Howdy! Posted the same question on General, not quite well received and was directed here. I'm a current cadet, and I've heard scarce information about the Duncan Volunteers. Sometimes that they were a volunteer program for cadets to work as servers back when Duncan served family-style, sometimes that the DVs were a secret elitist organization that ruled the quad. Hell, I've even seen the DV Guide-on in the Sanders Center. Some things definitely seem more viable than others, but I've really just been looking for more information. I figured this would be a good place to ask!
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Duncan Volunteers
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Last: 3 mo ago by AgFlags74
Cadets as student workers working in Duncan. Serving plates, cleaning. That's about it I think. One of my buddies was the head waiter our zip year. I've heard their unofficial hump it was "The best, the elite, you **** with us, you don't eat" (all my information is a hazy recollection for 20 years ago now).
I was a DV my junior and senior year. It was a good job when you're a cadet. I vaguely remember the hump-it, but I don't think we actually ever did it.
As the DV XO our zip year, I did have a pass down key to the steam tunnels under Duncan.
As the DV XO our zip year, I did have a pass down key to the steam tunnels under Duncan.
What year?
DV was a smart@$$ name for the cadets who worked their way through A&M by waiting tables. This was when Duncan served family style meals. Family style meals died due to excessive costs, and a huge part of cadet experience died with it.
And while I use the term "waiting" it was really serving. You got what they were serving that day. A waiter would bring a tray out to your table of 8 and it would have bowls or platters with 8 servings of whatever was for chow that meal
And while I use the term "waiting" it was really serving. You got what they were serving that day. A waiter would bring a tray out to your table of 8 and it would have bowls or platters with 8 servings of whatever was for chow that meal
Did the DVs form up at formation as their own special unit? They have a guide-on, I'm just confused as to when it would have been used.
And before Duncan was built you had the Sbisa Volunteers.CanyonAg77 said:
DV was a smart@$$ name for the cadets who worked their way through A&M by waiting tables. This was when Duncan served family style meals. Family style meals died due to excessive costs, and a huge part of cadet experience died with it.
And while I use the term "waiting" it was really serving. You got what they were serving that day. A waiter would bring a tray out to your table of 8 and it would have bowls or platters with 8 servings of whatever was for chow that meal
And pity the poor fish on the hot corner
I would guess they would display the guidon in Duncan. They didn't do formation, they were inside Duncan getting ready for chow
'00
No formations. We were getting ready for chow. And if we weren't working, we were with our outfits.
One of my roommates was a DV.
It was a term of affection and sarcasm, since these cadets were "volunteering" for a difficult job because they needed the money to go to school.
They belonged to various units in the Corps (they did not have a separate outfit) but did not attend formations because they left the dorms early to get ready to serve the meals.
It was a hard job and I admire those who did it.
It was a term of affection and sarcasm, since these cadets were "volunteering" for a difficult job because they needed the money to go to school.
They belonged to various units in the Corps (they did not have a separate outfit) but did not attend formations because they left the dorms early to get ready to serve the meals.
It was a hard job and I admire those who did it.
Carolyn Crider, Class of 1988
Never thought I'd refer to my time as "Old Army" but in the old days when we still had band drill practice in the afternoon/evening, the only guy who could get us to stop was the head DV.
My memory is a little foggy on the times but as I recall, we had sectional rehearsals at 1615, full band drill practice at 1700 and then I think the evening formation for the Corps was at 1815.
The Aggie Band would almost always be late for evening formation but if it was a particularly difficult week, we would still be out marching on the drill field while the rest of the Corps was already in Duncan eating evening chow.
I have this vivid memory of the head DV (I think he was class of '90, Oscar something) standing on the side of the drill field many nights telling the drum majors that the band needs to come eat right now. But there was one particular night (probably Fall of 1988) where we were still marching probably around 1830 and he was yelling that if the band doesn't come eat right now, they're going to close Duncan Dining Hall.
My memory is a little foggy on the times but as I recall, we had sectional rehearsals at 1615, full band drill practice at 1700 and then I think the evening formation for the Corps was at 1815.
The Aggie Band would almost always be late for evening formation but if it was a particularly difficult week, we would still be out marching on the drill field while the rest of the Corps was already in Duncan eating evening chow.
I have this vivid memory of the head DV (I think he was class of '90, Oscar something) standing on the side of the drill field many nights telling the drum majors that the band needs to come eat right now. But there was one particular night (probably Fall of 1988) where we were still marching probably around 1830 and he was yelling that if the band doesn't come eat right now, they're going to close Duncan Dining Hall.
F2 fish used to have to speak to an old former head DV's framed picture (Mr. Klinger) hanging up inside Duncan before eating chow. "Howdy Mr. Klinger sir!"
Apparently Klinger was a grumpy DV that hated being said howdy too. So, F2 fish continued saying howdy to him and then to his framed photo years later. Good times!
Apparently Klinger was a grumpy DV that hated being said howdy too. So, F2 fish continued saying howdy to him and then to his framed photo years later. Good times!
Random question, but did folks call you "Officer"?HollywoodBQ said:
Never thought I'd refer to my time as "Old Army" but in the old days when we still had band drill practice in the afternoon/evening, the only guy who could get us to stop was the head DV.
My memory is a little foggy on the times but as I recall, we had sectional rehearsals at 1615, full band drill practice at 1700 and then I think the evening formation for the Corps was at 1815.
The Aggie Band would almost always be late for evening formation but if it was a particularly difficult week, we would still be out marching on the drill field while the rest of the Corps was already in Duncan eating evening chow.
I have this vivid memory of the head DV (I think he was class of '90, Oscar something) standing on the side of the drill field many nights telling the drum majors that the band needs to come eat right now. But there was one particular night (probably Fall of 1988) where we were still marching probably around 1830 and he was yelling that if the band doesn't come eat right now, they're going to close Duncan Dining Hall.
As a fish, on a Junior Detail wearing a Howdy Hat - Yes.Quote:
Random question, but did folks call you "Officer"?
It's funny, growing up in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s, everybody had Photogray lenses in their eyeglasses. I didn't think anything about it. Then of course moving to Texas and marching in the Aggie Band, everybody thought I was a fish pulling out wearing sunglasses - which I was, sort of.
I thought so.
Good to read that you're well.
JC '90
Good to read that you're well.
JC '90
Nice!
Thanks for brightening the days of being a 4th stoop fish.
Thanks for brightening the days of being a 4th stoop fish.
Fish year, Sqn 6, Sbissa area (they closed 3 dorms on the Quad for aircon install), one of our Sergebutts was a Sbissa waiter. Right before final review the 1SG gives up his AF contract to sign a Marine contract. Our waiter gets the command. By far the best choice they could have made.
What class? My brother was SQD 6 class of '74
Jeff Nieland '68. He passed last year.CanyonAg77 said:
What class? My brother was SQD 6 class of '74
a whole page and not one "HOWDY WAITER"!
HOWDY WAITER
HOWDY WAITER
They were a secret elitist organization. The God Squad and Good Humor boys answered to DVs and DVs only. They were guardians of the Steam Tunnels. Keepers of the Cush. Masters of the East End. They had their own parking lot!
They worked the asses off. We didn't eat without them.
They worked the asses off. We didn't eat without them.
How many of you were 4th Stoop all four years???? Yep... I am one.HollywoodBQ said:
Nice!
Thanks for brightening the days of being a 4th stoop fish.
I thought this could be a DV, but he looks old and there isn't an Aggie listed by AFS named Jeckel
[Gene Jeckel Outside Briggs Hall], photograph, Date Unknown; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1338732/: accessed August 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Private Collection of the Tarver Family.
[Gene Jeckel Outside Briggs Hall], photograph, Date Unknown; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1338732/: accessed August 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Private Collection of the Tarver Family.
Quote:
Photograph of Gene Jeckel, visible from the waist up, wearing a light-colored long-sleeved button-up shirt and eyeglasses, standing outside an entrance on the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Behind him, one of the double-doors (left) of the entrance is open, and a plaque at the left side of the entrance says "R. W. Briggs Hall." Handwritten text on the back says, "Gene Jeckel going to work."
Contact dennis@corpsofcadets.org over at the CCA. He'll have information for days!
cottonpatchag said:
a whole page and not one "HOWDY WAITER"!
HOWDY WAITER
Yep. "Howdy Waiter!"
DVs and family dining in Duncan were such a big part of the Corps experience, it's hard to imagine chow without it. Shoot the stud.
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Ecclesiastes 10:2
Hitting the table to attention with elbows asa pisshead trying to spill drink cups to ****** others uniforms.
Stabbing table passerby's with forks when they tried to reach on to the table and grab some of our chow.
Steak night singing Dixie while standing on our chairs.
Sprinting back to the dorm as fish trying to catch the pissheads getting crapped out by the butts. It was worth it.
Oh man. The memories.
And speaking of Duncan. The midnight donut slinging fights we had on stack. The cooks would make fresh donuts at midnight during push. If you didn't get one quickly they became projectiles going up to stack.
Stabbing table passerby's with forks when they tried to reach on to the table and grab some of our chow.
Steak night singing Dixie while standing on our chairs.
Sprinting back to the dorm as fish trying to catch the pissheads getting crapped out by the butts. It was worth it.
Oh man. The memories.
And speaking of Duncan. The midnight donut slinging fights we had on stack. The cooks would make fresh donuts at midnight during push. If you didn't get one quickly they became projectiles going up to stack.
I was a DV for 2.5 years. Loved it, had so much fun with the work and then dining with the other DVs after food service was over. Keeping those white jackets clean was a challenge. Toting trays of food in senior boots on those slick Duncan floors...yikes! I developed close friendships with several Duncan cooks. That way, I got extra helpings of the favorite dishes of my outfit buddies. They were eternally grateful when I snagged extra steaks or plates of cush. It's really sad now that cadets eat in such different settings. I know from my many nights of dining with cadets today that very, very few of them know any of the "slanguage" of food and drink items we still used in the 1970s. Truly a lost part of Corps traditions. My Dad, Class of '44, loved it whenever I had CTs and BQs at our Houston home for a meal and all the cadets automatically used the Corps words for food and table manners. Mom would always be afraid to speak, for fear of calling something by the wrong name. It was hilarious, seeing her work so hard to be "a good Aggie Mom." Such a shame they aren't here today, walking with me through Aggie Park after dark. They would be thrilled. Then again, they probably ARE there, hand in hand, reliving their days in Aggieland. A very special place, with special memories created daily as I meet new Aggies.
AgFlags74 - College Station TX