The 2015 campus Muster ceremony will take place in Reed Arena at 7 p.m. Tuesday to honor members of the Aggie family who have died in the past year.
The Reed Arena Muster Ceremony will end campus Muster’s daylong activities, which start with a flag raising ceremony at sunrise and include a Camaraderie Barbecue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kyle Field’s Northern Plaza. Tickets are sold on site and at campus dining facilities, and may be purchased with Dining Dollars. The Class of 1965 has returned to campus as the 50-year reunion class.
The 2015 Muster Speaker is Rep. Will Hurd, who was Texas A&M’s student body president at the time of the 1999 Bonfire Collapse. His remarks are followed by the Roll Call for the Absent, which lists the name of every local Aggie who has died in the past year as well as all missing members of the 50-year reunion class. After Roll Call the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad will fire three volleys of seven shots, then Silver Taps will be played.
Personal effects of many of the former students honored at Muster are on display at the Muster Reflections Display in the MSC Flag Room to give all visitors a chance to see how those honored lived as Aggies. The display opened Friday and will close at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Parking in Lots 100, 74, 61 and West Campus Garage will be free from 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday evening.
Maria Quiros, 2015 Muster committee chair and supply chain management senior, said as of Monday afternoon the 2015 Roll Call will include 119 names, 11 of whom were current students and 30 of whom were Class of 1965 members. About 12,000 people are expected to attend Campus Muster. Quiros said she encourages students to arrive early, around 6:15-6:30 p.m.
Quiros said it is important for students in attendance to remember Muster Ceremony etiquette, particularly to say “here” when a member of their class year is called.
“I’d really urge people to say ‘here’ when those names [of current class years] are called, as well as obviously anyone they knew personally. I think that’s something really neat for the families of the current students to experience hearing a lot of different voices coming from the crowd,” Quiros said. “It’s a small moment in the whole ceremony that people [sometimes] forget to do, but extremely powerful when people are able to say ‘here’ for members of their class.”
Campus Muster is the largest of over 400 registered Musters worldwide, according to the Texas A&M Traditions Council website.
