As Aggie Governor Rick Perry’s time in office comes to a close, units from the Corps of Cadets will help usher in his successor.
The Ross Volunteers, Parson’s Mounted Cavalry and the Aggie Band will take part in the gubernatorial inauguration ceremony Tuesday.
The Ross Volunteers will provide a saber arch at the Oath of Office ceremony, followed by a parade in which the Aggie Band will march.
Agricultural economics senior and Ross Volunteers Commander Preston Sturdivant said the inauguration is an important ceremony because it welcomes the first new governor in 14 years.
“It’s a celebration of someone who is going to lead our great state of Texas, and that’s certainly a big job, that’s a big undertaking for anybody,” Sturdivant said. “It’s certainly a time for the state of Texas to celebrate the leadership that it has had and to encourage the new leadership as it comes into office, I think.”
In a university press release, Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez Jr., commandant of the Corps, said the Corps of Cadets is honored to take part in such a momentous occasion.
“Our university and our Corps have always been proud to support our Governor’s inaugural celebration, and are excited to participate again in this year’s event,” Ramirez said. “Governor-elect Greg Abbott can rest assured that the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets are honored to participate in his Inauguration and look forward to representing Texas A&M at all of the inaugural events on the 20th.”
The Ross Volunteers are the official Honor Guard of the Texas governor, and Sturdivant said the Ross Volunteers are glad to serve in this way, particularly because of the role Texas A&M plays within the state.
“We, as an institution of higher learning as a state college, are certainly very important to what goes on in Austin for sure,” Sturdivant said. “We certainly don’t try to make anything a huge deal. It’s our pleasure to serve.”
Daylon Koster, agricultural economics senior and Ross Volunteer platoon leader, said he considers himself lucky to play a role in the ceremony because it’s not something all Ross Volunteers get to do.
“The way it’s set up is all the juniors are drilling, so they actually participate in the parade, and then there’s the Ross Volunteer leadership, which is comprised of seniors,” Koster said. “Obviously they don’t have an inauguration every single year for the governor, so it’s not every single year the Ross Volunteers are able to participate, so we’re just excited that we’re here currently while there is a new governor inauguration that we get to participate in.”