We wear the ring, We wear the ring, and reflect often of our days at The Citadel to study the history of our becoming the "Men of N". On August 23, 1997 we claimed our corner of Stevens Barracks and began our four year contribution to The Citadel. 32 complete strangers brought together for a chance to prove ourselves by their terms. Julius Price was both our heaven and our hell and we thank him for every second. Ryan Price a role model of perfection. Jason Goebel was our witt when witts were lost. The Class of 98 laid the path by which we follow.

Knob year was full of squad room fights and drunken nights. We watched as our class suffered the highest attrition rate in 10 years. Potential members fell victim to the "CHA CHING!" Those who made it through remember those glory days. Bouchard spent his days on the Ho Chi Minh, Godfrey in his full press getting caught holding his gun, Hrovat's hygiene cadre was worth every staple, Kosobud made it through knob year without spazzing, Messinger wasn't so "little bitty" after all, Remack got a better view then the rest, Tanner spoke up for Mr. Miehe, DeSombre spoke Yankee, Riley...who?, Aji got a free ticket home, Sakurai is missed, Nick lived through the run, Sheriff tried many new things while sleeping through rack sessions, Thomas spotted something and Zseltsvay handed out the weapons, Laslie gave birth while holding on to the real member, Chaconas took a warm shower, Hanks sang for Mr. Alessandro, Isgro bled for his badge, Hilliard slept in the squad room, Grice grew his hair, Sease reappeared, Krevling "close your suck", Crabtree told us.."They can't touch us", Eric had a tearful embrace to fourth division, and Alzeene, Ahrens, And Black lost their membership. Knob year was the best of the worst, and when May 7 finally came we were shaken to tears.

Sophomore year opened our eyes to the ways of the Citadel. Many members didn't return, and others would soon be leaving. We were ready to be leaders, but the Kahn system wouldn't allow it. We gave '02 the hardest system we could. The year began with some familiar faces, and familiar routines. "HYDRO"detail, tours, cons, and most of all formations in the sally port. We returned with the news that our classmate Aji "The Destroyer" had been arrested and sent back to his home land. Isgro, Laslie, and Grice all decided to come back early for cadre and got the opportunity to flex some 01 muscle. Sease decided it would be a good idea to break his arm and sit in front of Eric's computer all day "looking" through the internet. Kosobud and Hrovat tried to live together, but soon the lines were drawn in the sand and the fighting began. Messinger and Johnson were conned into moving into 2nd. Large with Kosobud and abused every privilege known to the corps. Bouchard kept us all guessing when the next door would be kicked open, and dropped the hammer on the knobs and 2000. DeSombre still had a hard time fitting into his leave pants, but sucked it up anyway. Hanks and Chaconas went round for round with Chaconas winning by a knock out. The Mimic system put Isgro on the checkered lady, and Hilliard went AWOL. Sleeping Plato came back but decided he was better off in Mike company. Sakurai decides to leave due to the fact that The Citadel's Chemistry Department wasn't giving him a hard enough system. When the year came to an end we finally got to see what it's like on the other side of recognition day.

Junior year we return with more privileges, a new face, and no blazers. Cadre began and we began our "Company of Pride" mission of attrition. Seth Robertson pushes the pen for the N. Remack is DAAAAAA Supply Sergeant with a heart throbbing for someone on Battalion staff (this rumor is later confirmed with a sighting at Wet Willies). Johnson, Isgro and Chaconas decided to play Full Metal Jacket and in return got the Tour of Campus. Desombre quickly loses motivation and his rank. Kosobud rides as the Naked Zorro showing us all a little more then we wanted to see. Casper the ghost returns from 99, and Bouchard files for free agency and leaves for the better life in Florida. Sheriff, Chaconas, and Laslie figured it was time to slap the rifles and become guards while Hrovat kept his hopes up that one day he would see the light of day and get off punishments. Nick Johnson wanted all of our tests for the company files. Sease starts his surfing club and forgot he was a cadet, while Messinger checked the surfing report to find it was always "chest high and glassy"! Junior year was surely a year of ups and downs for 01. With minus four classmates, we wrapped up the year with 5 months and a wake up until we would wear the band of gold.

Senior year finally came and finally we are at the top. The old man from 98' and a pair of childbearing hips ran the Company of Pride. 3 members were still MIA in other companies, Hilliard returned home, and we prepared for our last year in prison. Nick Johnson is the heart of the football team and our academics. Messinger has high hopes of leading us to our second Intramural Cup, and Scott finally gets his platoon. Sease surfs his way to Cadre Platoon Leader and scares all the knobs. Hanks forces us to sit through more Sensitivity training as our Human Affairs Officer. Eric Johnson, Isgro, and Chaconas all hold rank in other Battalions, but Isgro feels like checking out one more Battalion. Hrovat, Kosobud, Caas, Remack, Desombre, and Hillard hold down the fort as Senior Privates. After six weeks of anticipation, ring day finally arrives. Julius keeps his promise and presents us with our band of gold and finishes what he started four years before. After four long hard years full of sweat, blood, and tears we have finally made it to the end. It has been a long road riddled with hardship and misfortune, but we have overcome. The light at the end of the tunnel is here. The long awaited prize is in our hands, and we will shed these uniforms forever. We will miss our days together and the fun we had, but will be forever grateful that it happened. Along with our rings and diplomas, we will all keep in our thoughts each other and the times we shared at El Cid and in the Company of Pride. Harry Chaconas, Jeff Desombre, Matt Hanks, Robert Hilliard, Paul Hrovat, Anthony Isgro, Eric Johnson, Nick Johnson, John Kosobud, Brian Laslie, John Messinger, Justin Remack, Brannon Sease, and Scott Sheriff. We are the last of 32 knobs to enter Lesesne Gate and finish the journey we started on August 24, 1997. Although we all will go our separate ways after graduation we will always be together in spirit. God Bless the Men of N and the Class of 2001.

MEN OF N 2001