On April 7, several members of the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief were among a sizeable group of Coastal Carolina University students who were inducted in the local chapter of the Order of the Sword and Shield. The Order of the Sword and Shield is the national society that honors high academic achievement in intelligence studies, homeland security, and all protective security disciplines. Founded in 2010 at St. John’s University in New York City, the Order has chapters at more than 20 colleges and universities in the United States.

Dr. Acuff and Ben Malone

The stated mission of the Order is to “promote critical thinking, high scholarship and professional development; to further enhance the ethical standards of the protective security professions; and to cultivate a high order of personal living”. In addition to its academic purpose, the Order also plays a part in helping local communities prepare for safety and emergency conditions and sponsors many types of informational events throughout the year.

Spring 2017 inductees included CIB founder Ben Malone, CIB Executive Officers Blake Gutberlet and Casey Mallon, and CIB members Ethan Leyshon, Lindsey Hamilton, Rachel Drummond and Matthew Wagner. They were inducted in a formal ceremony officiated by Dr. Jonathan Acuff, Assistant Professor in the Intelligence and National Security Studies Program at Coastal Carolina University.