Pershing Rifles, an organization which spawned hundreds of chapters on other campuses in the coming decades."
  5. ^ Five Stars, p. 83
  6. ^ Black Jack, by Frank Everson Vandiver, p. 135, Texas A&M University Press, 1977. ISBN 0890960240.
  7. ^ Dickman biography on 3rd Army ARCENT webpage
  8. ^ B-9 homepage
  9. ^ C-9 homepage
  10. ^ C-12 homepage
  11. ^ Patricia Morrisroe, Mapplethorpe: A Biography, illustration. (Da Capo Press, 1997. ISBN 0306807661)
  12. ^ metroherald page
  13. ^ Colin Powell, by Reggie Finlayson, p. 28, Twenty-First Century Books, 2004. ISBN 0822549662.
  14. ^ Veteran of a Foreign War, by Stephen J. Candela, p. 16, St. John's Press, 2004. ISBN 0971055149.
  15. ^ A-1 webpage
  16. ^ E-1 webpage
  17. ^ A-2 webpage
  18. ^ A-3 webpage
  19. ^ C-3 website
  20. ^ C-4 webpage
  21. ^ K-4 webpage
  22. ^ R-4 webpage
  23. ^ W-4 webpage
  24. ^ 6th Brigade Roster
  25. ^ G-7 article
  26. ^ Q-8 webpage
  27. ^ X-8 webpage
  28. ^ B-9 webpage
  29. ^ C-9 webpage
  30. ^ B-12
  31. ^ C-12 webpage
  32. ^ 14th Brigade Roster
  33. ^ C-16 webpage
  34. ^ 17th Regiment

References

Further reading