The Distinguished Life Member award is the highest honor bestowed on an alumnus/alumna by The CAA. The recipient must be any Alumnus/Alumna of the Corps of Cadets, Active Duty, Veteran, or CGC. This award recognizes an alumnus/alumna who has achieved excellence in their chosen professions and made meaningful contributions to The Citadel, The CAA, and their local communities. The CAA may award Distinguished Life Memberships to individuals, and the award may not be granted in years that exceptional candidates are not nominated.

The nominees for Distinguished Life Member should demonstrate the following criteria:

  1. Be a person of such integrity, stature, demonstrated ability and distinction that the faculty, staff, students and alumni of The Citadel and The CAA will take pride in, and be inspired by, his or her recognition as a Distinguished Life Member;
  2. Have demonstrated a continuing interest in The Citadel, The CAA, and in their community and must have contributed time, talent or philanthropic support to one or more programs to benefit The Citadel and The CAA; and
  3. Be an individual who, in deed or action, reflects and recognizes the importance of his or her education at The Citadel and exemplifies its Core Values of Honor, Duty, and Respect in their private and professional life and whose interest and loyalty are evident to The Citadel and The CAA.

Nominations for this award shall include detailed and specific information on each of the above criteria.

This award is presented to recipients at an event held by the CAA during Homecoming Week and recognized in the Alumni News.

Recipient, ClassYear Presented
Thomas P. Lesesne, 19011940
Lewis Simmons, 19121952
John W. Moore, 19001954
James W. Duckett, 19321974
David S. McAlister, 19241977
Milton A. Pearlstine, 19191978
James A. Grimsley, Jr., 19421980
Thomas C. Vandiver, 19291984
John M. J. Holliday, 19361993
C. Tucker Weston, 19391994
William B. Sansom, 19642000
T. Nugent Courvoisie, 19382001
Carroll N. LeTellier, 19492002
Edwin B. Hill, Jr., 19492003
Ernest F. Hollings, 19422004
Robert A. Daniel, 19492005
John R. Baker, 19502006
Dudley Saleeby, 19662007
Stephen C. Tobias, 19672008
Arthur H. Baiden III, 19622009
Joseph P. Riley, Jr., 19642012
C. Lloyd Mahaffey, 19782013
Walter F. McTernan III, 19722014
Joseph W. Trez, 19692015
Walter A. Bunt, Jr., 19692016
Richard A. Porter, 19722019
K. Franklin McKenzie, Jr., 19792020
Charles D. Burnside, 19652021
Anthony L. Baggiano, 19612022
Theodore A. Hargrove III, 19712023