Cadet Trent Ford from Magnolia, Texas will serve as the primary caretaker for the university’s official mascot.

Cadet Trent Ford was announced as Texas A&M’s newest mascot corporal on Friday as part of the university’s Family Weekend activities. Ford will serve as the primary caretaker for Reveille X during the 2026-2027 academic year. 

Ford is a member of Company E-2 in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. Since 1959, Company E-2, known also as the Mascot Company, has had the distinct privilege of caring for Reveille, the official mascot of Texas A&M. 

Over the course of the 2026-2027 school year, Ford and the rest of E-2’s rising sophomore class will care for and accompany Reveille X to all of her appearances. As mascot corporal, Ford will serve the university in a high-profile capacity, often speaking on Reveille’s behalf to media, faculty, staff, students and visitors. 

Prior to his selection as mascot corporal, Ford and the rest of E-2’s freshman class of 2029 underwent a semester-long tryout process. This process involved researching the tradition of Reveille and delivering a series of informative speeches on the previous nine Reveilles. 

Outstanding Corps Color Guard Award, sponsored by the United Services Automobile Association (USAA), the award is presented to the color guard that accrued the highest rating in graded march-ins and reviews.  The award is named for Lieutenant General Ormond R. Simpson, a member of the Corps of Cadets, Class of ’36.

Corps Color Guard

Outstanding Major Unit Staff Award, established and sponsored by USAA, this award is presented to the Major Unit Staff achieving the highest cumulative total point ratings derived from academics, military proficiency, inspections and physical fitness tests.

1st Wing Staff

The Commandant’s Flag, sponsored by The Comal County A&M Mothers’ Club to recognize the outstanding university involvement/proficiency and Career Readiness activities of the members of a company, squadron, or battery.

1st Place | A-Battery
2nd Place | Squadron 17
3rd Place | Company K-2

The Robert M. Gates Public Service Award, endowed by Gerald Ray and Donald Zale, the award was established to recognize the outstanding public service of a company, squadron, or battery.

1st Place | Squadron 17
2nd Place| Company E-1
3rd Place| A-Battery

The J.J. Sanchez Recruiting and Retention Award, sponsored by The Austin Texas A&M Mothers’ Club, the award was established to recognize the outstanding recruiting and retention achievement of a company, squadron, or battery.  The award is named in memory of former cadet J.J. Sanchez ’93.

1st Place Company K-2
2nd Place Squadron 11
3rd Place Squadron 1

The George P.F. Jouine Award, sponsored by The Houston A&M University Mothers’ Club, the award was established to recognize the outstanding academic achievement of a company, squadron, or battery.  The award is named for George P.F. Jouine, Class of ’07.

1st Place Company B-1
2nd Place B-Company
3rd Place Squadron 17

The Bruno A. Hochmuth Award, endowed by Colonel Max and Judy Cottrell through the Eternal Aggie Corps Endowment, the award was established to recognize outstanding achievement in military proficiency, inspections and physical fitness standards of a company, squadron, or battery.  The award is named for Major General Bruno A. Hochmuth, U.S. Marine Corps, Class of ’35,

1st Place B-Company
2nd Place Company G-2
3rd Place Company K-2

The Taylor A. Gillespie Most Improved Outfit Award, sponsored by the Friends of Taylor’s Place, the award is presented to the company, squadron, or battery demonstrating the greatest overall improvement from one year to the next.  The award is named for former Cadet Taylor Gillespie ‘11

1st Place Squadron 8
2nd Place Squadron 5
3rd Place Company K-2

The President’s Flag, sponsored by Texas A&M University President, the award was established to recognize the outstanding Minor Unit as it relates to Scholastic and Military Proficiency as well Recruiting and Retention and cadet activities.

Artillery Band

The General George F. Moore Outstanding Unit Award, endowed by Gerald and Susan Sullivan, the award was established in 1946 to recognize the outstanding company, squadron, or battery in the Corps of Cadets.  The award is named for General George F. Moore, U.S. Army, Class of ’08.

1st Place Company K-2
2nd Place B-Company
3rd Place Squadron 17

Early ideas for the program began after Dr. Kristen Neill, Associate Director of the Hollingsworth Center, recognized the need for a mentoring program on the Quad. From there, Neill engaged in several intentional steps toward initiating the new resource. 

“As someone who was neither a former cadet nor an Aggie, I knew there was much to understand about how the Corps operates in order to effectively serve cadets through a mentorship program. To build that understanding, I interviewed cadets and engaged in conversations with students during my School of Military Sciences (SOMS) courses to gain insight into their experiences and needs,” Neill explained. 

“My goal for the mentor program was simple: connection and impact; ultimately enhancing the overall Corps experience. I see the mentor program as a leadership accelerator – a way to get even better, faster. I also researched mentorship programs across the country to identify best practices and common challenges. That process reinforced the significant benefits of one-to-one mentoring. At the same time, I drew on consistently strong feedback from our SOMS courses, which demonstrate meaningful impact each semester,” she continued. 

Leaning on those conversations and her research, Neill says that the program’s initial model integrates individualized mentorship with the proven framework of SOMS. In its first pilot year, the Corps of Cadets Mentor program welcomed in 27 cadets from across all majors and classifications. Individual mentors were assigned to each cadet through as the product of a personalized selection process. 

“Individuals were chosen because they were already engaged with the Corps community and had established trust with cadets, allowing for authentic and meaningful connections from the outset. Rather than assigning mentors based on career alignment, pairings were made intentionally to foster personal growth, leadership development and holistic support. Cadets were matched with mentors who could provide guidance, encouragement and perspective, prioritizing relational fit and accessibility over professional similarity,” said Neill. 

Across the fall and spring semesters, the program facilitated monthly lunch-time gatherings for all mentors and mentees. At the lunch sessions, cadets and their mentors heard from guest speakers on various leadership topics. From there, the mentors and mentees would arrange one on one “debrief meetings” to review the topics together. 

“This allowed for guided discussion at first, but the more the relationship grows, mentors and mentees can eventually branch off into cadet specific personal development,” Neill explained.

One program participant, Preston King ‘26, a mechanical engineering major on the Infantry Band Staff, says that his mentor, Major General Randy Fullhart, has already had a significant impact on both his Corps career and his personal life.

“Whether recounting difficult conversations he had as Commandant of the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech, or brightening the day of the landscaping staff at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library where he and his wife volunteer, Maj. Gen. Fullhart displays a humble excellence that I can only hope to replicate. Those actions don’t depend on my future career.”

As the program looks to continue to grow in its second pilot run next academic year, its positive impacts on the Corps are already evident. 

“I hope the Hollingsworth Center’s mentorship program doubles in size in the next two years. With the impact Maj. Gen. Fullart has already had on my life, I wish every cadet had access to this kind of guidance,” King said. 

“The greatest value of the program is that it enriches the lives of every cadet by surrounding them with ‘best‑of‑the‑best’ individuals who are interested in investing in their cadet’s success. Whether military-contracted or drill & ceremony, cadets gain guidance, support and a relationship that benefits their life long after they graduate from Texas A&M University,” he continued. 

Through the Hollingsworth Center and the resources it offers, students from across Texas A&M’s campus can gain invaluable experience and unique insight from experienced leaders. For cadets in specific, resources like the mentorship program help equip them with the tools they need to make positive contributions to their communities, the state and the nation. 

Interested in learning more about the Hollingsworth Center’s impacts across campus? Visit tx.ag/HCEL. 

Two cadets were identified to fill the senior-level leadership positions of Corps Commander and Deputy Corps Commander:

• Corps Commander: Mackenzie Cronin, Hot Springs, Arkansas.
• Deputy Corps Commander: Jonathan Varnan, Rowlett, Texas.

Four cadets were selected to serve as Major Unit Commanders for the Corps’ four major units:

• 1st Brigade Commander: Ethan Hernandez, Frisco, Texas.
• 1st Regiment Commander: Dora Gibbons, Howell, New Jersey.
• 1st Wing Commander: Collin Jarvis, Sachse, Texas. 
• Aggie Band Commander: Anthony Mabins, San Antonio, Texas.

The Corps’ leadership selection process for these positions is formal, merit-based and entirely cadet-driven. The process combines applications, interviews at multiple board levels and slating to place leaders into positions where they’re best fit to serve the organization. 

“I firmly believe the selection process that was executed by the senior cadet leadership has aligned the Corps of Cadets for success for years to come. The cadets are proud of the process and the outcomes it has delivered. I am confident the class of 2027 will continue the hard work to solidify this cadet-led and cadet-supported selection process,” said John Andruss ‘26, the 2025-2026 Corps Commander.  

Following the upcoming announcement of the Minor Unit and Company level Commanders, all rising senior leaders will manage an additional selection process to identify the Corps’ rising junior leaders. The slated junior leaders will serve as the Corps Sergeant Major, Major Unit Sergeants Major, Minor Unit Sergeants Major and Company First Sergeants. 

All 2026-2027 cadet leaders will assume their roles for the upcoming school year during the second pass of Final Review on April 25, 2026.

The Fish Drill Team, unique among collegiate drill teams for being composed exclusively of freshman cadets, dominated in nearly every category of the drill competition, which hosts drill teams from across the country. As a result of their efforts, the Fish Drill Team was named the overall champion of the meet, edging out teams from the United States Military Academy and Norwich University. This win comes as a result of five months of intense training for the Fish Drill Team, beginning in mid-September, just four weeks after cadets arrived on Texas A&M’s campus. 

Standing as Texas A&M’s oldest, largest and most recognizable student organization, the Corps of Cadets prepares students to lead at every level. Leveraging its traditional, military-based framework, the Corps is a leadership development program that prepares its students for careers in the public, private and military sectors. Through unique experiences and opportunities like the Fish Drill Team, cadets are able to compete and win on the national stage.

The ruck march, a fundraiser for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, began as a service initiative known as Project Atlas Rucks in 2017 by members of the Corps’ Company H-1. This year’s Project Atlas Rucks team is comprised of cadets from Company P-2 and Company K-2, along with two other students. 

The term “ruck march” is in reference to the rucksack carried by the cadets that holds their clothing, food and water. 

This year’s trip will begin at Big Bend National Park. The team will then work their way to Carlsbad National Park and White Sands National Park, before completing the 10-day ruck march on Jan. 12 at Huntsville State Park.

 “One of the big reasons this route was chosen is for the seclusion from hotels and outside help, in order to further simulate the hardships within the special operations community. The most difficult part of this trip will be the wide variety in terrain, as well as our sleeping conditions,” Austin Ramos, a junior cadet in Company P-2 and Project Atlas Co-Lead, explained. 

This year, the team has a goal to raise $10,000 for the SOWF over the course of the journey.

“It means the world to us to have the opportunity to honor those who gave everything in service to our country, while also helping raise funds for one of our own in P-2 to attend school within the Corps of Cadets through SOWF,” said Ramos. 

To date, Project Atlas has raised over $100,000 for the SOWF, which benefits children of military special operators who have died or been injured while serving our nation. The foundation ensures that those children have access to comprehensive educational support, from primary to post-secondary school.

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

Regular updates about this year’s Project Atlas Ruck march will be posted on the @aggiecorps Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and @projectatlasrucks on Instagram and Facebook. 

The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets will host “Christmas on the Quad,” an event open to the Texas A&M and Bryan/College Station communities, on Sunday, Dec. 7th. The event will begin at 5 p.m. on the Quad, home of the Corps of Cadets, and will end at approximately 9 p.m. 

Admission to Christmas on the Quad is free and open to the public. The event will feature a Christmas light-decorated Quad, a variety of free activities & holiday treats and plenty of photo opportunities for families and children. 

Paid parking is available in the Central Campus (Koldus) Garage. 

The march will begin on South Congress Avenue at 1 PM, and will include the 2,400-plus members of the Corps of Cadets, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, Texas A&M’s mascot, Reveille X, and Parsons Mounted Cavalry. 

The Corps, led by the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, will march past the reviewing stand positioned on the corner of Congress & 7th Street and will conclude on Congress & West 11th Street. The detailed march route is accessible here. 

The Corps of Cadets dates its origins to the establishment of Texas A&M in 1876. As the Keepers of The Spirit and the Guardians of Tradition, members of the Corps play a key role in upholding several of the traditions for which Texas A&M is known.

As one of the nation’s most unique leadership development programs, the Corps of Cadets is home to students from all majors, interests and backgrounds. Though the Corps experience is deeply rooted in its iconic, military-based cultural model, the skills that cadets develop in the program are applicable in every professional environment. 

For cadets in Company C-2, a special Halloween-themed tradition, “Flight of the Great Pumpkin”, also known simply as “Flight”, has been a unit staple since 1963. Held annually either on Halloween or in the days leading up to it, Flight of the Great Pumpkin has evolved throughout the years.

“The roots of Flight of the Great Pumpkin trace back to 1963. The name is inspired by a Charles Schulz 1959 comic strip, later televised in 1966, titled, “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.” This comic displays Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin to rise on Halloween Night. To mimic this, junior cadets wrapped a fish (freshman) in a bedsheet, placed a pumpkin on his head, gave him a flaming broom and sent him running across the Quad,” said Jeb Barber ‘26, a senior cadet in Company C-2. 

“By the mid-1960s, the tradition evolved as C-2 cadets began to attempt to smash the pumpkin in the Aggie Band’s dorms. In the 1970s and 80s, the tradition had sparked a full-blown rivalry between C-2 and the band. Today, Flight has adapted with campus culture, developing into a symbolic tradition that celebrates Halloween, honors the former rivalry between C-2 and the band and gives cadets in C-2 the opportunity to participate in one of Texas A&M’s most unique and rich traditions,” Barber continued.

In its current iteration, Flight is an event that members at every class level participate in, to varying degrees. 

“On the night of Flight, cadets from each class in C-2 participate. In preparation of the event, freshmen in Halloween masks walk around the Quad, hand out candy and build excitement for the event by telling people when the Great Pumpkin will take flight. Sophomores also have several responsibilities. They sell C-2’s Flight themed 12th Man Towels and collect the pieces of smashed pumpkin after Flight has concluded,” Barber explained.  

“The whitebelts (juniors and seniors) are part of the main event. Bearing torches, pumpkins and face paint, they march around the Quad to the tune of “O Fortuna.” For underclassmen, their participation builds the anticipation of ‘earning’ Flight their junior year. As an upperclassman, participating in flight is the culmination of all the hard work you have poured into C-2.”

Arguably one of the most unique traditions on the Quad, Flight of the Great Pumpkin is a tradition that binds generations of C-2 cadets together through one evening. 

“When you see the number of C-2 alumni who come out to support Flight, it shows you how special being in C-2 is and how special Flight is. I have seen C-2 alumni from the 60s all the way to last year’s zips (seniors) come to support current members of C-2 on this night. This support shows that C-2 is not just an organization, it is a brotherhood with the mission of supporting and building each other up,” Barber said. 

For those interested in visiting the Quad to watch Flight firsthand, members of C-2 hope they can help them get into the Halloween spirit in a way that is entirely unique to Texas A&M. 

“This year, the Great Pumpkin takes Flight at 10:31 on Halloween Night. We invite everyone to come join C-2 in Texas A&M’s greatest Halloween tradition, and celebrate Halloween in a way that can only be found at A&M,” Barber said.