https://www.kbtx.com/2025/01/13/texas-am-names-4-finalists-corps-commandant-search/

I don't have an opinion on any candidate. The prior commandant was a hot topic here a few months ago. These are the four finalists being considered to replace him. PSA if you will.

Should be between the two Ags.

Not too optimistic about the Air Force Academy grad.

Interesting there is a non-flag/general officer rank in there. Not saying it is good bad or indifferent, just interesting. How long has it been since that has hapened?

Baxter and Bierman have the best resumes IMO. Don't want anyone who ever set foot at a service academy.

AgBQ-00 said:

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Interesting there is a non-flag/general officer rank in there. Not saying it is good bad or indifferent, just interesting. How long has it been since that has hapened?

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Had Colonel Woodall for years

HumbleAg04 said:

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Should be between the two Ags.

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No. Lengyel was an Air Force Academy commandant. That's a disqualifier for me given the resulting disaster that came from recent re-orgs to make the Corps of Cadets more similar to the service academies.

that was the late 70's and early 80's right?

yes

AgBQ-00 said:

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Interesting there is a non-flag/general officer rank in there. Not saying it is good bad or indifferent, just interesting. How long has it been since that has hapened?

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. Best commandant I've seen was a Colonel. Parsons.

Worked with Baxter at TAMU Naval ROTC detachment 1999 - 2001 - very solid guy and huge Aggie .

The current Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) General Eric M. Smith was also there at this time ..... another great guy and huge Aggie.

B-1 83 said:

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AgBQ-00 said:

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Interesting there is a non-flag/general officer rank in there. Not saying it is good bad or indifferent, just interesting. How long has it been since that has hapened?

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Had Colonel Woodall for years

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Colonel Burton '56, commandandant 1983 to 1986

lb3 said:

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Baxter and Bierman have the best resumes IMO. Don't want anyone who ever set foot at a service academy.

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Agreed.

Baxter is an Aggie and has a lot of experience in private business. With half of the Corps being D&C, I feel like that's an important qualifier.

Bierman isn't an Aggie, but I have a lot of respect for VMI. He's also got a long history of relevant experience in the Marines.

Lengyel has been a commandant before, but considering it was the AFA, I have reservations.

Nichols doesn't move the needle for me at all.


Honestly, if I had to pick right now, I'd say Baxter. He doesn't have stars, but I'm fine with that. He put in enough time to become a Navy captain and knows what it takes to build a military career. I also like his history in the business world and the fact he's not a career military guy with no clue what to do with D&C cadets. Seems the most well rounded and what the Corps actually needs, even if he doesn't have the flashy rank.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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lb3 said:

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Baxter and Bierman have the best resumes IMO. Don't want anyone who ever set foot at a service academy.

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Agreed.

Baxter is an Aggie and has a lot of experience in private business. With half of the Corps being D&C, I feel like that's an important qualifier.

Bierman isn't an Aggie, but I have a lot of respect for VMI. He's also got a long history of relevant experience in the Marines.

Lengyel has been a commandant before, but considering it was the AFA, I have reservations.

Nichols doesn't move the needle for me at all.


Honestly, if I had to pick right now, I'd say Baxter. He doesn't have stars, but I'm fine with that. He put in enough time to become a Navy captain and knows what it takes to build a military career. I also like his history in the business world and the fact he's not a career military guy with no clue what to do with D&C cadets. Seems the most well rounded and what the Corps actually needs, even if he doesn't have the flashy rank.

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Meaning we will do the typical Aggie thing and pick Nichols.

and the AFA commandant during the Obama administration

W said:

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and the AFA commandant during the Obama administration

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Not exceptionally impressed with any of them.

Not saying their resumes aren't impressive, but I keep feeling like they're all executive paper pushers.


exceptional engagement and a commitment to the individual in the corps is essential. You've gotta move away from emphasis on group health.

The kids nowadays aren't proud to be in the corps and in particular don't seem to have a lot of outfit pride.


You gotta be able to develop ass kickers again. Lots of confidence and high motivation.

Discussion here as well:

https://texags.com/forums/63/topics/3522563

https://executivesearches.tamu.edu/open-searches/commandant-search/finalist-information/index.html

My comments from there for here:

I know Baxter fairly well and he would be a good choice. His son is a zip this year so he is aware of the recent Corps from a cadet/parent stand point. Also retired to CSTAT to be closer to family.

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I know I am biased, but I would be less worried about stars and more about character and vision.

Some 'stars" seem like bureaucrats to me. Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Baxter

Welsh was also previously commandant at the AFA, that may be why there's interest there.

For clarity - the Commandant of Cadets at the service academies is roughly analogous to the VPSA at A&M.

The Superintendent is the equivalent of the university president, and is usually a 3-star on their final posting, although for West Point, at least, they appointed a recently retired 3-star to the post. Putting someone who isn't going to get promoted any further is supposed to keep promotion seeking out of decision making.

That makes me lean even more towards him. Hopefully we don't eff this up.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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That makes me lean even more towards him. Hopefully we don't eff this up.

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After what welsh just did with that conference, I'm not hopeful things aren't screwed up. Eve since van alstyne was named, this position has been a mess.

Not if I can help it!


Obviously I need to limit my comments to his strength character until the process is over.

Greg Lengyel is a classmate of mine, Class of 85'. He was Wing Commander our zip year and was very redass. He was the epitome of what a sharp cadet is supposed to be. Just because he was Commandant of the AFA which he was the 2nd Aggie to hold that position, has zero to do with how he would be as the Commandant of the Corps.
Let's be clear, GRAM totally screwed up the Corps. He was a poison to not just the Corps, but to the University. He was the original DEI hire.

The current Corps is a joke. I was at the Rally to the Guidon 2 years ago and witnessed a cadet Corps that was basically a frat. There is no class destination. They are all buddies with each other. They look like crap in uniform. They have no pride in how they march, or how they behave as cadets. They are fat and out of shape. I looked at my old Aggieland and the pictures of how the Corps looked then as compared to now and it's night and day. We as seniors both contract and D&C were in shape and weren't obese. We took pride in how our uniforms looked. ESPECIALLY OUR BOOTS! There is a video of some senior from a few years ago. He was on Corps Staff and his boots were terrible. He only shined the toes.



Do yourselves a favor. Go look at how the Aggie Band looked in 1985. It's on youtube. A b.q. buddy of mine said that if you look at the "run up", when the band runs out on the field before they perform. It was crisp and precise. Now compare that to the "run up" now. It's a cluster f@ck. This is all due to lack of discipline and honestly laziness. Unfortunately, it's the norm now at TAMU.

Current cadets don't know how to properly wear the uniform. .I saw several cadets with unshined boots, brass and bagged out uniforms. Several cadets were wearing their Corps Brass incorrectly. I literally asked a senior why his brass was turned 90 degrees. He acted like it was correct. It wasn't, and again that is the problem.

Greg Lengyel would be an excellent Commandant. The guy was squared away.

Good luck getting administrator or bureaucrat type to think the way you and I both do. I'm holding out hope that whoever has chosen can understand what needs to be done. And more importantly will execute on corrective action.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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lb3 said:

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Baxter and Bierman have the best resumes IMO. Don't want anyone who ever set foot at a service academy.

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Agreed.

Baxter is an Aggie and has a lot of experience in private business. With half of the Corps being D&C, I feel like that's an important qualifier.

Bierman isn't an Aggie, but I have a lot of respect for VMI. He's also got a long history of relevant experience in the Marines.

Lengyel has been a commandant before, but considering it was the AFA, I have reservations.

Nichols doesn't move the needle for me at all.


Honestly, if I had to pick right now, I'd say Baxter. He doesn't have stars, but I'm fine with that. He put in enough time to become a Navy captain and knows what it takes to build a military career. I also like his history in the business world and the fact he's not a career military guy with no clue what to do with D&C cadets. Seems the most well rounded and what the Corps actually needs, even if he doesn't have the flashy rank.

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They all look like pretty good options. I'm retired Air Force and have followed USAFA leadership pretty closely for he last 15 years, Lengyel is one of the few bright spots at Commandant of Cadets during that span.