El Guero said:

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I'm not sure asking parents of cadets that weren't cadets themselves is a great idea. I'm not saying you can't get good opinions, but something about from the outside you can't understand and something about from the inside you can't explain.

They need to be asking themselves why are 70+% of our current cadets not willing to recruit highschool seniors. Major red flag! If you dropped that % to 30%, it would still be a major cause for concern. Current cadets are your absolute best recruiting tool. If you've lost them, you've done something horribly wrong.

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Good point. When I was dropped off for the last orientation of the summer, me and my parents knew nothing about Texas A&M. We had never been on campus, never been to a football game, had no idea what a "Corps of Cadets" was and certainly didn't know I was going to be a part of it. My high school counselor said if I wanted to be an engineer, I should to A&M....true story. My Dad was very religious. First thing we saw, as I was moving stuff into Dorm 7 was a huge banner, high up on Dorm 5 that showed Old Sarge holding a used condom over a toilet with the caption "Flush the Trojans"! This was Fall of 1963. I thought he was going to tell me to load the car and go home.

TLDNR....many parents know nothing about the Corps!

El Guero said:

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I'm not sure asking parents of cadets that weren't cadets themselves is a great idea. I'm not saying you can't get good opinions, but something about from the outside you can't understand and something about from the inside you can't explain.

They need to be asking themselves why are 70+% of our current cadets not willing to recruit highschool seniors. Major red flag! If you dropped that % to 30%, it would still be a major cause for concern. Current cadets are your absolute best recruiting tool. If you've lost them, you've done something horribly wrong.

---

Agree. The complete survey was just those three questions verbatim from the email. In each of my responses I started with "It's hard to answer this without you defining what the actual perceived problem is."

For example, I did not realize there was an issue with leadership not being "immersive or intentional." What does this mean? What problem are they trying to solve? Who thinks there is a problem?

I think a lot of cadet parents are going to get this email and wonder what the heck is going on, because they didn't know about any of the proposed changes to begin with.

Tellingly, the final screen says:

Quote:

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Thank you for your feedback on these three important questions. Your input is valuable as we work towards an implementation plan.

---

So they are still moving forward. This very much feels like an attempt to smooth things over and pretend like they are asking for input. I have no confidence they are listening.

Maybe asking the parents was intentional. They may respond 'ok, this seems reasonable', adding to the sample size in justifying what the commandant wants to do.

I'm a parent of a current cadet and a former cadet and did not receive that. This in addition to being a scholarship donor .

Tailgate88 said:

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For example, I did not realize there was an issue with leadership not being "immersive or intentional." What does this mean? What problem are they trying to solve? Who thinks there is a problem?
<...>
So they are still moving forward. This very much feels like an attempt to smooth things over and pretend like they are asking for input. I have no confidence they are listening.

---

Agreed. I still don't know what "problem" they're trying to solve, or what new outcome they're trying to create.

I just got off a training call discussing recruiting, hiring, etc., so I'm filled to the brim with HR speak right now.

The compare/contrast with cadets versus the real world is:

• We're not paying them (although arguably with some of the scholarship awards for out of state students, we are giving them a huge price break on tuition)
• They're not generating revenue or profit margin for Texas A&M, or really even the State of Texas since there's no State Income Tax

We're 2-3 weeks into this thing and I still don't understand the goal? And I graduated from Texas A&M with 8 semesters in the Corps of Cadets + Aggie Band.

The more I learn about it the more I believe that they are trying to pinch back the amount of D&C cadets. They take up a meaningful amount of the resources available, donations, dorm space, classroom space. They can also strong arm contract cadets more so than D&C.

Can anyone confirm or provide more details on the "banning the RVs for two years" comment?

I find that one wild. What did FDT, PMC or RVs do to get thrown into this discussion?

I just sent a note to a current RV to learn about that.

buzzardb267 said:

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El Guero said:

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I'm not sure asking parents of cadets that weren't cadets themselves is a great idea. I'm not saying you can't get good opinions, but something about from the outside you can't understand and something about from the inside you can't explain.

They need to be asking themselves why are 70+% of our current cadets not willing to recruit highschool seniors. Major red flag! If you dropped that % to 30%, it would still be a major cause for concern. Current cadets are your absolute best recruiting tool. If you've lost them, you've done something horribly wrong.

---

Good point. When I was dropped off for the last orientation of the summer, me and my parents knew nothing about Texas A&M. We had never been on campus, never been to a football game, had no idea what a "Corps of Cadets" was and certainly didn't know I was going to be a part of it. My high school counselor said if I wanted to be an engineer, I should to A&M....true story. My Dad was very religious. First thing we saw, as I was moving stuff into Dorm 7 was a huge banner, high up on Dorm 5 that showed Old Sarge holding a used condom over a toilet with the caption "Flush the Trojans"! This was Fall of 1963. I thought he was going to tell me to load the car and go home.

TLDNR....many parents know nothing about the Corps!

---

Condoms were around back then.

Tailgate88 said:

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El Guero said:

---

I'm not sure asking parents of cadets that weren't cadets themselves is a great idea. I'm not saying you can't get good opinions, but something about from the outside you can't understand and something about from the inside you can't explain.

They need to be asking themselves why are 70+% of our current cadets not willing to recruit highschool seniors. Major red flag! If you dropped that % to 30%, it would still be a major cause for concern. Current cadets are your absolute best recruiting tool. If you've lost them, you've done something horribly wrong.

---

Agree. The complete survey was just those three questions verbatim from the email. In each of my responses I started with "It's hard to answer this without you defining what the actual perceived problem is."

For example, I did not realize there was an issue with leadership not being "immersive or intentional." What does this mean? What problem are they trying to solve? Who thinks there is a problem?

I think a lot of cadet parents are going to get this email and wonder what the heck is going on, because they didn't know about any of the proposed changes to begin with.

Tellingly, the final screen says:

Quote:

---

Thank you for your feedback on these three important questions. Your input is valuable as we work towards an implementation plan.

---

So they are still moving forward. This very much feels like an attempt to smooth things over and pretend like they are asking for input. I have no confidence they are listening.

---

This guy has shown who he is. Of course he is going to go forward.

I'm very curious about this as well. I'd appreciate any info you can gather.

Apparently Ol Sarge had them! I admit, I was a small town, country boy and I was shocked at seeing that too. Our high school went to state shortly after I got back from Vietnam and I shoe polished BTHO whoever they were playing on my car and went to Austin for the game. Most of my family thought that was scandalous!

'Unroll the Trojans' was the battle cry my high school cheerleaders painted on the spirit banners the week of the matchup against Beeville. Those poor girls got into a lot of trouble over that. Then we got our asses beat on the football field.

buzzardb267 said:

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El Guero said:

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I'm not sure asking parents of cadets that weren't cadets themselves is a great idea. I'm not saying you can't get good opinions, but something about from the outside you can't understand and something about from the inside you can't explain.

They need to be asking themselves why are 70+% of our current cadets not willing to recruit highschool seniors. Major red flag! If you dropped that % to 30%, it would still be a major cause for concern. Current cadets are your absolute best recruiting tool. If you've lost them, you've done something horribly wrong.

---

Good point. When I was dropped off for the last orientation of the summer, me and my parents knew nothing about Texas A&M. We had never been on campus, never been to a football game, had no idea what a "Corps of Cadets" was and certainly didn't know I was going to be a part of it. My high school counselor said if I wanted to be an engineer, I should to A&M....true story. My Dad was very religious. First thing we saw, as I was moving stuff into Dorm 7 was a huge banner, high up on Dorm 5 that showed Old Sarge holding a used condom over a toilet with the caption "Flush the Trojans"! This was Fall of 1963. I thought he was going to tell me to load the car and go home.

TLDNR....many parents know nothing about the Corps!

---

Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

Do RVs still highport their rifles above their heads?

Now those were good times!!

MEATBALLS

Asking as a BQ who didn't pay any attention to RVs at all, isn't highporting about 90% of being an RV?

Aggie Therapist said:

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Do RVs still highport their rifles above their heads?

Now those were good times!!

MEATBALLS

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Probably not considering guidons stopped high porting a while back.

ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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My father's fish year.

TX_COWDOC said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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My father's fish year.

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My father's zip year. He tells your father to push.

aTmAg said:

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TX_COWDOC said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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My father's fish year.

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My father's zip year. He tells your father to push.

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My dad's class of 58 and he says hit a brace cadet!!

ABATTBQ87 said:

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aTmAg said:

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TX_COWDOC said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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My father's fish year.

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My father's zip year. He tells your father to push.

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My dad's class of 58 and he says hit a brace cadet!!

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My Dad was '58 as well!

El Guero said:

---

I'm not sure asking parents of cadets that weren't cadets themselves is a great idea. I'm not saying you can't get good opinions, but something about from the outside you can't understand and something about from the inside you can't explain.

They need to be asking themselves why are 70+% of our current cadets not willing to recruit highschool seniors. Major red flag! If you dropped that % to 30%, it would still be a major cause for concern. Current cadets are your absolute best recruiting tool. If you've lost them, you've done something horribly wrong.

---

Asking parents completely smacks of getting the answers they want to hear.


Really interested to hear what the issues with the RVs is. My grandfather was an RV and was very proud of it.

Dang, I think my grandfather was 12 years old in 1963.

ABATTBQ87 said:

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buzzardb267 said:

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El Guero said:

---

I'm not sure asking parents of cadets that weren't cadets themselves is a great idea. I'm not saying you can't get good opinions, but something about from the outside you can't understand and something about from the inside you can't explain.

They need to be asking themselves why are 70+% of our current cadets not willing to recruit highschool seniors. Major red flag! If you dropped that % to 30%, it would still be a major cause for concern. Current cadets are your absolute best recruiting tool. If you've lost them, you've done something horribly wrong.

---

Good point. When I was dropped off for the last orientation of the summer, me and my parents knew nothing about Texas A&M. We had never been on campus, never been to a football game, had no idea what a "Corps of Cadets" was and certainly didn't know I was going to be a part of it. My high school counselor said if I wanted to be an engineer, I should to A&M....true story. My Dad was very religious. First thing we saw, as I was moving stuff into Dorm 7 was a huge banner, high up on Dorm 5 that showed Old Sarge holding a used condom over a toilet with the caption "Flush the Trojans"! This was Fall of 1963. I thought he was going to tell me to load the car and go home.

TLDNR....many parents know nothing about the Corps!

---

Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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And Ol Army Lou (Loupot)...."your book isn't worth anything Aggie, but I'll give you a dollar for your friendship". Seriously, somebody stopped me in the hall and told me to fall out at 0530 in low quarters, jeans and a t-shirt and we were going to learn to march! I didn't see that anywhere on my schedule! Talk about culture shock...

aggie93 said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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aTmAg said:

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TX_COWDOC said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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My father's fish year.

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My father's zip year. He tells your father to push.

---

My dad's class of 58 and he says hit a brace cadet!!

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My Dad was '58 as well!

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What outfit? My dad was C Armor

ABATTBQ87 said:

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aggie93 said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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aTmAg said:

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TX_COWDOC said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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My father's fish year.

---

My father's zip year. He tells your father to push.

---

My dad's class of 58 and he says hit a brace cadet!!

---

My Dad was '58 as well!

---

What outfit? My dad was C Armor

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He was in the Filthy Fifth and later was Head Yell Leader.

aggie93 said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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aggie93 said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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aTmAg said:

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TX_COWDOC said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

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My father's fish year.

---

My father's zip year. He tells your father to push.

---

My dad's class of 58 and he says hit a brace cadet!!

---

My Dad was '58 as well!

---

What outfit? My dad was C Armor

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He was in the Filthy Fifth and later was Head Yell Leader.

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I'd reconsider doxxing the guy's dad.
Let the trolls and cyberstalkers out there do their own legwork.

Are hometown clubs still a thing? We had one for our county. I think we met about once a semester.

All those guys look like they're in their 40s to me...

cecil77 said:

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All those guys look like they're in their 40s to me...

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Do you think a handle of Navajo would fly today?

ABATTBQ87 said:

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aggie93 said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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aggie93 said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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aTmAg said:

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TX_COWDOC said:

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ABATTBQ87 said:

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Sept 12, 1963 Battalion

---

My father's fish year.

---

My father's zip year. He tells your father to push.

---

My dad's class of 58 and he says hit a brace cadet!!

---

My Dad was '58 as well!

---

What outfit? My dad was C Armor

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He was in the Filthy Fifth and later was Head Yell Leader.

---

---

Dad met the definition of the hard core old Ag. Got an Opportunity Award Scholarship that gave him a chance to get out of Dirt Farming in West Texas and gave back in time and money to A&M without hesitation. He volunteered and would do anything he could to help out any A&M related cause but he especially loved to just find people that he saw struggling at A&M or that he thought might make good Aggies and help them however he could. Class Agent for decades. After he retired I loved to look in his closet as it was completely filled with Maroon Polos on top and Khaki slacks on bottom, though Mom would try and sneak in a few others every so often he just wore Aggie gear if he could help it. When he passed a few years ago had over 300 people at his Wake in Bryan and it was more like a big party, finished it off with a Yell Practice with 17 Current and Former Yell Leaders. Just don't make 'em like that anymore.

HollywoodBQ said:

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I'd reconsider doxxing the guy's dad.
Let the trolls and cyberstalkers out there do their own legwork.

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It's ok, Dad is leading Yells in Heaven now.

I wasn't worried about your dad. Sounds like he was awesome.
I've enjoyed reading your writing on this site and I was just trying to help you out on a thread with such a hot button topic.

aggie93 said:

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HollywoodBQ said:

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I'd reconsider doxxing the guy's dad.
Let the trolls and cyberstalkers out there do their own legwork.

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It's ok, Dad is leading Yells in Heaven now.

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Upon graduation from Texas A&M, Ted joined the United States Air Force where he began a distinguished career of over 28 years, with extensive service in Vietnam and eventually retired as a USAF Colonel. After his military post and later successful career as an executive at Hochheim Prairie Insurance, Teddy retired to his beloved College Station so that he could "Worship at the Aggie Shrine on a daily basis", and become a season ticket holder in multiple sports. He regularly attended and volunteered at the 12th Man Museum as well as many other Aggie causes he supported throughout his years of retirement.