Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets
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The Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets (often The Corps of Cadets or simply The Corps) is an organization at Texas A&M University that trains students in the ways of the military with the option of a commission to the armed forces upon graduation. Participation in ROTC courses and training is mandatory for the first two years as a cadet, but optional for junior and senior year cadets. Juniors and Seniors who do not wish to enter the military but do wish to continue participating in the Corps until graduation are classified as "Drill & Ceremonies" (D&C) cadets. The Corps trains more military officers than any school in the United States, but not the highest percentage per students enrolled in the Corps, a distinction that belongs to Norwich University. The various service academies produce the most military officers per school.
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History
The Corps of Cadets is as old as the school itself, founded in 1876 when Texas A&M University was an all-male military college. Membership in the Corps became voluntary in 1965. Current membership is around 2,000 students. The Corps is now a co-educational institution, and seventeen of its thirty-two outfits are gender-integrated units. Although now only a small percentage of the overall student population, the Corps remains a highly visible presence on campus, a reminder of the school's origins as a military college. Cadets are very active in many campus organizations and renowned for their school spirit, often being called "Keepers of the Spirit."
Members of the Corps have served in every conflict fought by the United States since the Spanish-American War in 1898. More members of the Corps served in World War II than from any other service academy, with 14,123 Aggies serving as officers which is more than the combined total of officers that served from the United States Naval Academy and the United States Military Academy. Over 225 Aggies have been promoted to General or Admiral, while seven former students have been awarded the highest United States military award, the Medal of Honor.
Organization
The Corps is divided up into six major units, association with the ROTC affiliate branch of service in parentheses: First Wing, Second Wing (United States Air Force); First Brigade, Second Brigade (United States Army); First Regiment (United States Navy), and The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. These major units are comprised of separate companies or squadrons.
Rank
By tradition, the highest-ranking member of the Corps is the "First Lady" of Texas A&M, a collie known as "Reveille". She is the school's official mascot. She is present at all A&M football games and numerous other A&M functions.
Since the Army ROTC program is the oldest at A&M the organization and rank structure of the Corps is generally based on the Army model. The rank structure at A&M is divided up by class and unlike some other military schools a Cadet can never be demoted such that a person of lower class outranks him. Freshman and Sophomores occupy the enlisted ranks (Private through Corporal), Juniors fill the non-commissioned officer ranks (Sergeant through Sergeant Major) and Seniors are considered commissioned officers within the Corps (2nd Lieutenant through Colonel).
Freshman Rank: Freshmen are all considered Cadet Privates and wear no rank insignia. Instead they wear brass "AMU" letter insignia on both sides of their collar until they earn their Corps Brass, which replaces the "AMU" insignia on the left collar.
Sophomores Ranks:
Cadet Private First Class (one chevron pointing up)
Cadet Corporal (2 chevrons)
Junior Ranks:
Cadet Sergeant (3 chevrons)
Cadet Staff Sergeant (3 chevrons with an inverted rocker below them)
Cadet Sergeant First Class (3 chevrons, 2 rockers)
Cadet Master Sergeant (3 chevrons, 3 rockers)
(major unit and Corps staff)
Cadet First Sergeant (3 chevrons, 3 rockers with a diamond in between)
(top Junior in a company or squadron)
Cadet Sergeant Major (3 chevrons, 3 rockers, with a star)
(top Junior in a major unit)
Cadet Sergeant Major of the Corps (3 chevrons, 3 rockers, with a Wreathed Star)
(top Junior in the Corps)
Seniors Ranks:
Cadet Second Lieutenant (1 moon, or circle)
Cadet First Lieutenant (2 moons)
Cadet Captain (3 moons)
(company executive officer (XO) and adjutant)
Cadet Major (1 diamond)
(company commander, major unit staff)
Cadet Lieutenant Colonel (2 diamonds)
(major unit XO, Corps staff)
Cadet Colonel (3 diamonds)
(major unit commander, deputy Corps commander)
Cadet Colonel of the Corps (4 diamonds)
(Corps commander)
There are officially no Cadet Generals in all of ROTC. Due to the quantity of officers Texas A&M contributed in World War II, Reveille was given the honorary title of Cadet General. Since the rank itself does not exist, cadets took it upon themselves to create the rank insignia: five diamonds. To create this rank each year, cadets combine a two diamond rank insignia and a three diamond rank insignia and carefully place them together, so that even when closely inspected it looks like five diamonds. Due to the similarity, this is often confused with the military rank of five-star general.
Ross Volunteers
The Ross Volunteers (RVs) are the Honor Guard for the Governor of the state of Texas. They are named for former A&M president Lawrence Sullivan Ross. The company is comprised of junior and senior cadets. Each fall 72 junior cadets are elected into the company by the RV seniors. The RVs dress in distinctive white uniforms and perform a 21 gun salute at each Silver Taps and Muster.
Class System
As a member of the Corps, a cadet climbs through four classes of seniority. The Corps of Cadets uniform is very distinctive, bearing a loose resemblance to the US Army uniform(s) of World War 2, though the Senior uniform, with riding boots, harkens back to the US Army officer's uniform of World War 1. There are slight differences in the uniform worn by each class year, noted below. All cadets wear the same basic Corps uniform regardless of service branch, however.
As a freshman, the cadet is called a "fish". A "fish," with a lowercase 'f,' is known by his short haircut, his "bider "(garrison cap) that has no braid on it, and a cotton black belt. The bider is worn with a deep vee in the back, reminiscent of a fish tail. "fish" in the Corps are not known by their first name. The generic title "fish Jones" can be heard across the campus when an upperclassman wishes to call attention to a freshman whose name he does not know. "fish" sit a mandatory Call to Quarters (CQ) during the school week after evening chow. This allows a period of uninterrupted study each night. fish meet other members of the Corps by "Whipping Out" to upperclassmen. The fish introduces himself with "Howdy fish [cadet's Last Name] is my name Sir!" The upperclassmen and the freshman then trade names and information about hometown and major. Usually in a fish's second semester, some upperclassmen from units other than the fish's own will begin to "drop handles" with fish, which means the upperclassman has granted the fish the permission to speak with the upperclassman on a first-name basis and speak more normally with the upperclassman. However, the fish is still under obligation to obey orders, even from upperclassmen who have "dropped handles" with them. The freshman's fellow members of his outfit are known as "fish buddies".
A fish is not permitted to think, want, feel, "scope out" an upperclassman, have a first name, see through doorways, or like (instead fish will "cogitate about", or "care for"). Questions from upper classman are to be answered with one of five fish answers, "Yes, Sir!" "No, Sir!" "No Excuse, Sir!" "(Class Year), Sir" or the infamous "Sir, not being informed to the highest degree of accuracy I hesitate to articulate for fear I may deviate from the true course of rectitude. In short sir, I am a very dumb fish and do not know, Sir!" A fish is not privileged to live in a room, they exist in a "hole." fish, along with sophomores are required to wear taps on their low quarters. It is also their privilege to run or "bust ass" when going through their dorms. To refer to their buddy they share the hole with as a 'roommate' would indicate he has a room, so the individual is referred to as the "Old Lady" a habit that continues through out the corps career. The fish year is roughly comparable to the first year experiences of the Rooks at Norwich University, Knobs of the The Citadel or the Rats of VMI.
As a sophomore, the cadet is called a "pisshead". The sophomore year is a busy and hectic second year in the Corps. The nickname come from back when bonfire was still built on campus, when the sophomores would work on the lower levels of the stack, and the upper classmen above them would relieve themselves. "Pissheads" are denoted by their typically stern demeanor (always "pissed off") and black braids on their biders. The "pissheads" are responsible for seeing that the "fish" adapt and excel in Corps life. The "pissheads" can be thought of as the drill sergeants of the Corps of Cadets, though all "pissheads" officially hold the rank of cadet corporal.
As a junior, the cadet is called a "sergebutt" In the junior year, life in the Corps hits its stride. The nickname is a result of the serge material used to make the uniform trousers. The Corps junior, with his distinctive white braid and belt often finds this to be the most productive and engaging year in the Cadet Corps. The "sergebutt's" bider has as shallow a vee in the top as possible. The junior class runs the daily operations of the Corps. All "sergebutts" hold the rank of cadet sergeant, some of higher or lower individual rank depending on the position attained.
As a senior, the cadet is called a "zip" or an "elephant." A senior cadet is known by his or her distinctive brown leather boots, known in the Corps as senior boots, matching leather Sam Browne belt, sabre, and gold braid on his bider. Seniors are the only class allowed to wear their bider without a break or fold in the top seam. All seniors hold the rank of Cadet Officer, from Cadet Lieutenant to Cadet Colonel. The boots, which can be made at a several places are traditionally hand made at Holick's Bootmakers in College Station, Texas, are extremely distinctive and add a formal flair to the senior's new gold Aggie Class Ring. The ring is the symbol of the university and one's graduating class. Seniors share a unique one year experience as their four years in the Corps come to a close.
A variety of uniforms are issued to a cadet, including summer and winter versions of daily uniforms, dress uniforms and field uniforms. The Uniform of the Day depends on the weather. For special occasions and events, the uniform is specified in the Field Order or invitation for the event. Various units of the Corps have special uniforms, such as the Ross Volunteers, the fish Drill Team and Parson's Mounted Cavalry.
Cadets can be under contract with a branch of the armed forces which will result in a commission upon graduation. There are other members that are "Drill and Ceremonies" or "D&C" cadets. They are there to participate in Corps life without the military obligations. A close inspection of the uniform can reveal which branch of the service a cadet is associated with. Cadets will wear the appropriate uniforms for specific events.
Corps Life
Cadets live in the Corps Dorms located on the Quadrangle. They are divided into Companies (or Squadrons in the Air Force Wing), units of about 50 cadets that serve as the basic structure of the Corps of Cadets. The entire Corps falls out into formation twice a day, in the morning and the evening to observe the raising and lowering of the American flag before marching to Duncan dining hall for a family style meal. The fish serve as 'Whistle Jocks" to announce the approach of formations, along with the Uniform of the Day and the menu for the next meal.
Every fish is required to have the answers to a wide number of questions including, "What's for chow?" "How many days until Final Review?" and a long list of history or "Campusology" questions. In addition to twice daily uniform inspections, all Cadets, of any rank, should be able to answer these questions without hesitation.
In addition to normal college classes, cadets participate in daily Corps activities. These can range from intermural sport events to having the entire 2000 strong Corps run across campus in formation.
Current Structure
| First Brigade | Second Brigade |
| Animal A-1 | Spider D-1 |
| Battlin' B-1 | D-2 Dogs |
| B-2 Patriots | Kayo K-1 |
| E-1 Jocks | Lonestar L-1 |
| F-2 Foxes | Parsons Mounted Cavalry |
| Red Eye I-1 | |
| First Wing | Second Wing |
| Gator 2 | Outlaw 8 |
| Thunderbird 3 | Talon 12 |
| Challenger 17 | Falcon 16 |
| Phantom 18 | Hellcat 21 |
| Titan 20Template:Fn | Nighthawk 23 |
| Band | Regiment |
| A-Batt Noblemen | C-2 Cocks |
| B-Batt Wildmen | E-2 Mascot Company |
| A-Co Wolfpack | H-1 Rough Riders |
| B-Co Street Fighters | Killer K-2 |
| N-1 Knights | |
| Trident P-2 | |
| Spartan S-1 | |
| Viper V-1 |
Note that "Company A-1" or "Squadron 2," for example, would be the official designations of the outfits in the Corps. The nicknames of the outfits are included because they are an integral part of the tradition and heritage of the Corps.
See also
Notes
Template:FnbSquadron 20, formerly known as Squadron X, is a unit for upperclassmen, Sophomores and up, who are planing to go to continue their education, Law School, Medical School, etc. There are no freshmen so members can focus on academics. Although it is part of the First Wing it has no real ROTC affiliation.