News

Brookins Receives Honor

October 1, 2018 by amy.thompson

Jacob Brookins Named Top OCS Graduate

Former Texas A&M Corps of Cadets member Jacob Brookins ‘18 will be recognized during the Texas A&M and University of Kentucky game Saturday for being the highest-ranked graduate of his 363-member class at the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA, this past summer.

Brookins will graduate in December with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electronic Systems Engineering Technology and a minor in Cybersecurity. He is a former member of Company D-2, a Ross Volunteer, and served as the Major Unit Commander for the 3rd Brigade his senior year. In addition to being a former member of the Corps of Cadets, Brookins is enrolled in the Marine Corps’ Platoon Leaders Class (PLC), a program that, among other requirements, calls for participants to complete a ten-week summer training session in Quantico, Virginia.

General Ryan P. Heritage, the current Commanding General of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Western Recruiting Region, is coming to Texas A&M to personally present the Commandant’s Trophy to Brookins.

General Heritage will serve as the reviewing officer for the Corps of Cadets West Campus March-in prior to kick-off.

While the 2,500-member Corps of Cadets is always evident at Aggie football games at Kyle Field, it is rare for a cadet to be individually honored on such an occasion.

“a very prestigious honor for a future Marine officer.”

-BG Ramirez, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets

Brigadier General Joe E. Ramirez, Jr.,`79, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets, said such recognition of Cadet Brookins is well deserved, describing the winning of the trophy as “a very prestigious honor for a future Marine officer.”

Capt. Andrew Hotsko, the Marine Corps Officer Selection Officer for the region that includes College Station and whose duties include working with students participating in the PLC program, offered a sterling assessment of Brookins.

“Cadet Brookins is humble, persistent, and a natural leader. He is one of the most professional cadets I have worked with and will undoubtedly excel as an Officer in the Marine Corps.” Capt. Hotsko also said, “I am confident he will continue to set the example and do a remarkable job leading the Marines he works with.”

Brigadier General Ramirez noted that Brookins is the second Texas A&M cadet in the past four years to win the Commandant’s Trophy – a true testament to the caliber of the cadets currently in the Corps at Texas A&M – something of which we are all very proud!

Commandant’s Trophy

The Commandant’s Trophy is the highest honor an Officer Candidate for the Marine Corps can receive. It was initiated to recognize the achievements of the candidate, recognize the school’s contribution to the candidate’s development, and to spread awareness of the PLC program on campus. The trophy is presented to the top graduate of Officer Candidate School, held in Quantico Virginia. Candidates are screened and evaluated on academic performance, physical fitness, and leadership. Based on his performance, Candidate Jacob Brookins distinguished himself out of 363 candidates.

fish Spurs

September 27, 2018 by amy.thompson

fish Spurs Return To Aggieland

In the early 1930s, ahead of the annual game against SMU, a freshman class in the Corps of Cadets was the first group to don “fish spurs” in an effort to help the Aggies “spur the ponies”.

Though the Texas A&M football team no longer regularly plays SMU, current freshmen in the Corps carry on the tradition by wearing their fish spurs ahead of the Southwest Classic game versus Arkansas in Arlington.

The weekend before the game, freshmen in each unit in the Corps gather as a buddy class to begin the lengthy process of designing their spurs.

“Making fish spurs is a multi-step process that requires a lot of teamwork among each buddy class. After obtaining nearly 700 bottle caps and 28 hangers, the first step is to flatten each individual bottle cap with a hammer or tool of choice, and use a nail to make a hole in the center of each cap. A few hours and multiple bruises later, you spray paint your bottle caps. To make the base of the spurs, you use pliers to shape a hanger around your low quarters, with a hook to allow easy removal, and then shape the top mount for your bottle caps. When the bottle caps are completed, they are threaded onto the hanger, and the hanger is bent to ensure they will not fall off,” Madison Cronin ‘26, Company A-1, said.

Madison described how each unit in the Corps designs their fish spurs in their own unique ways.

“Company A-1 specifically makes each bottle cap green, the Class of 2026’s class color, on one side and white on the other, with a green middle. Each bottle cap has ‘26 written 26 times per cap. The mounts for our bottle caps are vertical instead of horizontal and the tops of our spurs form an A-1.”

“The thing I am looking forward to the most this upcoming weekend is beating the hell outta Arkansas with my buddies by my side”

When describing Company C-2’s take on fish spurs, Liam Stevens ‘23, a current member of Company G-2, described another unique take on the tradition.

“I was a fish in C-2, and there the upperclassmen give the fish blank butterflies for their spurs. There are certain things the fish write on each piece, and on the last piece you write a nickname your buddies gave you. I felt like the coolest fish on campus, wearing spurs with butterflies while everyone else had theirs held together with just coat hangers.”

As a senior looking back on his own fish spurs experience, Dan Koch ‘23, Squadron 11, recalled fond memories of the bonding experience.

“I really enjoyed the process of making them as a fish. Working with my buddies to try and make a cool design, figuring out who was getting what, and then getting to spend some quality time together while making them was a really good memory. One of my favorite parts of the tradition is wildcatting from the dorm to the arches and sounding off if the spurs fall off.”

As this 90 year old tradition carries on throughout the years, the goal at the end of the week remains the same for every member of the Corps.

“The thing I am looking forward to the most this upcoming weekend is beating the hell outta Arkansas with my buddies by my side,” Madison said with a smile.

The next time you hear the melodic chime of fish spurs on campus, know that it's just the Keepers of The Spirit and The Guardians of Tradition keeping a good bull tradition alive.

Story By: Robin Nelson '22

Air Force Cadet Sees Brother Carry on Tradition

August 1, 2017 by amy.thompson

Air Force cadet Nicolas George, former Executive Officer of 2^nd 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 2^nd 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.