Cadet Nicolas George ’17
Air Force cadet Nicolas George, former Executive Officer of 2nd Wing Staff and a member of USAFROTC Detachment 805, completed his four years in the Corps of Cadets as a member of the Class of 2017. Born and raised in Saudi Arabia until the age of 10, Nicolas moved with his parents and his younger brother to Missouri City, Texas. Nicolas is studying Industrial Engineering and plans to graduate this December. After graduation, he is slotted to be a Combat Systems Officer upon commissioning into the United States Air Force. As Nicolas’s younger brother, Aaron George, plans to join the Corps of Cadets in the fall, Nicolas reflects on his time in the Corps as an Air Force cadet and the leadership skills he hopes his brother will also gain.
“The Corps gave me my first true sense of family. Somebody I could depend on. Somebody I could rely on for support,” Nicolas said.
Nicolas initially joined the Corps with minimal knowledge of what being a cadet entailed. Both his parents were born in India and knew little to nothing about the Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M, or its traditions when Nicolas applied to the university and got accepted. Nicolas did, however, know he wanted to pursue a career in the Air Force and a degree in Engineering.
The structure of the Corps has given Nicolas the essential skill set for being an Air Force Officer and Engineer. The Corps has taught Nicolas how to prioritize his time, how to develop and set long and short term goals, and how to be professional around both adults and his peers.
Nicolas looks on while his younger brother, Aaron, tries on his first uniform.
“For my brother to come here, of course, it means the world to me. I know the development, the time management, the skills, how to communicate with somebody, how to shake somebody’s hand firmly, those little skills that you overlook but they are very important,” Nicolas said.
Nicolas is proud of his brother’s decision to join the Corps of Cadets. His parents are also proud to see Aaron, Nicolas’s younger brother following in his footsteps, especially after seeing the skills Nicolas has gained from his four years in the Corps of Cadets.
“You need to have a well-rounded life, not just a life. At the end of the day what makes life successful is your team. You want your team to be full of good people,” Nicolas said.
Nicolas learned quickly that a successful team has to be strong but you also have to reflect on your own weaknesses and grow from them. Willingness to be a good leader and teammate creates a growing experience for all cadets.
“The Corps of Cadets is a lifestyle change. It is easy to join the Corps and say ‘you know what? This lifestyle isn’t for me,’ but it is harder to find your weaknesses and work on those,” Nicolas said.
Nicolas recalls his freshmen year, or fish year, as being the most challenging yet influential year of the Corps. But his years in the Corps as an upperclassman were equally as rewarding. Nicolas sought to help the freshmen improve physically and mentally during his sophomore and junior year. As Executive Officer of 2nd Wing, Nicolas took on more responsibility his senior year and assisted the commander of his unit.
Ultimately the Corps of Cadets has provided Nicolas with the problem-solving skills needed to face life. Whether it’s adversity in real world situations, the challenges that face an Air Force officer, the difficulties in the field of engineering, or the complications of everyday life, Nicolas is grateful for the experience he gained in the Corps of Cadets.