On April 21, 2011, my grandfather was honored at the annual campus Muster. My older brother, a freshman at the time, proudly answered, “here” when Robert Fly, Class of 1948, was read over the campus Roll Call.

At the time I was a junior in high school, and that night — along with the following Muster one year later — was the reason I decided to come to Texas A&M.  This decision would have never been possible without the dedication and service of an Aggie Muster host.

From the moment my family arrived at Reed Arena, our host was with us. She was a constant source of comfort for us through the night, and her confidence showed us that everything was in her hands, that everything was going to be OK. Whether she realized it or not, our family needed that comfort. Texas A&M meant the world to my grandfather, and every memory I had of being on Texas A&M’s campus was with him.

For my family, it was surreal to be on campus without him. Sitting on the floor of Reed Arena surrounded by thousands of people might have been an overwhelming experience. Our host however, let us know not through word, but through action, that this was not a night to focus on the people in the seats — it was a night to focus on the names on Roll Call.

Last year, after having the opportunity to serve as a host myself, I realized that the responsibilities on Muster’s night are only a piece of the enormous impact Muster hosts have on the tradition. Beyond having a direct relationship with a family on the night of Muster, each host dedicates his or her time to spread awareness of Muster on campus, monitor the Reflections Display in the MSC Flag Room, volunteer to work the Camaraderie Barbecue and so much more to ensure Aggie Muster’s success every year.

Muster hosts are chosen in the spring of every year for their dedication to Texas A&M, their commitment to honoring the Aggie Family and their ability to serve Muster and A&M through the host program. Once chosen, hosts attend trainings to prepare them for their various responsibilities and their duty to the honored families throughout the ceremony.

If you’re interested in gaining a new perspective on one of Texas A&M’s most sacred traditions, serving a family that has recently lost a loved one or renewing your love for Texas A&M by serving Aggies, I highly encourage you to apply to be a Muster host. Muster hosts not only have an impact on the tradition of Aggie Muster, but also on each and every family honored on the night of Muster. Whether it’s by inspiring others to love Texas A&M like you do or  simply by being there for someone in a time of need, time spent serving as a Muster host is time well spent.

Chuck Fly is an industrial engineering senior and a 2016 Campus Muster host coordinator.