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Following impressive national showings at both the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championship and the Sig Sauer Relentless Warrior Championship, the Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit (CCMU) is among the most decorated collegiate marksmanship teams for the 2023-2024 season.

College Station, TX. APRIL 8th, 2024- The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit has once again claimed numerous awards on the national level. Founded in the fall of 2011, the team’s 12th season has solidified their status as one of the nation’s most decorated collegiate marksmanship teams.

In early March, the CCMU traveled to Talladega, Alabama to compete in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) National Championship, with the team divided into two squads of four, designated Maroon and White. The CCMU’s Maroon team earned the first place title in two competition divisions after competing against several universities from around the nation, including the Virginia Military Institute. The White team placed fifth overall. In addition to the championship title, all four members of the Maroon team were ranked in the top ten individual shooters for both divisions. The team’s victory in Talladega marks their eighth national title at the event in the last decade.

Weeks after claiming the SASP Title, the same team of cadets traveled to Epping, New Hampshire to compete in the Sig Sauer Relentless Warrior Championship. This competition features a combat style 3-Gun match and is attended by all the United States Service Academies, Senior Military Colleges and the Canadian Royal Military Academy. Texas A&M’s CCMU placed second overall, and also claimed the Top Gun and High Lady Shooter awards, among other individual awards. In the eight years that CCMU has participated in this competition, the team has consistently placed within the top two teams.

The CCMU is one of 11 athletics teams offered through the Corps of Cadets. The team is one of the few Corps athletics teams that competes and achieves success nationally. This elite team is comprised of 27 members from across the country. Members undergo a rigorous training and try-out process before being hand selected for the team.

Dating to 1876, the Corps of Cadets is the oldest and largest student organization at Texas A&M University. Leveraging a military based cultural model throughout the four year leadership training program, the Corps prepares cadets to lead at the community, state, and national levels and produces some of the nation’s finest leaders in the public, private and military sectors. Texas A&M is one of the few schools to offer military commissions in all branches of service with the Corps remaining one of the largest uniformed bodies of students in the nation. Membership in the Corps carries no military obligation, with over half of current cadets not pursuing a military commission.

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Media contact: Robin Nelson, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, 979-862-1922, [email protected].

For many  in the Corps of Cadets, their membership in the organization is just one of several ways they choose to develop themselves as well rounded leaders. With over 1,300 student organizations offered on Texas A&M’s campus, cadets can add to the Corps’ developmental experience in a variety of ways. 

One cadet, Julianna Ramirez ‘25, a member of C-Battery in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, has chosen to continue a long time passion of hers through an organization that her mother, Marciela Ramirez ‘96, helped establish during her own time at Texas A&M. 

"I started dancing ballet folklorico when I was five years old. I chose to join the Ballet Folklorico Celestial organization at Texas A&M because I wanted to continue pursuing my passion for sharing my culture and I wanted to be a part of the organization that my mom helped shape as the President,” Ramirez explained.

Coming from Pearland, Texas, Ramirez says that her participation in Ballet Folklorico Celestial has helped make Aggieland feel more like home.

“When I first moved to College Station, I quickly realized that it looked very different from home. I missed dancing folklorico and I knew there was a group on campus. This was my way to get off of the Quad, meet people who have some of the same interests as me and a way for me to relax and do something that I love,” Ramirez said. 

Though similarities between the Corps and Ballet Folklorico Celestial may not be immediately discernible, membership in both organizations has reinforced skills that Ramirez will use even after college. 

“One of the biggest things I have gained is the ability to manage my time. I’ve learned that there are two types of things, plastic things and glass things, and you have to juggle them. Sometimes it will cause more of a hassle to drop a glass thing that you need to do, versus dropping a plastic thing that you want to do more,” Ramirez said.

“Being a member of the Corps of Cadets and the Aggie Band is a large time commitment, but I also think that making time to do something you love is important. We always say that the Corps is a leadership lab, and it really is. It teaches you how to respond to different situations, with different people, with different stress levels,” she continued.

The Corps of Cadets provides students from all backgrounds the space and opportunity to develop as leaders, prepare for the future and pursue their passions. Through her involvement in both the Corps and Ballet Folklorico Celestial, Ramirez has crafted a Corps experience that is uniquely her own.

Story By: Robin Nelson '22

Coming from all corners of the world with a variety of plans for the future, members of the Corps of Cadets represent a diverse group of students. Regardless of their background or dreams for the future, many cadets’ interest in developing themselves as leaders began well before their college careers.

Among the many high school programs that cadets were involved in, the FFA is one organization that aligns closely with the core values of the Corps, as indicated through the motto for FFA:

“Learning to do, Doing to learn, Earning to live, Living to serve”

Though their similarities may not be immediately apparent, both the Corps of Cadets and FFA experiences closely mirror each other in preparing young leaders for continued success. For two current cadets, Matthew Marquez ‘24 and Julianna Ramirez ‘25, their time in both organizations has greatly prepared them to achieve their future goals.

       

A former member of the Detroit FFA Chapter (TX), Matthew Marquez ‘24 is currently a senior geology major, a member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and a Ross Volunteer. With his sights set on pursuing a career with NASA, Matthew credits both the Corps of Cadets and FFA for making the path toward this dream more attainable.

“In the future, I hope to aid in humanity’s quest to become a multi-planetary species, specifically through growing crops in space with NASA, on the moon and on Mars. During my time in the FFA, I had the privilege of meeting then NASA Administrator, Jim Bridenstine, at the 2019 National Convention. He advised me to pursue geosciences in college. I have since studied geology and plan to specialize in soil and crop sciences post graduation,” Marquez said.

An FFA Ford Leadership Scholar, Matthew’s time in the organization included stints as his chapter’s Vice President, the Area 6 Vice President, and as a Texas State Needs Committee Member at the National level. These leadership positions inspired him to join the Corps in search of similar opportunities.

“Through the Corps, I met Aggie Astronaut, Colonel Michael Fossom ‘80, and made a connection with a former B-Company Streetfighter who is currently a Flight Lead in Mission Control. His commitment to giving me sound advice is so indicative of the timeless community fostered here in the Corps. Both organizations have taught me this: you get out what you put in.”

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Julianna Ramirez ‘25 is a junior agricultural systems management major from Pearland, Texas. During her time as a member of the Shadow Creek FFA Chapter (TX), Julianna participated on a number of teams, to include livestock judging and Spanish creed. Within the Corps, Julianna is a member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.

Julianna says that her time in the FFA and the Corps have both contributed to her solid leadership foundation.

“The FFA helped prepare me for the Corps by teaching me that it is okay to be uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations. Pushing yourself to do things that you have never done before is not a bad thing, it's an opportunity for growth,” Ramirez said.

After serving as a Gulf District Officer and as her chapter’s President throughout the 2020-2021 school year, Julianna has come to recognize the similarities between the Corps and the FFA.

“The Corps and The FFA are both student led organizations focused on the development and growth of their members as leaders of tomorrow. Both organizations allow their members to guide their experiences in a way that will benefit them the most.”

Through an emphasis on characteristics like selfless service, the experiences provided by both the FFA and the Corps of Cadets propel students toward success. Regardless of their participants’ goals for the future, one thing is certain:

Together, We Make Leaders.

Story By: Robin Nelson '22

The partnership between the two organizations is the first of its kind for the National Medal of Honor Institute.

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Feb. 20, 2024 — The Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets’ Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership has entered into a partnership with the National Medal of Honor Griffin Institute. The natural alignment of the two organizations centers around a shared values system. 

The Corps of Cadets has served as Texas A&M’s premier leadership development program for over 145 years. Leveraging a military structured cultural model allows for the holistic development of each individual in the Corps, regardless of their plans for the future. In fact, 60% of graduating cadets choose to pursue careers within the public, private or non-profit sectors.

Within the Corps experience, the Hollingsworth Center forEthical Leadership (HCEL) is a leadership and character “Center of Excellence” for students and staff. The Hollingsworth Center offers a comprehensive collection of programs that combine the formal study of leadership concepts with the intentional application and practice of leadership principles.

The National Medal of Honor Griffin Institute seeks to create a community built on character, leadership and impact by providing experiential leadership programs modeled after the valor and values of Medal of Honor recipients. 

"In our mission to inspire and educate, partnering with the esteemed Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership is a significant milestone," said Chris Cassidy, President, and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. 

"These cadets will be among the future leaders of our nation. Introducing them to the incredible stories of our Medal of Honor recipients does more than add to their academic education. It helps establish a foundation of strong character for these students, allowing them to gain an understanding of what true leadership and service entails.”

Through this partnership, cadets will learn more about Medal of Honor recipients, and how their displayed characteristics of leadership can be applied in every aspect of life, from the battlefield to the board room. Cadets will now have the opportunity to earn a certificate in applied leadership studies endorsed by the Griffin Institute upon their completion of the Hollingsworth program.

“The Hollingsworth Center is deeply honored to partner with the National Medal of Honor Griffin Institute. Our mission of developing leaders of character aligns perfectly with the institute’s mission of inspiring Americans to reach their true character and leadership potential. It’s a perfect match. Most of our non-commissioning graduates will never find themselves on a combat battlefield, but they can all selflessly serve others and live courageous lives of character in whatever career field they enter,” Dr. Dave Keller, Director of the Hollingsworth Center, said. 

As the Corps of Cadets continues on its plan to grow to 3,000 members, partnerships such as that with the Griffin Institute help elevate the cadet experience. With the partnership in its beginning stages, Corps of Cadets officials are excited for the future possibilities that it will bring to the organization.

“With eight former students among its recipients, Texas A&M has a long and proud connection to the National Medal of Honor. This new partnership builds on that connection by allowing our students to learn about the legacies of Medal recipients and use their knowledge to lead at the next level. What our cadets will learn through this partnership will serve them well as they pursue careers in the private and public sectors. Many of the characteristics that Medal recipients possessed can be emulated in our day-to-day interactions, and this partnership will serve as a springboard for just that,” Brigadier General Patrick Michaelis ‘93, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets, said. 

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Media contact: Amy Thompson, 979-862-1922, [email protected]