Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles

The Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles (CAPER) was established in 1966 as the first officially recognized female auxiliary to the National Society of Pershing Rifles. It was disbanded in the early 1980s when women were fully integrated into Pershing Rifles. The organization has also been called the Coed Affiliates of Pershing Rifles and CAPERS over the years.

Mission
Like Pershing Rifles, the Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles (CAPER) was focused on drill and ceremony and CAPER teams competed in local and national drill meets.

History
Over the years, various women's auxiliaries to Pershing Rifles were formed at the local level. One of the earliest coed groups known to be associated with Pershing Rifles was the Cadence Countesses established at the University of Nebraska in 1959.

In 1963, women at the University of Oklahoma asked to start a female drill group affiliated with Pershing Rifles Company H-7. This led to the formation of the Kaydettes drill team. By the fall of 1965, the Kaydettes members thought that there should be a national-level organization for coed groups affiliated with Pershing Rifles. They petitioned the National Headquarters of Pershing Rifles in Lincoln, Nebraska, and were permitted to establish such an organization. They then contacted existing coed groups across the country to start the foundation for a nationwide organization.

On January 1, 1966, the Kaydettes were established as the national female auxiliary for Pershing Rifles under the supervision of the Seventh Regimental Headquarters. However, the Kaydettes' name was not acceptable because it would cause already established coed groups to change the unique names of their local units. So on November 26, 1966, at the Pershing Rifles Fall Little National Convention the organization's name was changed to the Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles (CAPER) and came under the direct supervision of Pershing Rifles National Headquarters.

The first CAPER National Convention was held in Washington DC in the spring of 1967 in conjunction with the Pershing Rifles National Convention and Drill Meet. Five CAPER Companies were present, as well as observers from universities considering charting with CAPER. By the end of the 1967 school year, seven companies had been chartered with CAPER. By 1968 the number of chartered companies had doubled to 14.

In 1969, several CAPER Regiments were established and they aligned with existing Pershing Rifles Regiments which provided some oversight. The establishment of CAPER Regiments allowed for more concentration on unit expansion and better support to local CAPER Companies. That same year, Colonel Iris Rodriguez was promoted to CAPER Brigadier General to elevate her to a rank above that of the regimental commanders.

On February 5, 1972, CAPER Headquarters moved to the Kansas State University. At this time the National Staff consisted of 17 officers who had oversight for 4 Regiments and 35 Companies. At the 1973 National Convention CAPER held a separate drill meet for the first time.

Around 1976 CAPER National Headquarters moved to Auburn University, In 1978 it moved to Appalachian State University, and in 1979 when it again moved to Seton Hall University.

The U.S. Armed Force's move towards fully integrating women signaled the beginning of the end of the CAPER organization. By the mid-1970s, female students were able to take Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) classes at their universities and soon were able to join Pershing Rifles. Around that same time Pershing Rifles units started allowing non-ROTC cadets to join. Eventually Pershing Rifles Companies integrated CAPER members into their organization. Although the exact date is unknown the CAPER was disbanded in the early 1980s.

Some CAPER Companies chose not to join Pershing Rifles and established a new national organization called Pershing Angels that still exists today.

Chapters
CAPER companies or chapters were predominantly on the East Coast and in the South. Many CAPER companies shared the same numbering as their affiliated Pershing Rifles Company. The units were divided into regiments in 1970.

Following is a list of known Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles companies and other female auxiliaries to Pershing Rifles.