Texas A&M announced Lt. Gen. Michael L. Downs ’92 as this year’s keynote speaker for Campus Muster in a campus-wide email distributed Monday afternoon. The annual ceremony takes place Monday, April 21, at Reed Arena. 

Downs graduated from A&M in 1992 with a degree in political science and was commissioned as a ROTC Distinguished Graduate. Today, he is the associate director of military affairs for the Central Intelligence Agency, serving as the military advisor to the CIA director. He previously served as vice director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. 

Aggie Muster has been a tradition since the early 20th century, and previous speakers have had records of military and federal service. The time-honored custom honors alumni who died in the previous year. Notable speakers include former governor Rick Perry ‘92, who spoke in 2002, and current agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins ’94, who spoke in 2007.

Doors for Campus Muster open to the public at 5 p.m., and the ceremony begins at 7 p.m. For more details on the Campus Muster ceremony, including the “Roll Call for The Absent,” visit The Association of Former Students’ website.