The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets will take its first full-Corps trip since A&M moved to the SEC.
The Corps will march into Fort Worth at 9 a.m. Sept. 27 for the Texas A&M-Arkansas football game. The trip was made possible after donations made by former students.
David Trigg, Corps commander, said cadets only paid $35 dollars per Arkansas game ticket after donations made by former students, compared to the $50 cadets paid the last time a Corps trip took place in the fall of 2011. Members of the Aggie Band did not have to purchase tickets because they perform at away games.
The Corps has grown since the last trip, Trigg said. While former students paid for about 1,900 tickets in 2011, he said they are likely now paying for more than 2,000 tickets.
Trigg said more than $115,000 was donated by former students, guaranteeing the Corps trip was fully paid for.
Mary Goodwin, Infantry Band Sergeant Major and philosophy junior, said she is glad the tradition has returned and is thankful to the former students for making the trip possible.
“All these donations allow every cadet — not just the ones with extra cash to spend — to participate in an old tradition but on a much bigger stage,” Godwin said.
Godwin said she is excited it won’t be just the Corps band attending the game, as is typical, since the band is allocated seating at away games to perform for the opposing team.
“It will be interesting to see what Arkansas will think when they see a force of over 2,000 cadets in khaki flood into the stadium,” Godwin said.
Donnie Ashburn, cadet and university studies senior, said the last Corps trip occurred during his freshman year. Ashburn said the freshmen he has talked to seem very excited.
“This is the first time for them to really get away from the Corps a little bit and away from campus, and it’s a big bonding opportunity because all the Corps are required to go together and stay together at [families’] houses,” Ashburn said.
Ashburn said the trip is bittersweet for Corps seniors.
“So for the seniors, it’s kind of like we’ve come full circle. We did that our freshman year, we all went together and that’s when we first bonded and now it’s going to be our last trip together away, so it’s kind of like our last big hurrah with each other,” Ashburn said.
Anthony Marich, agricultural leadership and development junior, said juniors, sophomores and freshmen are excited to go on a Corps trip for the first time.
“I’m always pumped to be able to go somewhere else and show what A&M and the Corps, specifically, have to offer,” Marich said.