The click of new boots and the smell of cigars filled the atmosphere of the Corps of Cadets Final Review on Saturday with thousands in attendance.
Final Review marks the day when cadets change to their new ranks in the Corps. Cadets follow a series of representative points throughout the day beginning with their first review on Simpson Drill Field, then forms and step­-offs leaving the field, additional forms and reaffirmation of the Cadet Oath and second review.
Tyler Nelson, sophomore in Company 01, upgraded from a black belt to a white belt, but said he has his eyes set on his senior boots.
“It’s a whole new set of responsibilities, and a whole new set of privileges, and a whole new lifestyle that comes with getting done with this ceremony,” Nelson said. “I know for my family it’s one step closer to getting my boots and graduating, so it’s a super big deal to get to see me move on from being a sophomore and pisshead to being a white belt. It’s one step closer to it all being over, but it’s one step closer to succeeding in my goal of being a senior and graduating from Texas A&M, too. It’s a pretty big day, in all honesty.”
Sheila Nelson said she was very proud of her son Tyler, and she was glad to see him one step closer to receiving his boots.
“Every time I see my son in his uniform, it makes me more proud to see him move up every year and getting one step closer to getting his senior boots is really exciting,” Sheila said.
Caroline Boomer Karels, grandmother of engineering freshman Nathan Karels, said although Nathan’s dad is in the military stationed in Germany and unable to attend, it was an exciting event to experience for the first time.
“He’s a freshman, so this is all new to us still,” Karels said. “It’s overwhelming, it really is, but it’s beautiful. He is doing real good in his studies, so we are happy for that too.”
Shelley Kellner Smith, Class of 1995, said it was special to see her son, Grant Smith, a biochemistry junior and newly promoted to first sergeant of A-2, during Final Review.
“We like being here for numerous reasons, one of which is that it’s always been home to me, but as wonderful as it is to be a student here, it’s even greater to see your kid be a student here,” Smith said.
Reed Russel’s brother, Blake, was proud to see him receive his boots and new uniform at Final Review. A civil engineer in the Air Force, Blake Russel said the Final Review ceremony was well known in the air force academy.
“It’s actually really cool to see the Corps of Cadets because everyone actually knows it in the Air Force,” Russel said. “Air Force Academy is the biggest military school DOD wide, but they all talk about A&M and they all know this tradition.”