Growth Prompts Corps To Add

When two units of the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets were reactivated for the start of the spring semester in response to the corps’ growth, it was a time for celebration and reflection. Navy Capt. Michael D. T. Edwards (Ret.), a 1979 graduate, contributed to both in presenting a partial legacy of his reactivated unit, recounting how many of its hundreds of former members went on to excel in various pursuits — and how some died in service to their country.

Edwards, who became a high-ranking officer in the Navy even though naval service was not always the major corps factor that it is today, was a member of Squadron 1, an Air Force ROTC unit. Its history is not too different from all the other 36 units in the corps — other than it is the only one known to have “borrowed” Bevo and paraded the UT mascot around the circle in front of the Texas A&M president’s campus home.

A similar reactivation ceremony was held for Company F-1, a Navy-Marine unit that carries the “Finest First” moniker. William M. “Bill” Stough, a 1960 Texas A&M graduate and former F-1 cadet, spoke on behalf that unit.

Corps Commandant and Army Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Joe E. Ramirez, Jr., spoke at both ceremonies and said more units will be reactivated if the corps continues to grow. It increased its strength by 176 cadets when the current school year began last fall and now has 2,030 young men and women in its ranks.

In addition to noting the Bevo hijinks, Capt. Edwards succinctly capsuled the flavor of some of the former cadets of “Huslin’ One,” as the unit has historically been known.

“I made the ultimate sacrifice while searching for downed pilots over Cambodia during my second tour,” Edwards said in speaking for one of the deceased former members of Squadron 1. While not personally identifying him, Edwards left no doubt that he knew who that warrior was by continuing the “observation” on behalf the former cadet by noting “the Corps of Cadets Baldridge Award for the ‘best drilled outfit’ is named after me.”In speaking for another former Huslin’ One member, Edwards said: “I was a Marine captain wounded in a Vietnam minefield and was medically retired. I learned 40 years later that the CH-46 pilot that rescued me was a ‘fish bud.’” That notation means they were freshman buddies in the Corps.

Another former member of the unit went on be the senior navigator on Air Force One and another practiced law before the U.S. Supreme Court, Edwards recounted in his remarks. To see pertinent excerpts from Capt. Edwards’ remarks denoting the experiences and accomplishments of a few of the other former Squadron 1 members, go here. For more photos of the Squadron 1 reactivation ceremony, visit here; additional photos of the Company F-1 ceremony can be found here.

 

Reprinted from TAMU Times.

Top photo: Cadets participate in the Company F-1 reactivation ceremony.

Bottom photo: Capt. Michael D. T. Edwards (Ret.) addresses the crowd at the Squadron 1 reactivation ceremony.

Photos: Annette Walker

This year the Corps of Cadets took a unique approach to participation in the Texas A&M Campus Sustainability Challenge by devising a competition that pitted outfit against outfit in a select few events. The goal of participation this year was to set a foundation for future challenges and a year-round sustainability program.

Outfits were given six events to compete for points during September and October, which were awarded based on the percentage of the cadets in each outfit that participated in each event.

Events included, Aggie Replant, Stream Clean, Dorm Energy Conservation Challenge (done by dorm, not outfit, with each outfit in a dorm receiving a certain amount of points dependent upon their place of finish in the event), Fishing Festival Participation, Participation in viewing of “Trashed” (one part of a film series with topics of global sustainability) and Kyle Field Recycling.

“This is the first year that the Corps of Cadets has participated in the Sustainability Challenge and they did a great job, said Dr. Carol Binzer, Director, Administrative and Support Services, Residence Life . “Squadron 20 is the overall Champion and will have a plaque to hang in their hall, while Briggs is recognized for the greatest conservation of utilities in their comparative challenge.”

This is the second (of the 4 years of the challenge) to be been held in the fall semester, in hopes of encouraging students to start the year off with better sustainability practices and habits. Additionally, this year’s challenge took an even more expanded view of sustainability.

“The Corps of Cadets really embraced this challenge and are honored to have been named the Champion, said Johnny Smith, Asst. Director, Corps of Cadets. “I know they’ll display their plaque with pride and keep maintaining the principles of the challenge.”

Above photo, from right, Dr. Carol Binzer, Campus Sustainability Challenge Chairman, Johnny Smith, James Johnson ’13, 1^st Sergeant, Squadron 20, Corps of Cadets and Kelly Wellman, Sustainability Officer, Office of Vice President for Facilities.