Special Events

The Commissioning Ceremony occurs at the beginning of every school year. This is the time where senior Cadets take a leadership office and assume positions of leadership within the brigade. At the ceremony, senior Cadets become commissioned as officers and are assigned their leadership positions. Each senior Cadet is escorted by a date. All Cadets in the brigade are required to attend. After the ceremony, Cadets and their dates proceed to the Commissioning Ball for dancing, refreshments, and social gathering.

The George K. Gannam Memorial Review, also known as Gannam Day, is a ceremony conducted every year on the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7). We honor all men and women who gave their lives during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, including 1938 Benedictine graduate George K. Gannam, the first Savannahian to die at Pearl Harbor. All Cadets participate in the Gannam Day Ceremony and two awards are given by the American Legion Post 184 to the deserving Cadets. These two awards are the God and Country Medal and the Gannam Medal. Also, an American flag is presented in honor of SSG Gannam for the school to display throughout the next school year.

Each year, the brigade is inspected to ensure all Cadets are educated on correct military procedures and military knowledge. Cadets are judged based on their training over the year. Based on this result, the brigade is awarded an accreditation. For 36 consecutive years, we have retained our position as an Honor Unit With Distinction, meaning the brigade is rated in the top 20 percent in the nation. Honor Unit With Distinction is signified by a gold star that is worn with pride on each Cadet’s uniform.

Each year, the brigade marches in the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This is a mandatory event that must be attended by all Cadets in the JROTC program. The brigade forms up in the east section of Forsyth Park near the tennis courts. The Cadets are formed up in Company Mass Formation. Then the Cadets march in the parade. At the end, they pass and acknowledge the reviewing stand.

The Senior Review and Awards Ceremony is held at the end of each year. The entire brigade forms up under the leadership of the junior NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers). At the ceremony there are end-of-the-year awards presented for achievements in JROTC events and JROTC academic standings to deserving Cadets. This ceremony signifies the passing of authority from the senior class to the junior class.