Cadet Leadership

Corps Holistic Development Series: A Living Leadership Laboratory

July 25, 2024 by rnelson

“I joined the Corps of Cadets with the intention of leaving. I thought that my path was going to be at the United States Naval Academy, but I was wrong. I realized that I was the artist of my own life, and the tapestry was exactly where I’d found myself planted: Texas A&M.”

A spring 2024 graduate of Texas A&M, Alexa Reichert spent her four years at the university as part of the oldest, largest and most visible student organization on campus: the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. Beginning in Company A-1 and finishing her time in the Corps as the Third Battalion Commander, Reichert says that her growth as a leader within the organization was evident across all four years.

“I stayed because I knew there was something at A&M that I found as a cadet that I wouldn’t find anywhere else. When I was 18 years old I couldn’t explain it, but as a recent graduate, I can confidently say that the spirit of Aggieland is alive and well to those who seek it,” Reichert said.

“The leadership laboratory that the Corps provided me consisted of hard conversations and maturing in how I dealt with adversity. It was specifically through my leadership exercises in the Corps that I learned how to advocate for myself and help others accomplish a common goal,” Alexa continued.

Though heavily involved within the Corps, Reichert also found that her membership in the organization propelled her to reach new heights as a sociology major and as a member of the Texas A&M Gymnastics Team. Utilizing many different elements of the Corps experience, Reichert was able to push past her self perceived limitations and develop skills that have extended beyond her time in the organization.

“The Corps has prepared me as a leader by giving me opportunities to challenge myself and my mental, spiritual and physical abilities. Each lesson that I’ve learned in the Corps, even the hard ones, have been worth it in terms of how much I have grown. Whether it was utilizing the Corps specific academic advisors or working through injuries with the Corps physical trainers, I felt ready to break past the obstacles thrown my way, both on the Quad and off,” Reichert said.

“For me, the Hollingsworth Center in particular promoted leadership development on a very personal level. They always encouraged deep personal reflection and decision making that was genuine and swift, but also just. Being able to take classes with them helped me network and gain mentorship that I continue to lean on today. I was able to form my own leadership style and apply it during my time as a Commander in the Corps and also in my involvements outside of the organization,” she continued.

Post-graduation, Reichert now works for Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets as an Corps Term Recruiter. Through this unique opportunity, Reichert will be embedded with Texas A&M’s Prospective Student Center in San Antonio, Texas. As a Corps Term Recruiter, Alexa will help prospective students learn more about the Corps of Cadets and the wide range of opportunities that are available to them as members of the organization.

“It is a privilege of mine to now serve as a recruiter for the Corps of Cadets. I am able to help people realize their potential for success that spans far beyond the classroom. The Corps develops leaders that will go on to serve those around them in a variety of ways, across many different endeavors. Being able to instill that sentiment in interested young men and women serves as a powerful reminder of what the Corps of Cadets offered me,” Alexa said.

CCMU Remains One Of The Nation’s Elite Shooting Squads

May 21, 2024 by rnelson

The Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit recently completed its 12th season, achieving high levels of success across multiple national events.

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible,” T.E. Lawrence.

The above quote sits centered on a printed sheet, just below the Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit (CCMU) logo. Eight copies of the sheet have been made, one for each CCMU team member who is set to compete the next day at the SIG SAUER Relentless Warrior Championship in Epping, New Hampshire. One of the team’s coaches, Kevin Jimmerson ‘89, gives the team final words of motivation for the evening.

“Look at that quote on that sheet of paper you just received. That’s us. We dream with our eyes open. Tomorrow is a wide open table. Anyone can do this, but remember that it’s a marathon. I don’t ask that you win, because this isn’t about winning. It’s about looking around and taking care of your buddies. It is not about one of us, it's about all of us,” Jimmerson said.

A token of the moment, members of the team begin moving around the room to sign each other’s sheets. Once each sheet has been signed, paracord and metal links are placed in front of them.

A paracord necklace with a metal link laying on top of the quote sheet that was given to each cadet. — **Each cadet who competed at SIG received a link and quote sheet as a symbol of their place on the team.**

“There is not a ‘weakest link’ on this team. I want each of you to take a link, tie the paracord around it and wear it while we compete this weekend. If you’re ever up there and you need reassurance, grab onto that link and know that we are in this together,” Jimmerson explained.

The following morning, the CCMU is fully geared up at the SIG SAUER Training facility. It is a cold, snowy morning, but the weather conditions seem to go largely unnoticed by everyone in attendance. The team’s participation in this event comes just weeks after their first place finish at the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP)’s National Championship in Talladega, Alabama, and they’re focused on closing out the season on a high note at the Relentless Warrior Championship.

Cadets smile in front of a Sig Sauer poster in the snow. — **Held annually in Epping, New Hampshire, the SIG SAUER Relentless Warrior Championship is one of the CCMU's most prominent involvements.**

“Going to compete at the SASP and SIG National Championships is always nerve-wracking, knowing you have to outperform the best in the sport. My teammates have an inspiring drive to compete and a motivation to always improve. The CCMU is unique because we compete in so many shooting disciplines. Our competitors typically only shoot SASP or SIG; we shoot both and more, such as the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association’s SWAT Competition and the Mammoth Sniper Challenge. At times, it feels like the team is in a constant state of gearing up, tuning and preparation,” Chance De Vos ‘24, Commanding Officer of the unit, said

“I am incredibly proud of my teammates and all of the hard work they have put in the last two semesters. Long nights catching up on school work into early mornings of dry fire, and then weekends of full-day practices and matches. It's why I believe that the CCMU forges the best cadets on the Quad,” he continued.

The Relentless Warrior Championship is lined with notable competitors for the CCMU. Teams from each of the United States Service Academies, senior military colleges and the Canadian Royal Military Academy are all present, with some members of these squads even having prior active duty military service under their belts. It's a stage filled with heavy hitters, but is also one on which Texas A&M has been consistently well represented.

“Texas A&M has a reputation to uphold, and it truly is an honor and a privilege to be able to represent the university and the Corps at all of the events we attend. The pressure to perform and live up to the CCMU's reputation is on and to be able to go out and compete truly is an incredible opportunity,” De Vos said.

CCMU cadet smiles with his dad and sister at the SIG SAUER academy. — **Family members of several CCMU cadets traveled from across the nation to watch and support them as they competed at SIG.**

Though over 1,800 miles away from Texas A&M’s campus, half of the team’s members have family who have traveled to support them across two days of intense, 3-Gun format competition. Family members have arrived from California, Utah, Texas and Massachusetts to support their cadets in the team’s much anticipated final match of the season, and their presence makes all the difference.

CCMU team gathered in cadet Charlie Roach '25's house for dinner after the competition. — **Cadet Charlie Roach's family hosted the team for dinner at their home in Topsfield, MA.**

“It was very nice having my family come watch the team and I shoot. I felt the same sense of joy and support from them that weekend that I did from them when they came to my peewee league soccer games. The feeling of, ‘my mom and dad are here to see me! Yay!’ Having my family's support means a lot to me, and I know my teammates also enjoyed having their families come to watch us as well. It makes me feel accomplished and thankful that my family supports me,” Charlie Roach ‘25, who is originally from Topsfield, MA, said.

Throughout the competition’s two days, cadets push through several complex course trials, each featuring the use of rifles, pistols and occasionally a prop gun provided by Sig Sauer. Some courses require cadets to maneuver around obstacles, to include exiting a parked car and traversing through a plastic tunnel. One trial even features a challenge where cadets are required to grab a weighted bag and toss it over a wooden fence before continuing on to the course’s pistol portion.

Before and after each course, members of the CCMU can be seen jotting notes down on their pocket sized notebooks. Prior to the start of each course trial, cadets’ notes detail the specific course rules. After a course’s conclusion, cadets retrace their steps, detailing their shot placement and other mental takeaways.

A cadet makes note of her shot placement after a completing a course. — **Following the conclusion of each course, CCMU cadets retrace their steps and take notes on their shot placement.**

“We take notes before and after the stage because your brain is for thinking, and paper is for remembering. Under the stress of a stage, it is often easy to forget important information. Writing it down helps build that pathway in your brain, allowing you to reference and remember important details when you’re under the stress of the match,” Rheily Garcia ‘24 said.

In between courses, cadets mingle with each other and members of the other teams, forming relationships with each other that will last long beyond the competition. Also within these small windows of downtime, they take time to ground themselves by looking to their link and paracord, recalling that they are moving together as a unit.

“One of my favorite parts of SIG especially is being able to build relationships and camaraderie with the senior military college and service academy teams. Building these relationships is beneficial to cadets' development now and will be important when our contracted cadets become officers in our military as part of a joint force,” De Vos said.

**Teams from each of the Service Academies and the Senior Military Colleges are present at the Relentless Warrior competition.**

At the conclusion of the competition, the CCMU cadets, alongside the other teams, attend a banquet where the final results are announced. Members of the team are dressed in either the Corps’ Alphas or Midnights uniforms, depending on their classification. Among the many unique uniforms worn at this final event, the three pairs of senior boots in attendance are among the most notable details. For the three senior members of the unit, this evening is the culmination of their years of hard work and dedication to the team.

“During my sophomore year in the Corps I had the opportunity to teach the then freshman class on CCMU how to be good teammates, students and cadets in addition to weapon handling and marksmanship. Watching their growth and achievements as they have developed into capable shooters and leaders in their own right has been the best experience of my college career. I have learned that teamwork and hard work are everything and serving those around you is the most rewarding thing you can do,” Ayla Myrin ‘24 said.

A cadet howdy hat rests on the team's three 2024 Relentless Warrior awards (High Lady, Team 2nd Place, and M17 Shootout Champion). — **In the past eight SIG Championship competitions, the CCMU has never finished below second place.**

As results are announced, the CCMU’s reputation as one of the nation’s most decorated collegiate shooting squads is further solidified. Finishing second overall as a team, the CCMU also received the Top Gun and High Point Lady Shooter awards, among several other individual marks. Of the eight CCMU shooters who competed, seven placed within the top twelve. These awards compliment the rest of the team's 2023-2024 season, which included a tenth consecutive national championship title at SASP, a top ten placement at the Mammoth Sniper Challenge and a top 50% finish at the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association’s SWAT Competition.

Though an undeniably successful season for the team, the CCMU is no stranger to these levels of achievement. Founded in the fall of 2011, the CCMU’s legacy is lined with national titles, high point individual marks and other accolades. The team’s dominance at every level has led to a variety of support from industry leaders such as Global Ordinance, Staccato, Glock, Adams Arms and Kryptek, which aid the team in firearm and apparel needs. Though a significant help on the equipment front, a financial gap in team travel and ammunition costs poses a threat to the team’s ability to compete.

“For just over a decade, the Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit has served as a dominant force in the competitive shooting realm. These cadets and their coaches pour countless hours into their preparation for these competitions. The results, the awards they bring home, are a direct result of their dedication to their sport,” Brigadier General (U.S. Army, Ret.) Patrick Michaelis ‘93, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets, said.

If you are interested in helping the national champion Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit compete at every level, please contact Kelly Corcoran at the Texas A&M Foundation here.

Story By: Robin Nelson '22

Deandre Macri ’25

May 7, 2024 by rnelson

Hometown: Killeen, Texas

Major: Meteorology

Outfit: Corps Staff/Squadron 6

Originally from Squadron 6, Deandre Macri ’25 currently serves as the 2024-2025 Corps Commander. Prior to being named the Corps Commander, Deandre served as the Corps Sergeant Major.

In addition to his leadership position on the Quad, Deandre is currently a member of the Corps Marathon team. Deandre was also previously a member of the Class of 2025 National Champion Fish Drill Team, the Corps Color Guard and the Cadet Awareness Diversity Expansion Team (C.A.D.E.T.).

Off the Quad, Deandre is a member of the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (TAMSCAMS).

“The Corps of Cadets has developed me as a leader by providing an environment that empowers me to lead confidently while simultaneously providing a safe place to fail at 100% and learn from my mistakes. This experience has made me resilient and prepared for challenges I will face in life beyond graduation,” Deandre said of his time in the Corps.

After graduation, Deandre plans to commission into the United States Air Force, where he hopes to serve as a Weather Officer. Deandre also plans to obtain his PhD in climatology and research satellite warfare with the United States Space Force.

Texas A&M Names Josh Brewton ‘27 As Newest Handler For Reveille X

April 15, 2024 by rnelson

Cadet from Cedar Park, Texas, will serve as the primary caretaker for the university’s official mascot.

By Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Marketing & Communications

Cadet Josh Brewton was announced as Texas A&M’s newest mascot corporal on Friday as part of the university’s Family Weekend activities. Brewton will serve as the primary caretaker for Reveille X during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Brewton 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 2024-2025 school year, Brewton 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, Brewton will serve the university in a high-profile capacity, often speaking on Reveille’s behalf to media, faculty, staff and students and visitors.

Prior to his selection as mascot corporal, Brewton and the rest of E-2’s freshman class of 2027 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.

Media Contact: Amy Thompson, [email protected]

Corps Hosts 9th Annual Intentional Leadership Conference

March 1, 2024 by rnelson

Each spring, the Corps of Cadets’ Hollingsworth Center hosts the Intentional Leadership Conference (ILC). Open to all members of Texas A&M’s campus community and other visitors, the ILC seeks to grow participants’ understanding of ethical leadership through various panel discussions and keynote speakers.

Though only spanning two days, the ILC is an impactful experience for all participants. Through discussion and advice from industry leaders and trail blazers, those who attended this year’s conference were given a platform to ask questions and learn from some of the best.

In its 9th year, the 2024 ILC focused on “Transformational Leadership: Bridging the Gap for a Better Tomorrow”. One conference speaker, Mandy Scott ‘87, the first of two female members of the Ross Volunteer Company, elaborated on the meaning of transformational leadership in the “Leading Change” panel.

“People have been leading transformationally long before the term was coined. Transformational leadership is all about organizational collaboration toward a shared purpose and goal. It isn’t a top down thing, but rather, something that drives change through collaboration at every level,” Scott said.

Andrea Abat ‘89, one of the first female members of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, reinforced Scott’s idea of transformational leadership during the same panel discussion.

“Leadership is at the core of all change. Whether it’s in your home, in the military or in another industry, leadership should always focus around the L.O.V.E. acronym. True transformational leaders must look at how you are fostering Loyalty, Ownership, Values and Engagement amongst those around you,” Abat said.

At another session, “Leading by Example”, delegates heard from former cadets who were trailblazers throughout their Corps experience. Speaking on their previous experiences in the Corps and how it has translated to their current endeavors, panel presenters left lasting impressions on attendees.

“Attending the Lead by Example panel really gave me insight into what makes an impactful leader. The fact that transformational leaders are the chief servants of their organization was heavily emphasized throughout,” cadet Lucas Scroggins ‘24 said.

“I now recognize that transformational leaders are only successful when they remain connected to their organization and the members whose day-to-days they are ultimately shaping,” he continued.

Caring about others, a sentiment that was carried on throughout the entirety of the conference, was captured in the final keynote address from Texas A&M President, General (USAF, Retired) Mark A. Welsh III. President Welsh encouraged participants to grow past perceived leadership struggles and invest in those around you.

“To be a transformational leader, you can’t provide instability. You cannot waiver in your opinions. You cannot waiver in the face of a problem. You must provide stability to those around you,” Welsh explained.

The ILC provides a complementary leadership development opportunity to the classroom and leadership laboratory experiences provided through the Corps of Cadets. By extending an invitation to the broader campus community to attend the ILC, those outside of the Corps gained a glimpse of the education and training that prepares cadets to lead beyond graduation.

Story By: Robin Nelson ’22