Hargrave Military Academy Hargrave Military Academy ( HMA ) is a private American boarding school located in the town of Chatham , Virginia . Hargrave is a school affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a college and military preparatory program . The school serves boys from around the world from grades seven to twelve and has a post - graduate ( PG ) program , through which high school graduates can improve their athletic abilities , grades , and SAT scores in preparation for college . Early History . Hargrave Military Academy was founded in 1909 as the Chatham Training School ( CTS ) . CTS and its predecessor , the Warren Training School , were general training schools for boys . In 1925 , it was renamed in honor of one of its founders J . Hunt Hargrave , a well - to - do local farmer . The renaming was part of the school ' s evolution into a military high school , and is detailed in Colonel Aubrey H . Camden ' s 1959 book " " Fifty Years of Christian Education in a Baptist School : A Historical Record of Hargrave Military Academy " : " In the early twenties , national magazines served as an advertising medium for solicitation of students . Out - of - state inquiries soon convinced the management that Chatham Training School was being interpreted to mean an institution for incorrigibles . It was deemed wise to change the name to Hargrave Military Academy . This change in name served two purposes . First , it corrected a misunderstanding as to the type of clientele desired . Second , it established a permanent memorial to Mr . J . Hunt Hargrave , who sponsored the school with deep convictions , devout faith , and collateral security from 1909 until his death in 1935 . " T . Ryland Sanford resigned as President of CTS on February 19 , 1918 and recommended to the Board of Trustees that Aubrey H . Camden , then the Dean , be his successor . Camden assumed the position of President on June 1 , 1918 and would remain there for more than twenty years . In response to appeals from patrons and students for military training to be made part of the available academics , a formal government inspection was conducted and H . W . Thomas joined the Hargrave faculty as the first commandant in January 1919 . Hargrave has been approved for Junior ROTC ( JROTC ) numerous times since then , but many in the Hargrave community , most notably the Board of Trustees , feared that the addition of that program would put too much emphasis on military studies and lessen academics . Hargrave has consistently operated independent of JROTC , creating its own uniforms and cadet rank structure . Hargrave saw a significant rise in interest regarding its military aspects upon the attack on Pearl Harbor and the entry of the United States into the Second World War . During this time , cadets had to live in buildings near the Hargrave campus rather than on campus as they normally would have . On February 20 , 1950 , a fire ravaged the Academy , destroying the Old Building , Hargrave Hall , and Founders Hall . Not one cadet or staff member was harmed in the fire , but Sanford Hall alone remained , and at the time that building lacked heat and other accommodations . After an assembly before Colonel Camden in the Sanford Hall auditorium , a two - week vacation was declared . This was to allow time for Hargrave staff to work out a way to continue the regular academic schedule . Colonel Camden , in his book on the first fifty years of HMA ' s history , writes : " This institution was encouraged after the fire by many expressions of confidence in the form of letters , telegrams , and voluntary gifts from friends , patrons , and alumni . These communications came not only from Chatham and Virginia but from the North , South , East , West , and abroad . . . all the hearts and minds of these people were uplifted by the thought that from these ashes would be born a greater Hargrave . " On July 28 , 1951 , Colonel Joseph H . Cosby succeeded Colonel Aubrey H . Camden as President of HMA . Enrollment was at 214 for his first year as President , consisting of 183 boarding cadets and 31 day cadets . 1951 - Onward . The Camden Rifles , Hargrave ' s elite drill unit , was formed in 1951 in honor of Colonel Aubrey H . Camden . The Hargave yearbook , known as " The Oracle " and " The Talisman " through previous years , was renamed " The Cadence " in the same year . Many of Hargrave ' s current buildings were built during Colonel Cosby ' s time as President . The Walter R . Davis gymnasium was finished in 1961 and Camden Hall and Cosby Hall were finished in 1963 . The 1970s were highly significant years for Hargrave . Black cadets were admitted to Hargrave for the first time in the summer of 1971 , after the Board of Trustees passed a resolution that Hargrave would not consider race , color , or country of origin in its admission or employment policy and Colonel Vernon T . Lankford signed the Civil Rights Agreement . With enrollment at 586 for the 1970 - 1971 year , the Hargrave Corps of Cadets was organised into one corps consisting of two battalions . This change did not last long . But while the HMA Corps of Cadets has remained as a single battalion since 1971 , its commander is still a cadet colonel . Female cadets were admitted for the first time in the 1975 - 1976 year , and Geri Lou Huizinga and Lynn Emerson became the first women to graduate from HMA in 1976 . However , the Vietnam War years were not easy for Hargrave . Despite such changes as the admission of non - white and female cadets , enrollment dropped , funds became low , and many hard choices had to be made to save money . The school laundry was closed , and the postgraduate program dropped . By 1978 , Hargrave had already begun to recover . Enrollment increased , and school finances were more stable . The General Douglas MacArthur award was presented for the first time in 1981 , the first cadet to receive it being Henry A . Haymes . Ten years later , another first occurred as Andrew Ballen ' 91 became the first black battalion commander . By 2009 , the postgraduate program had returned and the four - week summer program a standard part of each year . Hargrave was an all - male school again , and Hargrave celebrated as the school turned one hundred years old under the leadership of Colonel Wheeler L . Baker . The 2010 HMA Summer Program had an enrollment of 140 cadets and ran from June 27 to July 24 , 2010 . On June 24 , 2011 , a change - of - command ceremony was held as Colonel Wheeler L . Baker turned over leadership of the school to Brigadier General Doyle Broome , Jr . , the first staff member above the rank of colonel to hold the office of President . Presiding over the 2011 summer program was Brigadier General Broome ' s first major act as President of Hargrave . Education . One of the purposes of Hargrave Military Academy is to get cadets ready for college . Both Standard and Advanced High School Diplomas are offered , as well as dual - enrollment classes through Danville Community College . In addition to the 7 - 12 grade middle and high school , a one - year postgraduate program is also offered . Organization . Hargrave is governed by a Board of Trustees , many of whom are alumni and community leaders . In addition , Hargrave has developed its own charitable foundation to allow philanthropists an opportunity to make gifts to the school . The school is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . The school is a member of the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States and the National Association of Independent Schools . The current president of Hargrave is Brigadier General Doyle Broome , Jr . , a retired US Army officer . Brigadier General Broome succeeded Colonel Wheeler Baker as President in a change - of - command ceremony in 2011 . Presidents of HMA : Military aspects . According to their website , " Hargrave ' s military program is designed to present an environment in which a Cadet may gain a sense of humor , commitment and fidelity . The daily exposure of a military environment assists Cadets in developing self - discipline , character , ethics , team building and leadership . " Military aspects include the wearing of uniforms , a military - style organization of personnel , ranks , and a chain of command . The military aspect is headed by the Commandant ( dean of students ) Michael Cloy , Col . USA ( ret . ) , the Commandant directly answers to the President . The Commandant has several TAC Officers that answer to him that each have a particular company that they are in charge of . Uniforms . Companies . The Corps of Cadets consists of a battalion divided into eight companies : Alpha , Bravo , Charlie , Delta , Echo , Golf , Band , and Headquarters . Cadets live with their respective companies on assigned barracks . Band Company is on Barracks 800 with Bravo Company , Battalion Staff lives on Barracks 600 with Delta Company , Golf Company on Barracks 300 and 400 , Charlie Company , the largest company , on Barracks 100 and 200 , Alpha company on Barracks 700 , and Bravo Company has Barracks 800 . Delta Company lives on Barracks 500 and 600 . Almost all rooms on the barracks are set up for two cadets to share . Some cadets with leadership positions , such as Battalion or Company Staffs , have their own rooms . Every six weeks grading period , an " Honor Company " is chosen . The honor company is the company with the best overall academic and military performance . For winning , the honor company is allowed to sleep in on Saturdays , eats first at mess , and display a streamer on their guidon . Rank . The rank structure at Hargrave is similar to that of the United States Army , the only changes being the exclusion of the rank of Specialist and the replacement of Private E - 1 with Basic Cadet ( BC ) . New cadets and those who are stripped of their rank have no insignia . In their freshman year , cadets can achieve up to the rank of Private First Class or even corporal on occasion . After going to Non - Commissioned Officers ( NCO ) School , cadets are able to get up to the rank of sergeant . After Senior Non - Commissioned Officers ( SNCO ) School , cadets can obtain numerous higher NCO ranks . One cadet is appointed to the rank of Command Sergeant Major , serving on Battalion staff as the highest - ranking NCO . The week before the start of their senior year , cadets have the option of attending Officer Candidate School ( OCS ) , which allows them to obtain commissioned officer ranks . The OCS Completion Ribbon is awarded to those cadets who finish OCS , but like all other ranks , a cadet officer ' s rank is not permanent and can be revoked . Cadet Officers . An officer , can hold many leadership positions ranging from platoon leader to Battalion Commander . The corps is run by the cadet officers and supervised by the military faculty members . From 1970 to 1973 , the corps had two battalion commanders and a corps commander . When the Corps was recombined into one battalion in 1973 , the position of Battalion Commander became the highest leadership position . The Battalion Commander is the commanding officer of the corps . Past Battalion / Corps Commanders include : Punishment . Any cadet that is caught violating a rule will receive punishment . There are many ways to get a " character report " and the severity of the character report reflects what your punishment will be . For minor things such as not being prepared , or not being on time , it can result in counseling with your TAC Officer , and he will help you if he thinks that there is a problem that you need to fix together , he will help you with it . If it is something more severe such as fighting or possession of tobacco products , it will result in PT from your TAC Officer or another staff member from the military department , if it is something that is reoccurring with a cadet , or a very severe case of fighting or possession of tobacco products , you can receive ISS ( In - School - Suspension ) , where you sit in the military office and receive 0 ' s on all of the work that you miss , or OSS ( Out of - School - Suspension ) , where your parents have to come pick you up and take you home and you receive 0 ' s on all work missed , and upon the General ' s discretion , you may be dismissed from the Academy . The honor code restricts cadets from lying , cheating , or stealing . Any cadet that violates , or is accused of violating any part of the honor code is sent to the Honor Council which consists of a panel of cadets that are elected by the student body , where , if found guilty , will be sentenced to punishment based on the severity of the incident . Punishment usually comes in the form of Honor Council tours which must be marched in Full Parade Uniform , but can include Motivational Platoon for repeat offenders , or expulsion . Clubs and organizations . There are many different clubs and organizations that cadets can participate in while attending Hargrave , including :