Lester G. Pittman
About the donor:
Retired USAF Lt Col. Member of B Company and Summerall Guard; He received a regular commission in the US Air Force when he graduated from The Citadel in 1970 and spent the first eight years of his career flying. LTC Pittman was a weapons systems officer in the RF-4C tactical reconnaissance aircraft stationed in South Carolina and in the United Kingdom. He returned to flying for another five years in Europe later in his career. LTC Pittman also taught history at the Air Force Academy, was a liaison officer with NATO at headquarters of the US Air Forces in Europe, and commanded an AFROTC detachment in South Dakota. After retiring from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1990, he went to graduate school at the University of Virginia to earn a PhD in history. His specialty was British, European, and Middle Eastern history. Since returning to Charleston, he taught at The Citadel before joining the faculty of Trident Technical College full-time in 1999, teaching history. For the past ten years LTC Pittman has been very involved with the joint evening program in business administration at Trident Technical College and The Citadel. Since 2001 he has been a frequent speaker on the Middle East and Islam to many groups In Charleston. His special interests are history, international relations, religion, flying, travel, and Tai Chi. The day after he graduated from The Citadel he married Clare Rodgers, and they have twin daughters. One is a lieutenant commander and search and rescue helicopter pilot in the Coast Guard. Her sister is getting a PhD in archaeology at the University of Bristol in England.
Preferred Sword Disposition: B Company, Summerall Guards or AFROTC cadet
This sword has been carried by:
| Name | Class of | Year Carried | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanner Osborne | 2019 | 2018-2019 | B Company Platoon Leader, Summerall Guard |
| J. Hunter Watt | 2022 | 2021-2022 | B Company Platoon Leader |
| Cadet Clayton Wilson | 2023 | 2022-2023 | B Company Platoon Leader |
| Isaiah Bailey | 2024 | 2023-2024 | B Company Platoon Leader |
| Cadet Steven Dyer | 2025 | 2024-2025 | B Company Platoon Leader |