Since its inception in 1876, the Corps of Cadets has been a mainstay of our University – the “founders of tradition and keepers of the spirit.” This year, the Corps and Texas A&M will celebrate their 125th birthday, a milestone worthy of commendation and congratulation. And congratulation they shall receive.
The A&M College of Texas was once an all-male, all-military school, the state’s land-grant university. Now, 125 years later, the University has experienced a name change, tremendous growth and breathtaking expansion. Corps membership became non-compulsory in 1965, and the admittance of women reshaped the University and Corps.
Still, the Corps of Cadets remains a quintessential icon of Texas A&M – it has laid the bedrock of our culture. Memories shall always remain in the hearts those who have come and gone here, and generations of this leadership organization have remained “true to each other as Aggies should be.” For this legacy, the Corps should be commended.
A&M’s oldest, most tradition-rich student organization, the Corps consistently produces outstanding leaders, many of whom are commissioned to serve their country in the armed forces upon graduation. Corps members are taught leadership, honor, integrity and life management within the confines of a disciplined structure. It is not just another ROTC program.
The 2,000 men and women of the Corps form the largest uniformed body of students outside of the U.S. military academies. For 125 years, this family has formed the foundation of camaraderie for which A&M and its students are famous.
Whatever changes may be on the horizon, the keepers of the spirit are sure to guard the sense of community that binds us all together. Students, regardless of their opinion of the Corps, should respect this role. As the past meets the present, members of the Battalion editorial board wish the Corps of Cadets another stretch of success as soldiers, statesmen and knightly gentlemen.
Brady Creel – Editor in Chief
Mariano Castillo – Managing Editor
Cayla Carr – Opinion Editor
Jonathan Jones – Opinion Editor
Rolando Garcia – News Editor