News

Company K-2 Raises Funds To Participate In Infinite Hero Challenge

February 22, 2022 by rnelson

In alignment with Texas A&M’s core value of selfless service, members of the Corps of Cadets are always searching for ways to give back to our university, our local community, our state, and our country. This year, Company K-2 has chosen to give back to our nation’s veterans by participating in this year’s Infinite Hero Honor Challenge as part of the Tough Mudder competition. To compete, K-2 must raise an initial amount of $5,000 which will be donated to the Infinite Hero Foundation.

“The Infinite Hero Challenge is a 10 hour endurance course created by the Infinite Hero Foundation and Tough Mudder. This event was established to raise funds for our veterans in need of family support, physical rehabilitation, and suicide prevention resources,” Alex Holden, Commanding Officer of Company K-2, said.

Through their participation, members of K-2 hope to raise $10,000 for the Infinite Hero Foundation and earn a place as one of the challenge’s top performing teams.

“When we found out that Tough Mudder was sponsoring the Infinite Hero Challenge here in Brazos County this year, we knew that we couldn’t let this opportunity slip by us. We pride ourselves on our motto, “The Best in Every Way”, and we will continue to illustrate this by never backing down from a challenge. We hope that the funds we raise will not only help veterans in need, but also help support those in our community and shed more light on the charitable acts of the Infinite Hero Foundation,” Holden explained.

K-2’s participation in this challenge comes from a deep rooted company tradition of selfless service, Holden says.

“The majority of Company K-2 aspires to become United States Marines and Sailors after we graduate and commission. We all have a passion to serve our great country in the name of freedom, and we know that freedom isn’t free. We welcome any chance we are presented to give back to the men and women that have already given so much for our freedom.”

If you would like to donate to Company K-2’s fundraiser for the Infinite Hero Challenge, visit here. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and the Killers would like to send a huge thank you to those that have already donated.

Story by: Robin Nelson ’22

Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program Allows Cadets To Pursue Academic And Professional Goals

January 25, 2022 by rnelson

A unique scholarship opportunity for the Corps of Cadets is the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program, or TASSP for short. Created in 2009 by the 81st Texas Legislature, this program provides students with a huge incentive to join one of our nation’s service branches. Currently, over 250 cadets at Texas A&M receive this scholarship.

The TASSP scholarship is awarded based on academic and personal achievement. Any resident of Texas that has been accepted into or is currently attending a Texas university is eligible to receive this scholarship. A commitment to serve in the United States military is required to earn and continue receiving this scholarship, which is renewable for up to four years.

You must be nominated by the Texas Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a state senator, or a state representative. Students can be a member of any class year, and do not need to be a ROTC scholarship recipient to apply. If recipients choose not to serve upon graduation, the scholarship is then converted to a loan that will need to be repaid.

“The Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program is for college students who are looking to join the military after graduation. It is fully funded by the state of Texas, and you can receive up to $10,000 a year depending on the annual state budget,” Kyle Nelson, a sophomore recipient of the TASSP scholarship, said.

In addition to providing students with up to $10,000 per year in funds, this scholarship can also be stacked onto a student’s existing ROTC scholarships.

“The TASSP scholarship has been a great help in that it covers almost everything that my Army ROTC scholarship does not. You can choose to spend it on either tuition and fees or on housing and meal plans, so it is very flexible,” Nelson said.

During the 2021 academic year, a majority of the TASSP scholarship’s funding went to members of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. Historically, Aggies make up the largest percentage of TASSP recipients.

Unfortunately, many representatives are left without students to nominate for the scholarship, and thousands of dollars go unawarded at the end of the nomination period.

“The application process is pretty simple. In order to apply for the scholarship, you can reach out to any of the state representatives and senators. All you need is a cover letter and a professional resume. My advice would be to apply with every single representative and senator. There is no limit to how many representatives you apply to and you aren’t restricted to your specific local legislator,” he said of the nomination process.

The TASSP scholarship provides an amazing opportunity for recipients to kick off their career in the armed forces, as additional educational funding opens the door for more professional development opportunities. Financial incentives aside, the requirements to maintain a TASSP award offer both financial and academic benefits.

First Lieutenant Carl Ivey, a graduate of Texas A&M and a former TASSP scholarship recipient, spoke of the ways in which the TASSP scholarship set him up for success.

“The TASSP allowed me to focus on my academics and not worry about financial issues. The TASSP also contained academic requirements that helped me stay disciplined and academically focused to keep my scholarship. The TASSP requires that you complete 4 years of ROTC courses regardless of your decision to pay back the loan or join the armed forces. Taking the courses and participating in the ROTC leadership labs allowed me to get ample training and leadership experience before commissioning on top of the training I received from the Corps of Cadets.”

For cadets not awarded the scholarship after their initial application, Ivey encourages them to continue to apply each time the opportunity becomes available.

“Keep applying. The first time I applied for a TASSP I did not receive it. I applied two more times and ultimately received a scholarship from one of our state senators. The TASSP also allows for repayment as a loan, so if you are hesitant to join the Federal Armed Forces, you can pay back the loan, or serve as a commissioned officer in the Texas State Guard, which is our state defense force,” Ivey said.

The TASSP scholarship is only one of the scholarship opportunities that is available to those that are considering military service. Learn more about the TASSP and its requirements by visiting the university’s website here.

Story by: Robin Nelson ’22

Texas A&M Cadets Will March 1,000 Miles for Special Operations Warrior Foundation

January 5, 2022 by amy.thompson

On January 4, 2022, five members of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets began a 1,000 mile “ruck march” across the southwestern United States. The ruck march started in Yosemite National Park in California and will continue east, ending in Arizona. The march will be completed on the cadets’ winter break.

The term “ruck march” refers to the rucksack worn on the backs of the cadets that holds their extra layers of clothing, food and water. In its fifth year, the Project Atlas Ruck March raises funds and awareness for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF). The SOWF provides scholarships and educational counseling for the surviving children of Special Operations soldiers whose lives were lost in the line of duty. The foundation provides funding for college tuition, books, fees, room and board, and computers and printers, as well as fully-funded professional tutoring from kindergarten through college graduation.

This year, the cadets hope to raise $25,000 for the SOWF through their 1,000 mile ruck. To date, the group has raised over $60,500 for the SOWF. Those interested are able to make donations here. Donations of all amounts are appreciated and will go a long way in making an impact.

Previous ruck marches have taken place in the western United States during the students’ winter breaks. Three years ago, cadets marched from California to Oregon; year before last, the cadets marched from the Grand Canyon to the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Last year, cadets completed the 1,000 mile march from Zion National Park in Utah to Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

Project Atlas Ruck Team. L to R: Thomas Sanitate ’23, Colton Kennedy ’23, Bryce Buchanan ’23, Antony Krstulovic Opara ’24 and David Medina ’24

Each year the goal is to ruck 1,000 miles. It’s truly a group effort for the cadets, as each cadet will march one-sixth of the cumulative total of the route. A portion of the daily itinerary does include some driving of the support vehicle, but the 1,000 miles are accumulated based on the distances the cadets march.

Preparation for the ruck is a months’ long process. Members of the group, known as Project Atlas, are selected based on their physical ability to march and their ability to work as part of team, working collaboratively as a group throughout the 10 days. This year’s Project Atlas group is composed of three junior cadets and two sophomore cadets – all from Company H-1 in the Corps of Cadets. Two of the junior cadets—Bryce Buchanan and Colton Kennedy—are veterans of the ruck march.

The fact that these cadets eagerly take on such a grueling endeavor during their holiday break each year is truly inspiring, and clearly indicates the level of dedication and commitment to service that they embody every day – as Aggies and as members of the Corps of Cadets. “Their actions speak to the kind of selfless servants our cadets are, the values they embody every day, and the kind of selfless leaders they become as members of the Corps of Cadets. More importantly, it says a lot about the quality of leaders they will be in the future, and the impact they will have on others as a result”, remarked Colonel Bryon Stebbins, Interim Commandant of Cadets.

The cadets are scheduled to complete their ten-day ruck march on January 14^th at the Petrified National Forest in Arizona. This year’s Project Atlas Ruck March participants are Bryce Buchanan ’23 of North Richland Hills, Colton Kennedy ’23 of Bishop, GA, Thomas Sanitate ’23 of Murphy, Antony Krstulovic Opara ’24 of The Woodlands and David Medina ’24 of San Antonio.

A link to give to the Project Atlas campaign can be accessed here.

Follow the cadets’ ruck march progress; daily updates about the Project Atlas Ruck March will be posted on the @aggiecorps Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and @projectatlasrucks on Instagram and Facebook.

DONATE NOW

November 10, 2021 by rnelson

Cadet To Medicine Program

A path to military medicine early assurance program provides Aggie cadets opportunities for a career in medicine

As Texas A&M continues to grow in number of students and educational offerings each year, many new and exciting programs are being offered to students. One of these new educational opportunities—The Cadet to Medicine Early Assurance Program—has a direct impact on the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.

Launched in the spring of 2019 at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine, this program allows second- and third-year cadets who are interested in pursuing careers in the medical field an opportunity to become highly competitive medical school students. The Cadet to Medicine program provides Corps of Cadets members with a foundation for a successful career in military medicine.

Students who are accepted into the program and successfully meet the program requirements are given a conditional offer of admission into the College of Medicine.

This fall, Andrew Chapman, a former Corps of Cadet member who graduated from Texas A&M in 2020, was the first student to enter the College of Medicine through the pipeline program.

Chapman, who majored in entomology during his undergraduate years, found that the pipeline program was a perfect fit for his future aspirations for a career as a flight surgeon. Now, as a first-year medical student, Chapman splits his time between the Navy and the College of Medicine.

Currently, the program has nine Corps of Cadets students who have already been accepted and are participating in the program.

“The Cadet to Medicine Program has given me some reassurance towards my admittance into medical school,” said Simi Head, a third-year cadet student in the program. “Having the early assurance to Texas A&M’s College of Medicine allows me to focus on everything that I am doing now in academics, the Corps and Army ROTC.”

During the program, cadets are provided with free MCAT prep courses as well as a mentor that is currently attending medical school, and are also given the opportunity to attend a semester-long seminar course taught by professionals in the medical field.

“This seminar course has motivated me even further to become a doctor because it dives deeper into the realities of medical school and the profession itself,” Head said. “We have had multiple speakers come and talk to us about what it really means to be a doctor. These discussions with experienced and practicing physicians give me the drive to keep working hard in my undergraduate studies so that I can be a doctor like them one day. This program is also putting an emphasis on bringing compassion and empathy more into the physician mindset, and I think that is so wonderful that they are cultivating that within us before we even begin medical school.”

In addition to the expectation that they will accept their offer of admission, cadets are also expected to commit to service in one of the six military branches upon graduating from medical school.

“In this program, upon completion of medical school, you will be commissioned into the military,” Head said. “As of now, I wish to pursue a career with the Army. I am currently contracted with the Army for my undergraduate studies, so it makes for a nice transition.”

The rigorous daily environment that the Corps provides coupled with the structured discipline that comes with being a medical student is the perfect mix for a future career in military medicine.

As a pathway that is packed with many opportunities, the Cadet to Medicine Program gives cadets plenty to look forward to with their future careers.

“I hope to be a doctor that truly cares about my patients,” Head said. “Ever since I was about 10 years old, I have wanted to be a doctor. Once I turned 15 years old, I decided that I wanted to be a doctor in the Army. With a long lineage of military service in my family and my desire to serve those who serve, I am excited to live the life of a compassionate, smart, intentional and sensical physician. At the moment, I want to pursue emergency medicine in the Army, and though it may be a stressful environment, I am ready for the adrenaline rush that will help me save lives.”

By Robin Nelson ’22, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and Texas A&M College of Medicine

https://corps.tamu.edu/cadettomedicine/

Amanda Lovitt Makes History

September 27, 2021 by amy.thompson

The Fightin Texas Aggie Band has a multitude of iconic traits; the Bugle Rank, the intricate formations, and the Block T are just a few of the things that come to mind when you think of the Noble Men of Kyle.

This year in particular, one aspect of the Fightin Texas Aggie Band is rising to center of attention:

The bass drummers.

For many, the thought of Aggie bass drummers has become almost entirely synonymous with stout young men marching into Kyle Field on Saturdays. While this association may have been relatively accurate in years prior, a new chapter is being written:

A determined female face has entered the mix.

Her name is Amanda Lovitt, and she is the loudest, proudest member of the Fightin Texas Aggie Class of 2023. She is a junior in the Fightin Texas Aggie Band, and a proud member of A-Battery. While recounting her time in A-Battery, Lovitt was quick to speak of the support she has received from her buddy class along the way.

“My buddies definitely motivated me, all the way. They have carried me through it all, the laughs and the cries. They have definitely helped me say ‘I will not quit’ on the bad days,” Amanda said.

With this type of support system, it was easy for Amanda to shoot for the stars with her goals; and so she did.

Amanda set her sights on becoming a bass drummer very early on in her Corps career.

“What they look for in a bass drummer is both moral character and physical ability. We are supposed to represent the ‘Noble Men of Kyle’, which means you have to be someone of high moral character that embodies all of the core values of the Corps of Cadets. They don’t tell us explicitly, but they start watching us during our fish year for a spot with the bass drummers. At the start of sophomore year, they really start looking at how involved you are. Do you stay late after practice? Do you go to extra practices in your free time? All of these aspects are what they consider, among other things. Of course there are physical drumming tryouts where you learn the basics of playing the instrument, but they really look at what kind of person you are,” Amanda explained.

After two years, Amanda’s hard work and determination had finally paid off. She was selected to be one of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band’s newest bass drummers; an honor only given to juniors in the band.

“When I found out that I had been selected, I was on cloud nine. In the months following, I would randomly think about it and just immediately have the biggest smile on my face. Being a bass drummer is something only juniors are allowed to do. Juniors have the experience, we know the ropes, and we are comfortable with playing such a large instrument. Seniors often want to use their final year to relax and play something more specific to what they like. It’s a demanding job,” Amanda said.

Then, unbeknownst to Amanda at the time of her audition, she discovered another important piece of information about her newly earned title:

She had just become the first female in Fightin Texas Aggie Band history to be named a bass drummer.

“Going into bass drum tryouts, I had no idea that being the first female bass drummer would even be a possibility. It was just something I was going out for because it was something that I wanted. It wasn’t until after I made it that a former cadet called me to congratulate me on being the first female. It wasn’t something that I had even considered when trying out, but it was definitely something that made me surprised and excited when I did.”

With such a prestigious title bestowed upon her, Amanda is already thinking about the future.

“With this platform, I would like to be able to motivate others. I want to see other young women and tell them that nothing can stop them from achieving their goals. You are the only thing that stands in your way of success, and I want to be able to show young girls that in this position.”

In fact, she’s already beginning to see how the ripples of her success are being cast out to other young women.

“At Midnight Yell, I actually had a gentleman come up to me and ask if I was the first female bass drum player. When I told him that I was, he began telling me about how I’m his young daughter’s biggest inspiration. For me, that broke my heart in the very best way. That is what being in this position is all about. It is all about inspiring others,” Amanda recounted.

Going forward with her role, Amanda has a bit of advice for all women looking to break into predominantly male opportunities.

“Don’t let anyone get you down, including yourself. A lot of times, we are our own worst enemy. This can sometimes be multiplied by ten when you’re around men, even if they don’t mean it. Sometimes you can be seen differently just for being a woman, which can be hard to take. Don’t let that get to you, and don’t be afraid to stand up and say ‘this is me and I’m here to stay’,” Amanda advised.

Along the way, there have been a number of people that have inspired Amanda. Among them are family members, friends, and her fellow Aggie bandsmen. However, one individual stands out the most to Amanda when she considers her role models.

“Nick Rossi, the Band Commander when I was a freshman, actually sat down with me and had a few conversations with me at different times. He seemed like one of those people that I would never speak to as a fish since he was a senior, but he was so inspiring and he really changed the way I think. He motivated me to be a better cadet and to be a better band member. He had that leader mindset that brought me up to his level,” Amanda said.

Though the year has just begun, Amanda is already stepping into her title with poise. She is ready to perform, ready to inspire, and ready to leave her mark on Aggie history as the first (but certainly not the last) female bass drum player.

“When I march, everything else disappears. I go into my own little world. The band is my escape. Nothing in the outside world matters to me when I am performing. I may be the first female, but I know I won’t be the last. I hope there are many, many more to come after me. I’m very excited about that,” Amanda said.

In such an exciting new chapter of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band’s history, it is easy to become inspired by Amanda’s story of determination and resilience. She has already become such a great example for women of all ages. The future is shining bright for all women in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, and the opportunities to succeed are limitless.

By Robin Nelson ’22