Scabbard and Blade

Scabbard and Blade (S&B) was a college military honor society founded at the University of Wisconsin in 1904. Although membership was open to Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets and midshipmen of all military services, the society was modeled after the U.S. Army, calling its chapters companies

It was founded as a men's organization and later became a co-educational society. The Junior Program opened membership to Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) cadets and midshipmen as well.

S&B was a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. Around 2021, the national organization closed, with some chapters continuing to operate as location organizations.

History
Scabbard and Blade was founded during the 1904-1905 academic year at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. Its founders were five senior officers in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC): Leo M. Cook, Albert W. Foster, Victor R. Griggs, Charles A. Taylor, and Harold K. Weld. The society's mission was "developing aspiring and current military officers that emulate the Five Star qualities while fostering strong joint-service relationships."

Although membership was open to Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets and midshipmen of all military services, the society was modeled after the U.S. Army.

Its first national convention was held in Madison, Wisconsin on May 11, 1906, and included representatives of the society's four companies. Conventions were annual until April 1916, until disrupted by World War I until February 1920. After the 1920 meeting, conventions were held biannually until 1940 when all companies were directed by General Order to bring their affairs to a close because of World War II. According to its 1940 directory, S&B had 31,980 members.

The society was inactive during World War I and World War II when there were no courses of military training in universities and colleges because all able-bodied men were in the service. After seventy companies had been reactivated, a national convention was held in November 1947. The society had grown 150 active chapters or companies active companies, 20 inactive companies, and 89,154 total members in 1962.

Scabbard and Blade was founded as a men's organization and became a co-educational society. Before going coed, it sponsored auxiliaries and support organizations for women, including Guidon, Blades, and The National Organization of L’Esprit de Corps, founded in 1971.

S&B became a member of the Association of College Honor Societies in 2010. In February 2012, it had 59 collegiate chapters and 449 members. In 2014, there were some 137,000 cadet officers.

Around 2021, the national society closed its operations, although a few chapters operate as locate organizations. Its last national headquarters was located at Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Symbols
The society's badge was a gold American eagle, holding a shield over its breast, crossed with two swords. The scabbard featured small jewels that represented five stars.

Scabbard and Blade's colors were red, white, and blue. The society's five stars or pillars were Honor, Leadership, Professionalism, Offership, and Unity. Its quarterly publication was originally called Scabbard & Blade Journal and was later called Scabbard & Blade Today.

ROTC
Members had to be an ROTC student in at least their second semester, preferably in their junior or senior year. They had to rank in the top 20% of their unit commander's Order of Merit Listing or have a 3.5 GPA. Candidates also had to receive a letter of nomination from their ROTC unit's commander and take a pledge to become a commissioned officer in the United States Armed Forces.

JROTC
There were two membership levels for a JROTC Company: Junior Membership and Distinguished Junior Membership. Junior Membership was open to active JROTC students who were juniors or seniors in high school and were in the top 20% of their class with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Distinguished Junior Membership was only open to JROTC students who were active Junior Members in S&B.

Governance
Scabbard and Blade consisted of three organizations: The National Society of Scabbard and Blade, The National Honor Society of Scabbard and Blade, and Scabbard and Blade Endowment Resources. The latter was a nonprofit corporation that raised funds and endowments to support the ROTC principles.

Officers
Scabbard and Blade called its chapters companies. Companies were organized into regiments in order of their establishment. Each Scabbard and Blade company had a faculty or school staff member who served as the Company Advisor. In addition, each company was required to have the following officers:
 * Company Captain (Commander)
 * Company 1st Lieutenant (Vice Commander)
 * Company 2nd Lieutenant (Finance Officer)
 * Company First Sergeant (Executive Officer)

Notable members

 * James E. Beasley Sr., trial lawyer
 * Marcus B. Bell, United States Army brigadier general
 * Joseph Bondy, New York State Assembly
 * Warren E. Bow, second president of Wayne University
 * Gene Cernan, astronaut and lunar explorer
 * John F. Christhilf, college lacrosse player, inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame
 * Edward M. Coffman, military historian and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
 * John P. Coursey, United States Army brigadier general
 * John A. Dabney, United States Army general
 * John E. Davis, 25th Governor of North Dakota and director of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency
 * Hugh Aloysius Drum, United States Army general
 * Geary Eppley, University of Maryland athletic director and professor of agronomy
 * Gwynn Garnett, administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service
 * Gaylord Harnwell, president of the University of Pennsylvania
 * Phil Harris, musician
 * Dennis Hightower, United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce
 * Herbert Hoover, President of the United States
 * James Earl Jones, actor
 * William Thornton Kemper Jr., banker and philanthropist
 * Thomas J. Lynch, United States Army Air Forces pilot
 * Franklin Matthias, nuclear engineer
 * Robert Claude Maze, military officer and aviator
 * Wendell Nedderman, president of the University of Texas at Arlington
 * Edward J. O'Neill, United States Army general
 * Jerome O'Neill, United States Attorney for Vermont
 * John C. Persons, United States Army general
 * Kenneth R. Powell, United States Air Force general
 * Conrad Prebys, property developer and philanthropist
 * Jerry Richardson, former professional football playera and owner in the National Football League
 * Thomas L. Ridge, United States Marine Corps officer
 * Dean Rusk, U.S. Secretary of State
 * R. Tom Sawyer, inventor known as the "Father of the Diesel Locomotive"
 * David M. Shoup, United State Marine Corps general
 * Norwood Sothoron, National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee
 * Terry Spear, novelist
 * Robert L. Stewart, NASA astronaut and United States Army brigadier general
 * Jeffrey W. Talley, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of the United States Army Reserve Command
 * Bobby Towns, professional football player
 * Lewis William Walt, United State Marine Corps general
 * Sam Walton, founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club
 * Lester J. Whitlock, United States Army major general
 * Kenneth W. Winters, Kentucky State Senate and president of Campbellsville University
 * John Young, astronaut and lunar explorer