Just want to share the latest for those that care to know...I'll keep it short...

A handful of years ago, Gen Joe Ramirez became Commandant of the Corps. He hired several retired military guys as Cadet Training Officers (CTO's). This is basically like a military advisor except they actually train cadets how to be "better" (to their standards) and reprimand cadets as they see fit. Basically these guys are roaming around the Quad looking for things to correct. They are higher ranked than any Zip.

Gen Ramirez retired to VP of Student Affairs and was replaced as Commandant by Gen Patrick Michaelis. Gen Michaelis continued forward with the CTO model. As we know, Gen Michaelis was recently relieved. When Gen Michaelis was relieved, most people don't know this, but Gen Joe Ramirez was also relieved of his duties as VP of Student Affairs. These 2 guys were working hand in hand to change the Corps: CTO's + DEI. Just radical changes across the board that basically got them both fired. Last time I checked, Gen Ramirez was still on the website at his position, but from what I heard, the BOD voted unanimously to fire him back in July.

In fact, I heard recently that Gen Ramirez is actually still "on the job" and has recently filed another investigation into one of the top outfits in the Corps. I just don't understand how a guy that was fired 2.5 months ago for trying to change the Corps is still pulling strings on the Quad. It's a lot of politics if you ask me. Why hasn't Gen Welsh gotten rid of these guys if the BOR wants them fired??

The sad part about these CTO's is that they are correcting our cadets based on their experiences in the ARMY, NAVY, AIR Force, etc. As former cadets know, we are NOT the military here. Half of us are D&C. We do things a unique way, the Aggie Corps way, and it's worked for us for 100+ years. These CTO's are changing our traditions. They won't let the kids lead themselves. Won't give them room to fail. Don't like how Aggies do it? HWY 6 Runs Both Ways Fellas!!

Yeah but, this time it's true.

Ulysses90 said:

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Quo Vadis? said:

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Tom Kazansky 2012 said:

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Quo Vadis? said:

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My Uncle was in the Trigon under General Van Alstyne and then Under General Ramirez; he quickly quit a few months under General Ramirez.

Said Ramirez was a total political animal and womanizer. Complete DEI hire before DEI was a thing. Ramirez wanted nothing more than to pack the quad with cadets from the inner city and the valley and make sure there were enough minorities and women as First Butt and CO.

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I was in the corps during the switch.

I think Ramirez is a pitiful leader and a total loser. I'll leave it at that. I am actively preparing my boys to join a frat instead of the corps. My saber and corps stuff are on display in my office. That guys sucks and doesn't belong on our campus in any leadership capacity.

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I was in during the switch from General Hopgood to Van Alstyne. Van Alstyne made life much easier for fish but didn't change too much else, and was decently well liked by cadets.

I always thought Col Groves or Col Betty should have gotten a shot at the spot but it was always important for them to have a General at the top spot

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Jack Betty would have been an excellent choice. The is a bit of irony on insisting on a General officer to be commandant but selecting Brigadier Generals. Being a General is a second career in uniform unto itself.
More than two thirds of Brigadier Generals are promoted to Major General. That tells you something about the hiring criteria of Texas A&M when they went from a history of two and three star retired Generals to two successive Brigadier Generals.

It is no coincidence that in the culmination of Once an Eagle that Sam Damon never made it over the hurdle to be a General but was a selfless leader to the end and Courtney Massengale was the eternal Brigadier General. The university seems to be picking Massengales by design to do to the institution what Massengales do.

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From what I have heard, that was a big question mark behind the General Ramirez hiring. You go from a 3 star to a 1 star? But General Ramirez has a great story, a Hispanic kid from inner city Houston who got out and achieved great success in the military.

Quo Vadis? said:

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Ulysses90 said:

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Quo Vadis? said:

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Tom Kazansky 2012 said:

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Quo Vadis? said:

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My Uncle was in the Trigon under General Van Alstyne and then Under General Ramirez; he quickly quit a few months under General Ramirez.

Said Ramirez was a total political animal and womanizer. Complete DEI hire before DEI was a thing. Ramirez wanted nothing more than to pack the quad with cadets from the inner city and the valley and make sure there were enough minorities and women as First Butt and CO.

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I was in the corps during the switch.

I think Ramirez is a pitiful leader and a total loser. I'll leave it at that. I am actively preparing my boys to join a frat instead of the corps. My saber and corps stuff are on display in my office. That guys sucks and doesn't belong on our campus in any leadership capacity.

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I was in during the switch from General Hopgood to Van Alstyne. Van Alstyne made life much easier for fish but didn't change too much else, and was decently well liked by cadets.

I always thought Col Groves or Col Betty should have gotten a shot at the spot but it was always important for them to have a General at the top spot

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Jack Betty would have been an excellent choice. The is a bit of irony on insisting on a General officer to be commandant but selecting Brigadier Generals. Being a General is a second career in uniform unto itself.
More than two thirds of Brigadier Generals are promoted to Major General. That tells you something about the hiring criteria of Texas A&M when they went from a history of two and three star retired Generals to two successive Brigadier Generals.

It is no coincidence that in the culmination of Once an Eagle that Sam Damon never made it over the hurdle to be a General but was a selfless leader to the end and Courtney Massengale was the eternal Brigadier General. The university seems to be picking Massengales by design to do to the institution what Massengales do.

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From what I have heard, that was a big question mark behind the General Ramirez hiring. You go from a 3 star to a 1 star? But General Ramirez has a great story, a Hispanic kid from inner city Houston who got out and achieved great success in the military.

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In thought that Texas A&M had already checked that box with Henry Cisneros (though in politics and not the military)?

I was in B Company, same outfit as Ramirez, when he was a O6. The guy was a legend that people still told stories about 30 years later. Hell, when I was first butt, during one of my seemingly monthly epsidodes of being called into Lt Col Mallahan's office (he was in charge of discipline at the time)he pulled out BCOs file and compared it to other outfits and it was twice as thick as other outfits other than maybe one or two others. That was Ramirez's legacy and we were proud of it at the time.

Ramirez would come and visit from time to time and always talked the talk. I was really excited when he took over as I expected him to get rid of some of GVA's softer policies. What a disappointment.

I think that Ramirez being fired would be news to him. I have sat in meetings with him within the last month. Is "quiet firing" a thing now, too?

You've received incorrect information.
This is not the case.

Quo Vadis? said:

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Tom Kazansky 2012 said:

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Quo Vadis? said:

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My Uncle was in the Trigon under General Van Alstyne and then Under General Ramirez; he quickly quit a few months under General Ramirez.

Said Ramirez was a total political animal and womanizer. Complete DEI hire before DEI was a thing. Ramirez wanted nothing more than to pack the quad with cadets from the inner city and the valley and make sure there were enough minorities and women as First Butt and CO.

---

I was in the corps during the switch.

I think Ramirez is a pitiful leader and a total loser. I'll leave it at that. I am actively preparing my boys to join a frat instead of the corps. My saber and corps stuff are on display in my office. That guys sucks and doesn't belong on our campus in any leadership capacity.

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I was in during the switch from General Hopgood to Van Alstyne. Van Alstyne made life much easier for fish but didn't change too much else, and was decently well liked by cadets.

I always thought Col Groves or Col Betty should have gotten a shot at the spot but it was always important for them to have a General at the top spot

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Agreed.

Mallahan hated my guts. He knew that we were up to no good, but I was really good at making sure that we were reasonably covered will vague military letters. I was temporarily removed as 1SG 3 times and CO twice by him. My ol lady loved it, he'd make sure we went to evening formation in Bs so he could throw on my tabs and carry a saber just to screw with me.

BCO07 said:

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Mallahan hated my guts. He knew that we were up to no good, but I was really good at making sure that we were reasonably covered will vague military letters. I was temporarily removed as 1SG 3 times and CO twice by him. My ol lady loved it, he'd make sure we went to evening formation in Bs so he could throw on my tabs and carry a saber just to screw with me.

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Damn I miss those days

Most of your post is incorrect.

I could have said "your entire post is wrong" but was being polite.

much of the trigon staff placed by either of these bozos needs to removed. with an interim commandant they are likely calling the shots and still influencing policy.

the chief of staff is a good place to start

92AG10 said:

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I could have said "your entire post is wrong" but was being polite.

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Clearly his entire post is not wrong.

Are you just here to troll? We see that a lot with P board posters. Are you Ramirez's friend? Do you work in the Trigon? Can you add anything to the discussion? Where is OP wrong?

So freaking dumb. While certainly the long term benefits in development of character and virtue where all above board, what I remember most fondly would absolutely be considered hazing in today's world (probably then, too). It's like they don't remember what it was like to be 18-22 years old.

The larger issue is that the last 2 commandants allowed University discipline to take the lead on all Corps discipline.

It lead to a large number of cadets facing a hostile hearing of non-regs with fairly predictable results.

I was told that the new university president and a few others ended that practice and has allowed the Corps discipline process to take the lead on issues that are directly related to Corps issues.

Maybe Ramirez isn't as fired as the OP thinks?

Tom Kazansky 2012 said:

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Quo Vadis? said:

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My Uncle was in the Trigon under General Van Alstyne and then Under General Ramirez; he quickly quit a few months under General Ramirez.

Said Ramirez was a total political animal and womanizer. Complete DEI hire before DEI was a thing. Ramirez wanted nothing more than to pack the quad with cadets from the inner city and the valley and make sure there were enough minorities and women as First Butt and CO.

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I was in the corps during the switch.

I think Ramirez is a pitiful leader and a total loser. I'll leave it at that. I am actively preparing my boys to join a frat instead of the corps. My saber and corps stuff are on display in my office. That guys sucks and doesn't belong on our campus in any leadership capacity.

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So because of "poor leadership", you're encouraging your kids to join a fraternity?
The irony is so ironic.