quote:
Ross Volunteers suspended after disruption
By Sarah Walch
February 06, 2003
Front Page
A&M helps in Air Quality Project
A&M recruits one of year's best teams
Blinn College hosts bone marrow drive
Mays says business not a monopoly
The Ross Volunteer Honor Corps association, an organization within Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets touted as the Honor Guard for the governor of Texas, has been temporarily suspended pending an investigation, said Maj. Doc Mills, Corps spokesman.
The Ross Volunteers attended the inauguration of Gov. Perry in Austin in January, and also marched in the inauguration parade for President Bush in January 2000.
The cadets were suspended after the Office of the Commandant received complaints from students and community members of harassment by the Ross Volunteers at a candlelight prayer vigil on Monday, Feb. 3.
The suspension comes just three months after the University Police Department began investigating allegations of hazing in Parsons Mounted Cavalry, a specialized Corps unit similar to the Ross Volunteers, in November.
The candlelight vigil was held to protest the possible war with Iraq and pray for peace near the Lawrence Sullivan Ross statue in Academic Plaza at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3.
Hugh Stearns, a vigil attendee and Class of 1992, said the behavior of the cadets was clearly antagonistic.
"They ran around the area screaming and yelling," he said. "Our ministers had to stop speaking. Some of the cadets glared (at us)."
Stearns said he was aware that Corps members jog on campus on a daily basis, but this situation was different.
Most of the Corps groups are extremely courteous, Stearns said.
From their actions Monday, however, "there was no loss of understanding as to the symbolism of their behavior," he said.
The A&M students at the vigil reserved the plaza through the University, Stearns said. The University Complex Center allows University-recognized student organizations to reserve the area by Rudder Fountain, the West Campus mall area and the area by Sul Ross in the Academic plaza, as "free speech zones."
He said about 30 people, including Bryan-College Station residents and A&M students, attended the event.
Unitarian minister Danita Noland was one of two ministers who spoke at the vigil.
Noland said halfway through the first minister's speech, one group of cadets arrived, and stopped near the group by a bench.
The chant the volunteers yelled when entering and leaving Academic plaza was "Some say freedom isn't free, but we know Aggies who paid the price," said Mike McCaig, a sophomore finance member and bystander at the event.
"After they moved off, I thought that was it. But during my speech, a second group approached," she said. "There was one large group behind us, and the leader got up on the bench and addressed the other cadets."
Noland said she heard the speaker talk about 'the people over there.'
She said 100-plus cadets then started running around outside the parameters of the group.
"A few of them (were) pointing (their) weapons at us in a menacing way," Noland said. "I think they thought it was funny."
Ross Volunteers carry real weapons that have been demilitarized, Mills said. He said the practice rifles are not operable, and serve a ceremonial purpose.
Noland said she spoke with the Office of the Commandant and representatives from Student Life.
"Everyone I have spoken to has been extremely responsive," she said. "There is a real commitment from the administration to see this thing through."
Noland said her hope is that hostilities between students will decrease, and that distrust is not increased between the Corps and students outside of the Corps.
On a campus of about 45,000, the Corps is made up of about 2,000 individuals.
This is not an attempt to get people in trouble, Noland said. But, she said, "this is not the kind of behavior most people would be proud of."
McCaig said he observed the protest and drill by the Ross Volunteers Monday night.
Any allegations of threats are unfounded, McCaig said.
"There was no contact between the two groups," he said. "The group of about 150 did their normal drills, but they didn't do anything to intimidate the group. No one drew their weapons or made any intimidating gestures."
Mills said the office of the Commandant does not condone the misconduct of cadets and will take disciplinary action if it is warranted.
If this is old news, sorry. But I am shocked the Office of the Commandant is siding with these people.
-- Staff]
