TAMU Class of 2015 Recognized

[Lawman32RPD]

The Texas A&M University (TAMU) Corps of Cadets Class of 2015 has been recognized. This occurred at the annual “March To The Brazos” (MTTB), which happened this past Saturday.

It has been a compressed six weeks for the now ex-Fish of 2015 since returning from spring break. On March 24th the Cadets participated in “The Big Event”. This was the 30th year anniversary for the Big Event. The Big Event has become a tradition of selfless service at Texas A&M, as thousands of students come together for one day to say, "Thank you," through service for the support from the Bryan and College Station communities. As the TAMU press release said “Call it a labor of love or an act of gratitude, but the work that the estimated 17,500 Texas A&M University students will perform in their annual Big Event community service project — the largest of its type in the nation – which has a monetary value of more than a half-million dollars. That's just using a minimum-wage yardstick. Rather than looking at it from a money perspective, the Aggies call it a manifestation of one of the university's core values: selfless service.” Participants used paint and brushes, rakes, shovels and other tools and faned out across the Bryan-College Station community to tackle more than 1,900 fix-up, pick-up and other projects as a way to say "thank you" to the community that hosts them during their days at Texas A&M.

On April 20th most of the Cadet units took part in the “Relay For Life”, a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. That involved unit activities and staying up all night. The next day, April 21, saw the reopening and rededication of the Memorial Student Center (MSC) at TAMU. The complex had been knocked down and rebuilt over the past three years so most of the TAMU students and Corps Members had never been inside. The new building, which cost $125m to construct, with $88m paid for by students, is referred to as the living room of the University. Governor Perry was among the dignitaries present for the opening ceremony. The MSC is a memorial to the Aggies who have given their lives in defense of the country and includes a Hall of Honor to the Aggies who have received the Medal of Honor.

On Saturday, April 28th the TAMU Corps had its annual MTTB. According to Wikipedia the MTTB is the largest and most successful student-led fundraiser for the March of Dimes in the United States. Since its inception the MTTB has now raised over $2m for the March of Dimes. The annual event is organized and comprised completely of TAMU Corps Members. The MTTB consists of an 18 miles round-trip road march starting from their dorms in the Quadrangle, through Main Campus and West Campus to Texas A&M's Animal Science Teaching, Research & Extension Complex (ASTREC) near the east bank of the Brazos River. After the first leg of the march, cadets participate in various competitions (tug-of-war, relay races, etc.), eat lunch, and un-officially transfer ranks for the following school year. The day concludes with the march back under the leadership of the next Class, while the Class of the current year (seniors) ride buses back to campus. As a part of being recognized the now ex-Fish "drop handles" with upper classmembers, which means they can have regular conversations and use first names (as opposed to be "Fish Last Name").


The next afternoon the members of the Corps women’s basketball team, including our Fish daughter, won the TAMU intermurral championship. They then had a "spa evening" and tended to some rather sore feet and blisters.

On Saturday, May 5th, the TAMU Corps will conduct its “Final Review.” Final Review is the last activity of the Corps of Cadets as a unit before it is dismissed for the summer. It is a full military review at Kyle Field of the entire Corps of Cadets separated into two passes. As Wikipedia says: “Final review is the last activity that Corps members participate in as a unit. This full military review takes place at the end of the spring semester on Simpson Drill Field, and is in two parts. The entire Corps march past a reviewing stand, which consists of high ranking military and university officials, for inspection. The Corps then returns to their dorms to change into the uniforms they will wear the following year, with the juniors donning their Senior Boots. The freshmen, sophomores, and juniors then march in formation past the reviewing stand, which is now filled with the senior cadets, saluting their former leaders.” For the uninitiated (as we were before our daughter matriculated) “One of a senior cadet's "most cherished possessions" are his Senior Boots. Only seniors are allowed to wear these knee-high riding boots, and most consider receiving their boots to be a rite of passage. All Senior Boots are custom-made to fit the cadet and are a dark tan to brown color. Students wear their Senior Boots for the first time after Final Review as juniors while saluting the outgoing seniors.”

Congratulations to the TAMU Class of 2015!

 

[Lawman32RPD]

I knew I forgot something (happens when you weren’t privileged enough to be an Aggie).

On April 21st, the Corps also participated in the venerated Aggie tradition of the Muster. As Wikipedia reports the Aggie Muster is a time-honored tradition at Texas A&M University which celebrates the camaraderie of the school while remembering the lives of Aggies who have died, specifically those in the past year. Muster officially began on April 21, 1922 as a day for remembrance of fellow Aggies. Muster ceremonies today take place in approximately 320 locations globally including Kabul, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.. The "Roll Call for the Absent" commemorates Aggies, former and current students, who died that year. Aggies light candles, and friends and families of Aggies who died that year answer “here” when the name of their loved one is “called”. Campus muster also serves as a 50th year class reunion for the corresponding graduating class. The most wellknown Aggie Muster took place during World War II in 1942 on the Philippine island of Corregidor. At this time, Corregidor was the last American stronghold against the Japanese forces in the Philippines, and Japanese artillery and warplanes were constantly attacking. An estimated 1.8 million pounds of shells pounded the island in one five-hour stretch. The American artillery commander on Corregidor was Brigadier General George F. Moore, a 1908 graduate of Texas A&M. With the help of Major Tom Dooley, class of 1935, Moore gathered the names of 25 other Aggies under his command. Despite the fierce fighting as the Japanese laid siege to the island, on April 21, 1942 Moore held a roll call—known as muster in army terms—calling the names of each of the Aggies under his command. Only twelve of the twenty-five survived the battle and the POW camps to which the survivors were sent Dooley told a United Press correspondent about the gathering, and the reporter sent an article back to the USA about the 25 Aggies who had "Mustered." The story captured the imagination of the country and "helped boost American spirits at a time a lift was badly needed."(T. R. Louder, the last known Corregidor Muster survivor, died on May 21, 2001, and his name was called at Muster 2002 in College Station.).

 

[kinnem]

I knew I forgot something (happens when you weren’t privileged enough to be an Aggie).

On April 21st, the Corps also participated in the venerated Aggie tradition of the Muster. As Wikipedia reports the Aggie Muster is a time-honored tradition at Texas A&M University which celebrates the camaraderie of the school while remembering the lives of Aggies who have died, specifically those in the past year. Muster officially began on April 21, 1922 as a day for remembrance of fellow Aggies. Muster ceremonies today take place in approximately 320 locations globally including Kabul, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.. The "Roll Call for the Absent" commemorates Aggies, former and current students, who died that year. Aggies light candles, and friends and families of Aggies who died that year answer “here” when the name of their loved one is “called”. Campus muster also serves as a 50th year class reunion for the corresponding graduating class. The most wellknown Aggie Muster took place during World War II in 1942 on the Philippine island of Corregidor. At this time, Corregidor was the last American stronghold against the Japanese forces in the Philippines, and Japanese artillery and warplanes were constantly attacking. An estimated 1.8 million pounds of shells pounded the island in one five-hour stretch. The American artillery commander on Corregidor was Brigadier General George F. Moore, a 1908 graduate of Texas A&M. With the help of Major Tom Dooley, class of 1935, Moore gathered the names of 25 other Aggies under his command. Despite the fierce fighting as the Japanese laid siege to the island, on April 21, 1942 Moore held a roll call—known as muster in army terms—calling the names of each of the Aggies under his command. Only twelve of the twenty-five survived the battle and the POW camps to which the survivors were sent Dooley told a United Press correspondent about the gathering, and the reporter sent an article back to the USA about the 25 Aggies who had "Mustered." The story captured the imagination of the country and "helped boost American spirits at a time a lift was badly needed."(T. R. Louder, the last known Corregidor Muster survivor, died on May 21, 2001, and his name was called at Muster 2002 in College Station.).

Very moving. Thanks for posting that.