agree with you there.. sometimes you dont understand what you have untill you look from the otherside. im sure the non reg fish would love to have the seats some of the ct fish have

Easy way to fix that..........

quote:Why is it so important that the Officers attend a banquet? My son is separated from the military now but he hated formal events because of the event itself. He is not a fan of formal events but attended all of them he was required to and couldn't get out of any.

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He gladly participated in Change of Command Ceremonies, hail and farewells, and briefings, deployments, field problems, and other events. Why is attending a formal event so important? Going to a formal event doesn't make you a better officer.



See how easy it is for me to change it around?

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WOW! If you have 7 or 8 formal events in a matter of 3 months it is a wonder you have time to serve.

I understand you think it is preparing them for the future and real life but come on. There are plenty of other "learning opportunities".

I also don't think Keepers of the Spirit and Tradition means go watch football. I am just a parent and love A&M, I believe it to mean so much more then be a football fan. I think you all believe that too but want something else to ***** about regarding the current cadets.

Mom just reminded me of something. When I was a fish, dead zips used to gather around the tunnel at Kyle Field and deliver their messages directly.

Standing on the sidelines as part of the 12th Man is a Tradition. As is "backing up their fighting team whether they won, lost, or tied." I think it's also a tradition to not be a 2%er.

And part of school spirit is supporting the football team. There aren't too many ways to support them other than being at the game.

I think going to games is very much both part of being the "Keeper's of the Spirit" and the "Guardians of Tradition."

The Corps is a voluntary organization. And even if you're ROTC contract, there are plenty of other schools in Texas that have ROTC departments. Prospective cadets should be told, if they aren't already, that they have a responsibility to the school and its history, something non-regs don't have to worry about. Although to their credit, many non-regs do a good job. Except for those weird fish camper counselors, I'm so glad I didn't go to fish camp.

It's like silver taps, if the corps wasn't there in support, they're be hardly anyone there. In joining the corps, you become a part of the responsibility to be the Keepers of the Spirit and the Guardians of Tradition. If going and standing in support of your team for four hours on a Saturday is too taxing then it's easy, go and fill out your punch papers.

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WOW! If you have 7 or 8 formal events in a matter of 3 months it is a wonder you have time to serve.

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The year is more than 3 months long. I guarantee that Hollywood and I, over the course of a year, have to deal with a whole lot more "encouraged participation" events than your son does as a cadet. We have since we were Lieutenants (and he started long before I did).

If you haven't figured out that I was subtly mocking you (as the other veterans in this thread have) than I can't help you.

[This message has been edited by CGSC Lobotomy (edited 10/5/2011 8:51a).]

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thank you for helping out with that one CGSC. i give that a star

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Please don't. The last thing I need is to require my own entourage everywhere I go. I weep for the Army if they decide to put a star on me in 10-12 years.

Hmmm last time I checked, the corps was not the military.

No one is saying it was. However, the stupidity you face in the Corps is preparation for some of the increased stupidity you face in the military.

Agreed. Life IS a 'hazing event' sometimes. More so in any part of the military. Suck it up, get over yourself, drive on. Some of the stuff a kid deals with in the Quad over 4 years will help learn about how you 'get over yourself' and get the job done.

As it should be.

[This message has been edited by Curious91 (edited 10/6/2011 10:13a).]

Just thought I would add in my 2 cents on this. I am of the belief that as a member of the Corps of Cadets, you are held to a higher standard while at A&M. Part of your "job" while a student is to uphold the traditions of our great university.

Whether this is Silver Taps, Muster, March-Ins, or standing and yelling for the 12th Man, that is what you as a student at Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets is expected to do. I undertand the financial complaint some of the Cadets are saying, but 50 dollars is managable, and it is added to your bill for the school year. Give plasma, cut out a few trips to Northgate, get a job over X-Mas break....there are options, trust me even with financial aid I had to do alot of work over X-Mas and summer break.

The real world is a huge time boof for what you want to do. Work and all the things it requires gets in the way with alot of naps, family time, fishing trips, drinking beer with my classmates. Welcome to the real world, now for military members, wow. Get ready to be gone for a year at time, late hours and earlier mornings, tons of training, and calls at all hours of the night because one of your soldiers did something stupid.


My point in all this is simple; You voluntarily joined the Corps of Cadets. You should of had a good idea what you were getting in to, and if you didn't then your fault, SNWC, SDWC, etc...DO what you must to uphold the heritage and traditions of Texas A&M, you after all are the Keepers of the Spirit. Sorry to ramble, the wife and I just had a son so sleep is a luxury at this time.



[This message has been edited by JABQ04 (edited 10/6/2011 11:15a).]

The financial complaint is pretty much invalid for most cadets, since the vast majority of cadets receive scholarships from the Corps totaling at least $2400.

I will be done with this since Lobotomy thinks I am an idiot to not see mocking. Maybe you had one - hence the name.

I think you all just want to nit pick because you were in the Corps and never had it so easy (at least in your own bloated minds). I am sure the old Ags did the same to you but there was no internet to type it in for the world to see. Then gang mentality takes over. One person says something and then more pile on.

You are doing a dis-service to the young men and women currently in the Corps. Just because you would do it differently doesn't make it wrong. They are learning to lead just like you did.

Bigtruckguy - you are class of 09, and should know that $2,400 isn't much spread out over a couple of years with all of the other expenses.

My sons was $600 per semester. Paid for uniforms his jr & sr years. Before someone bashes him for not being contract - he was but the DOD released him due to a previously unknown medical issue.

As I said I am done with this so flame away.

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However, the stupidity you face in the Corps is preparation for some of the increased stupidity you face in life.

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FIFY

+1 Canyon

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Maybe you had one - hence the name.

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Anyone who has been a senior leader or been around senior leaders in the military understands that my username is an inside joke.

It's a common understanding that while Majors attend the Command General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS they are basically lobotomized of all their common sense and logical reasoning; enabling them to become "strategic thinkers and leaders".

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Why is it so important that the Cadets attend a football game? My son is a 5th year now but he hated game weekends because of the game itself. He is not a sports fan but attended all the games he was required to and got out of many. He gladly participated in march-ins and dedications, Big Event and other activities. Why is attending a game so important? Going to a football game doesn't make you a better cadet imho.

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Mom11 - Just out of curiosity, how do you know that your son hated game weekends?

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Mom11 - Just out of curiosity, how do you know that your son hated game weekends?

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He loved everything about game weekends except having to actually go to the game. He is just not a sports fan. I love sports, my son does not. I watch every game and usually come down for at least 2 every year. With him off campus now he doesn't even know when there are home games. He is an odd kid but I will keep him

He has attended both Silver Taps this year and has plans already with his buddies for Big Event and Muster. He is not a 2%'r except where sports is involved.

To each his own I guess, but a lot of the Corps is about doing things you do not want to do.

When your son gathers with his buddies in the years to come, listen to their conversations. They will not be talking about wearing their Senior Boots or "ruling the quad." 90% of it will be the hardships and hard times of their fish year. The crappy stuff they had to endure and the memories and closeness that were created.

If it were all fun and games and doing what we wanted, then the experience would be lost.

That is true...^

The other night I was hanging out with some '08 buddies who were in a different outfit and we were just laughing our asses off talking about getting smoked and doing some humiliating, but funny, things.

I had a zip tell me to skip down the pisshead blocks one morning on the way to the arches and told me to yell, "I hate pissheads!" the entire way. Wasn't funny then, but funny now. Good times.

Take it easy on the mother fellas.. Her kid doesn't like football.

I will tell you this, having football games on SAT and bonfire on SUN was extremely hard for me...I mean I had to schedule in time at Northgate and still figure out how to study and stay in school. If there was any lesson, it was that I can work a 7 day work week and still find time for a beer with friends...and now...family.

Seriously though, not sure how a skimpy $2400 scholarship makes a significant dent in anyone's wallet (aside from those whose folks pay for college or on full scholarship). It didn't for me, and I was on student loans. The financial hazing in the Corps has gone back a long ways. These days I would suspect it is even harder to keep up given the exponentially higher rates students pay in books and tuition.