"Sir, there were 18,000 aggies who served during WWII, more than any other school including the United States Military Academy at West Point NY."

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. John 15:13. This memorial is dedicated to those aggies who died for their country since WWII. Here is inscribed in spirit and bronze a tribute to their valor and devotion to their country. Gift of the classes of 1967, 68, 69, 70, 71, and 72."

"Governor Cokes' advice to the students was "let your watchword be duty. Know no other talisman of success than labor. Let honor be your guiding star in your dealings with your superiors, your fellows, and with all. Be true to a trust reposed as to the needle to the pole, stand by the right even to the sacrifice of life itself and and learn that death is preferable than dishonor."

TAMU has a uniformed corps of cadets that runs between 2,000 and 3,000 with ROTC mandatory for the freshman and sophomore years. At the end of the sophomore year, contracts can be signed with the cadets choice in services of Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard depending on the needs of the service. I don't know about the Space Force. Typically, the cadets score a little higher on grades than the rest of the student body. Cadets can also apply for military and civilian scholarships. There is physical training, discipline, mandatory call to quarters for studying, and strict regulations against hazing as defined by state law. There is a tremendous camaraderie. Aggie cadets do well in competition with other ROTC cadets. It can be harder and lonelier for minorities but the university snd cadre are heavily recruiting so the cadet corps will show the diversity of the state.

Aggies have done very well in the military and business. It's engineering and agriculture areas are superb. I hope this answers some of your questions.

TAMC was chartered under the Morrill Land Grant of 1862

First proposed when Morrill was serving in the House of Representatives, the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862 set aside federal lands to create colleges to "benefit the agricultural and mechanical arts." The president signed the bill into law on July 2, 1862. It granted each state 30,000 acres of western land, to be distributed by each senator and representative, and funded the construction of agricultural and mechanical schools.

In addition to agriculture and engineering, the curriculum included compulsory military training (pre-ROTC).

Due to unfortunate circumstances in the early to mid 1860's, the establishment of TAMC was delayed until 1876.

Participation in the Cadet Corps remained compulsory until the late 1960's.

stoneyjr78 said:

---

"Sir, there were 18,000 aggies who served during WWII, more than any other school including the United States Military Academy at West Point NY."

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. John 15:13. This memorial is dedicated to those aggies who died for their country since WWII. Here is inscribed in spirit and bronze a tribute to their valor and devotion to their country. Gift of the classes of 1967, 68, 69, 70, 71, and 72."

"Governor Cokes' advice to the students was "let your watchword be duty. Know no other talisman of success than labor. Let honor be your guiding star in your dealings with your superiors, your fellows, and with all. Be true to a trust reposed as to the needle to the pole, stand by the right even to the sacrifice of life itself and and learn that death is preferable than dishonor."

TAMU has a uniformed corps of cadets that runs between 2,000 and 3,000 with ROTC mandatory for the freshman and sophomore years. At the end of the sophomore year, contracts can be signed with the cadets choice in services of Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard depending on the needs of the service. I don't know about the Space Force. Typically, the cadets score a little higher on grades than the rest of the student body. Cadets can also apply for military and civilian scholarships. There is physical training, discipline, mandatory call to quarters for studying, and strict regulations against hazing as defined by state law. There is a tremendous camaraderie. Aggie cadets do well in competition with other ROTC cadets. It can be harder and lonelier for minorities but the university snd cadre are heavily recruiting so the cadet corps will show the diversity of the state.

Aggies have done very well in the military and business. It's engineering and agriculture areas are superb. I hope this answers some of your questions.

---

Thank you. Aggies should be proud!

cavscout96 said:

---

TAMC was chartered under the Morrill Land Grant of 1862

First proposed when Morrill was serving in the House of Representatives, the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862 set aside federal lands to create colleges to "benefit the agricultural and mechanical arts." The president signed the bill into law on July 2, 1862. It granted each state 30,000 acres of western land, to be distributed by each senator and representative, and funded the construction of agricultural and mechanical schools.

In addition to agriculture and engineering, the curriculum included compulsory military training (pre-ROTC).

Due to unfortunate circumstances in the early to mid 1860's, the establishment of TAMC was delayed until 1876.

Participation in the Cadet Corps remained compulsory until the late 1960's.

---

Thank you.

Another interesting bit of A&M trivia: in 1917 (when membership in the Corps of Cadets was mandatory), following the U.S. declaration of war against Germany in April, A&M did not hold a graduation ceremony in May.

Because the entire senior class had volunteered for the Army.

Langenator said:

---

Another interesting bit of A&M trivia: in 1917 (when membership in the Corps of Cadets was mandatory), following the U.S. declaration of war against Germany in April, A&M did not hold a graduation ceremony in May.

Because the entire senior class had volunteered for the Army.

---

Wow. Now THAT is a tradition worthy of pride!

We are one of five designated Senior Military Colleges. The others being VMI, Virginia Tech, Norwich, and the Citadel. A&M offers commissions into all branches of the military and provides the military with a ton of officers. Historically we have had former students participate in every US foreign engagement since the Spanish-American war, and have the honor of having 8 former students receive the Medal of Honor.

MOH Recipients

Link to Corps of Cadet information

Langenator said:

---

Another interesting bit of A&M trivia: in 1917 (when membership in the Corps of Cadets was mandatory), following the U.S. declaration of war against Germany in April, A&M did not hold a graduation ceremony in May.

Because the entire senior class had volunteered for the Army.

---

To be accurate, the school organized a "graduation" ceremony at Leon Springs, Texas, where most of the senior class was training.

https://theeagle.com/news/local/a-m-class-of-1917-honored-for-100th-anniversary-of-wwi/article_e33a191f-a18b-5105-89bb-1f2109cf5faf.html

https://today.tamu.edu/2017/05/02/texas-am-system-regents-honor-class-of-1917-cadets/

Quote:

---

On this month 100 years ago, administrators at the institution that would become Texas A&M University canceled graduation ceremonies the only time ever in the history of the campus and released all seniors for active military duty as the country went to war against Germany.

Most of the approximately 120 cadets at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas underwent military training at a camp in Leon Springs, Texas. A few members of the class were sent to Houston for naval training, and a small number went to Parris Island in South Carolina to be trained as Marines.
Ultimately, four members of the Class of 1917 died in the war effort, including three in France and one stateside during training..

Now, a century later, the Board of Regents at the Texas A&M University System unanimously passed a resolution honoring the Class of 1917.

Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said the members of the Class of 1917 will be remembered as some of the most courageous and most dedicated students to ever be part of the A&M family.

"The members of the Class of 1917 were heroes," Chancellor Sharp said. "Their selfless service stands as a model for all of us."

Speaking for the Board of Regents, Chairman Cliff Thomas said the Class of 1917 deserves to be honored and remembered.

"The Board of Regents always will remember the sacrifices of the Class of 1917," Chairman Thomas said. "Those young cadets exemplify the core values that we hold in such esteem as Aggies."

---

This is the highest of all Aggie Traditions.

Aggie Muster

Rabid Cougar said:

---

This is the highest of all Aggie Traditions.

Aggie Muster

---

Agreed!

There are actually SIX Senior Military Colleges (SMC), as designated by Title X, US Code:

Norwich
The Citadel
VMI
Va Tech
North Georgia
Texas A&M

Texas A&M is the youngest of the SMCs, has the largest Corps of Cadets of all the SMCs, is the only SMC west of the Mississippi River, and consistently commissions more officers into the military each year than any other SMC.

SMCs are required to maintain a full time Corps of Cadets, have a "code of conduct" to help develop character by which all cadets live, all cadets must take military training (ROTC), all cadets seeking a commission must maintain the same military training standards as the military academies, and the institution must offer a bachelors degree.

Cadets at an SMC are authorized to take the ROTC program all four years, but taking a commission upon graduation remains optional. At Texas A&M, approximately 45% of cadets take a commission. The other 55% pursue careers in both the private and public sectors.

Unlike ROTC at other schools, the Department of Defense is prohibited from closing or reducing the ROTC programs at an SMC, even during time of war (full or total mobilization). This exists primarily because SMCs are usually expected to produce large numbers of military officers during time of war to fill shortages.

Another distinction of the SMC system is that all cadets at the senior military colleges are guaranteed active duty commissions when they graduate.

Texas A&M remains one of the largest and most visible SMCs in the nation, and continues to provide high caliber men and women to become leaders in the military and across a wide array of career fields throughout our state and nation.

Commandant79 said:

---

There are actually SIX Senior Military Colleges (SMC), as designated by Title X, US Code:

Norwich
The Citadel
VMI
Va Tech
North Georgia
Texas A&M

Texas A&M is the youngest of the SMCs, has the largest Corps of Cadets of all the SMCs, is the only SMC west of the Mississippi River, and consistently commissions more officers into the military each year than any other SMC.

SMCs are required to maintain a full time Corps of Cadets, have a "code of conduct" to help develop character by which all cadets live, all cadets must take military training (ROTC), all cadets seeking a commission must maintain the same military training standards as the military academies, and the institution must offer a bachelors degree.

Cadets at an SMC are authorized to take the ROTC program all four years, but taking a commission upon graduation remains optional. At Texas A&M, approximately 45% of cadets take a commission. The other 55% pursue careers in both the private and public sectors.

Unlike ROTC at other schools, the Department of Defense is prohibited from closing or reducing the ROTC programs at an SMC, even during time of war (full or total mobilization). This exists primarily because SMCs are usually expected to produce large numbers of military officers during time of war to fill shortages.

Another distinction of the SMC system is that all cadets at the senior military colleges are guaranteed active duty commissions when they graduate.

Texas A&M remains one of the largest and most visible SMCs in the nation, and continues to provide high caliber men and women to become leaders in the military and across a wide array of career fields throughout our state and nation.

---

This is not true for the Army ROTC department. You must be contracted to the Army to enter your junior year in Army ROTC, and all contracted Cadets who graduate WILL commission unless they fail the APFT or HT/WT. That is how it is at Norwich. A&M may do it different I guess, but Norwich follows Army policy on that.

Its just not worded well, but the rules at Texas A&M are the same as Norwich.

Cadets seeking a commission at Texas A&M will stay in ROTC all 4 years. Those not seeking a commission take ROTC their freshman year, and 1st semester of their sophomore year. After that they transition to the Hollingsworth Center for Ethical leadership - a program designed to provide leadership instruction for those entering the public and private sectors upon graduation.

Interesting tidbit...classmate of mine hurt his knee playing football in HS, disclosed same on his physical prior to enrolling at A&M under a 4 year Army ROTC scholarship. Dad was an active duty Colonel. He was smarter than most of us, graduated in 3 years, asked the Army if he could take grad school his 4th year, they questioned if he could finish in 1 year but he convinced them and did. So after 4 years of school he has an MS in Industrial Engineering, reports for his induction physical and fails due to his knee. Asks for a waiver, is denied. Father intervenes, denied again. Goes into the civilian world and makes a fortune. Thank you Uncle Sam for the free, no-obligation education.
Explaining the Corps is fairly easy, explaining what we called in my day Drills and Ceremonies Cadets is darn near impossible.

OldArmyCT said:

---

Explaining the Corps is fairly easy, explaining what we called in my day Drills and Ceremonies Cadets is darn near impossible.

---

D&C Cadets? Easy. We played Corps, built life long brotherhood, got okay grades and wore extremely cool Boots!

After that we continued to do crazy Corps indoctrinated/engrained things in the civilian world. And in some cases, such as my multiple Chic-Fil-A owning fish buddy, became filthy rich.

It's nice to have a Two Star (as O-8) ol' lady too.

Another story...I went thru helicopter pilot training and the last week they gave us one more physical. Friend of mine had a scar on his stomach area, doc points and asks what that is. Kid replies "Appendix, just like my records state." Doc says nope, what is it really, kid says "Spleen." For some reason that is a disqualifier for flight, he immediately gets pulled out of line and they tell him a board will meet the next day to discuss. He goes before the board and tells them he's flown just fine up till now and he's going to go to Vietnam and get killed anyway so why waste all that money spent training him. He gets his waiver, survives Vietnam and retires as an LTC 25 years later.

JABQ04 said:

---

OldArmyCT said:

---

Interesting tidbit...classmate of mine hurt his knee playing football in HS, disclosed same on his physical prior to enrolling at A&M under a 4 year Army ROTC scholarship. Dad was an active duty Colonel. He was smarter than most of us, graduated in 3 years, asked the Army if he could take grad school his 4th year, they questioned if he could finish in 1 year but he convinced them and did. So after 4 years of school he has an MS in Industrial Engineering, reports for his induction physical and fails due to his knee. Asks for a waiver, is denied. Father intervenes, denied again. Goes into the civilian world and makes a fortune. Thank you Uncle Sam for the free, no-obligation education.
Explaining the Corps is fairly easy, explaining what we called in my day Drills and Ceremonies Cadets is darn near impossible.

---

I had a fairly intensive DODMERB physical for my scholarship. In fact I went into it failing as I had a very badly broken finger, delayed surgery the doctors wanted, and had to get cleared 6 months later to keep my scholarship. Summer/Fall 2000

---

Took the hearing test 7 times in 1984 PH year for Marine Corps Scholarship and didn't pass any of them. 80% hearing loss in right ear. Even offered to sign a waiver. Even P.X. Kelly couldn't save me from a Navy doctor.

AND that is how you become D&C...

Navy vet WW2 here. Went in Corps. One fall semester to go - Needed last course of MS -

Not offered until Spring. Took both senior MS courses that spring - got commissioned in Jan!

Asked nobody ! Ended up in Germany at HQ12AF. Got ist LT in 6 months due to inactive Navy reserve

including 8 years extra longevity pay!

Big raise ! Top that !