This story is an update from the beginning of his Aggie Senior year...
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the end of our son Paul's great journey, as he marches in his "Final Review" as a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets.
This all started on a frigid, rainy night back in 1993, when I took my daughter, my fiance Elizabeth and her two young kids to Aggieland for Bonfire. My daughter Shawn was the oldest of the group at 7, Katie was six and Paul was four.
It was a bitterly cold night, with sleet mixed into the 40 mph north winds. The weather was so bad, they had to relight Bonfire several times before it really started to burn. In fact, it snowed in Dallas over night and the Cowboys lost their Thanksgiving Day game, when Leon Lett had a major brainfart on a missed FG try.
Despite the cold, we got to Bonfire very early and found a great spot just outside the ropes and the kids were really excited. Then the Corps of Cadets and Fightin' Texas Aggie Band showed up just inside the ropes and the only thing my kids could see was a sea of khaki!
Our kids were disappointed and while complaining to us about their view, One of the Cadets heard Katie and asked us if they could pick them up, so they could see. We agreed thinking at the very least this would quiet the kids for a few minutes.
Three members of the Corps of Cadets picked my kids up and sat them on their shoulders, so they could all see. They then took turns, when one of them got tired of holding a kid, they traded off with another cadet, then another and another. They did this throughout the entire Bonfire/Yell Practice, probably 45 minutes or so, from start to finish, I don't believe any of my kids feet touched the ground the entire time. That's all the kids talked about all the way home!
Now, almost 23 years later, Paul, the youngest of the three kids, slips on his boots Saturday for the last time as a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets. He will march in their "Final Review" on Saturday, then wear the uniform and boots one final time for his graduation the following week.
After his years in the Navy, Paul is following in his sisters footsteps in the Corps of Cadets, Katie was Squadron 3, Class of '08. Originally, Paul was as assigned to D-Co, an outfit for combat veterans, but he wanted more of the "Corps Experience" much as his sister had done, so he transferred to a regular outfit. As the Squadron 18 Executive Officer and he is the second highest ranking member of his outfit. In just a few weeks he hopes to begin Officer Candidate School in the US Coast Guard, but if he doesn't make it, he still plans to make a career of the USCG and try again later for OCS. After his time in the USN and Aggie Corps of Cadets, he has decided he wants to spend his life in service to his country.
That simple act of kindness by several members of the Corps many years ago, made a huge Impression on my kids and probably changed their lives forever. To the Cadets of 1993, THANK YOU, if I could find you, I'd love to buy you dinner and a beer sometime.
[Photo of Paul (with saber) leading Squadron 18 for March in]
For the TL\DNR zealots, our kid has Final Review tomorrow.....
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the end of our son Paul's great journey, as he marches in his "Final Review" as a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets.
This all started on a frigid, rainy night back in 1993, when I took my daughter, my fiance Elizabeth and her two young kids to Aggieland for Bonfire. My daughter Shawn was the oldest of the group at 7, Katie was six and Paul was four.
It was a bitterly cold night, with sleet mixed into the 40 mph north winds. The weather was so bad, they had to relight Bonfire several times before it really started to burn. In fact, it snowed in Dallas over night and the Cowboys lost their Thanksgiving Day game, when Leon Lett had a major brainfart on a missed FG try.
Despite the cold, we got to Bonfire very early and found a great spot just outside the ropes and the kids were really excited. Then the Corps of Cadets and Fightin' Texas Aggie Band showed up just inside the ropes and the only thing my kids could see was a sea of khaki!
Our kids were disappointed and while complaining to us about their view, One of the Cadets heard Katie and asked us if they could pick them up, so they could see. We agreed thinking at the very least this would quiet the kids for a few minutes.
Three members of the Corps of Cadets picked my kids up and sat them on their shoulders, so they could all see. They then took turns, when one of them got tired of holding a kid, they traded off with another cadet, then another and another. They did this throughout the entire Bonfire/Yell Practice, probably 45 minutes or so, from start to finish, I don't believe any of my kids feet touched the ground the entire time. That's all the kids talked about all the way home!
Now, almost 23 years later, Paul, the youngest of the three kids, slips on his boots Saturday for the last time as a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets. He will march in their "Final Review" on Saturday, then wear the uniform and boots one final time for his graduation the following week.
After his years in the Navy, Paul is following in his sisters footsteps in the Corps of Cadets, Katie was Squadron 3, Class of '08. Originally, Paul was as assigned to D-Co, an outfit for combat veterans, but he wanted more of the "Corps Experience" much as his sister had done, so he transferred to a regular outfit. As the Squadron 18 Executive Officer and he is the second highest ranking member of his outfit. In just a few weeks he hopes to begin Officer Candidate School in the US Coast Guard, but if he doesn't make it, he still plans to make a career of the USCG and try again later for OCS. After his time in the USN and Aggie Corps of Cadets, he has decided he wants to spend his life in service to his country.
That simple act of kindness by several members of the Corps many years ago, made a huge Impression on my kids and probably changed their lives forever. To the Cadets of 1993, THANK YOU, if I could find you, I'd love to buy you dinner and a beer sometime.
[Photo of Paul (with saber) leading Squadron 18 for March in]
For the TL\DNR zealots, our kid has Final Review tomorrow.....