pmc

Parsons Mounted Cavalry Trains With 1st Cavalry Division

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Soldier from U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division rides with PMC cadetsMembers of Texas A&M University’s Parsons Mounted Cavalry sharpened their horsemanship skills this week with members of the 1st Cavalry Division from the U.S. Army’s Fort Cavazos. The training comes as part of PMC’s annual work week, in which cadets in the unit prepare to represent Texas A&M in front of large audiences during the upcoming year. 

Lt. Col. Jeff Gardner ‘82, military adviser to Parsons Mounted Cavalry, said the relationship with the 1st Cavalry Division is important to the unit. 

“We attend many of the same events, so establishing this connection is useful for both groups.” Gardner said. “We try to get them to come visit us every year during our summer work week.” 

During the visit, two 1st Cavalry members trained cadets on saber and formation-riding techniques, which are both skills that will be frequently used by PMC throughout the upcoming year. 

“Because we do a lot of the same things, it is great for our cadets to be able to make these connections and get some new perspectives on the skills that they use as part of PMC. It’s great to see our cadets have these interactions with the 1st Cav, because what they are learning is immediately useful,” Gardner said. 

PMC cadets receiving instruction during saber training exercise

With football season on the horizon, cadets within Parsons Mounted Cavalry are looking forward to using what they’ve learned from the training. These skills will be put on display most prominently during the Corps’ march-ins ahead of each home game. 

“It was a real honor to have the 1st Cav come out and work with us. They are some of the most knowledgeable individuals when it comes to the U.S. Army’s Cavalry Drill,” said Mason Doige ‘24. “They are an incredible resource to us when it comes to working with horses in general or conducting different mounted drill movements.

“PMC is entirely cadet-led, including most of our training, so it was great to have such a prominent unit come out and teach us some different, advanced techniques. I am really looking forward to showing everyone what we’ve learned at the first march-in,” Doige said.

Story By: Robin Nelson'22

Parsons Mounted Cavalry – 50th Anniversary Celebration

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From 9 AM – 1 PM, guests can take cadet-led tours of PMC’s facilities and partake in photo opportunities with PMC’s Escort wagon and the Spirit of ’02, which is fired at all home football games. 

This event will be free and is open to all former Cav Jocks, supporters of the Corps, equestrian enthusiasts and the general public!

Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Announces March-In Schedule for 2023 Football Season

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The Corps of Cadets will Conduct March-Ins for Every Home Football Game

The Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets has released its march-in schedule for the 2023 football season. As in years past, the Corps will conduct a march-in prior to kickoff for every home football game.

The iconic Corps of Cadets go far toward shaping the Aggie game day experience. To honor tradition and the university’s roots as a military institution, the presence of the 2,200 members can be felt as they make their way through campus. Notable groups that will participate in the march-ins include the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, Parsons Mounted Cavalry and the university’s mascot, Reveille X.

March-in routes will vary by game to ensure every Aggie fan, spectator and guest has the opportunity to see the Corps of Cadets. The following is the schedule:

  • New Mexico vs Texas A&M, Sept. 2: Campus march
  • University of Louisiana Monroe vs Texas A&M Sept. 16: Campus march
  • Auburn vs Texas A&M, Sept. 23:  Aggie Park march
  • Alabama vs Texas A&M, Oct. 7: Campus march
  • South Carolina vs Texas A&M, Oct. 28: Kyle Field march-in
  • Mississippi State vs Texas A&M, Nov. 11: Veterans Review, Simpson Drill Field
  • Abilene Christian University vs Texas A&M, Nov. 18: West campus march

To maximize the game day experience for all Aggies and visitors, the 2023 season marks the last season the Corps of Cadets will conduct a march-in to Kyle Field. The South Carolina game on Oct. 28 is the only game during the 2023 season in which the Corps will march into the stadium. During this game, the Corps will be joined by hundreds of former cadets who will march as part of the Corps of Cadets Association’s Rally to the Guidons event.

Last season, the Corps marched into Kyle Field for three of the six home games.

The march-in schedule for upcoming seasons will be determined in conjunction with Athletics and Texas A&M once football dates are set. Timelines and march-in routes for each game will be posted when details are finalized at tx.ag/CorpsEvents. 

This article appeared on Texas A&M Today.

PMC Cadets Speak At Waco Muster

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Each year, on the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, April 21st, Aggies around the globe gather to honor those lost during the year at Muster. A time to reflect on one’s time in Aggieland, Muster annually serves as Texas A&M’s most visible celebration of the Aggie family.

This year, four cadets in Parsons Mounted Cavalry (PMC) traveled to Waco, Texas to serve as speakers at the Greater Waco A&M Club’s Muster ceremony.

“I had the honor of being one of the speakers for the Waco Muster. Parsons Mounted Cavalry was asked to come down and speak about PMC and what it means to be a member of the Corps of Cadets. To me, Muster is the epitome of Aggie tradition. It shows that the university and the Aggie family don’t just view you as a number,” Mason Doige ‘24 said. 

Mason views his participation in Waco’s Muster ceremony as a representation of the Corps’ unwavering dedication to all of Texas A&M’s cherished traditions. 

“Being a cadet means you are a Guardian of Tradition and a Keeper of the Spirit. We are at the forefront of Texas A&M. We participate in every tradition, whether it’s through simple attendance or through active participation, like in Silver Taps and Muster. While many non-cadets may not participate in these traditions or attend only some, members of the Corps attend all of them. If no one else attended these traditions, there would still be a guaranteed 2,000 cadets there, and that means a lot to me.”

Though their participation in this Muster ceremony looked a bit different from the on-campus iteration, cadets who traveled to the Waco Muster were able to witness another side of the tradition. 

“Since this was my first off-campus Muster, I got to see the Aggie Spirit outside of College Station. I realized that the Aggie Spirit is just as strong off-campus as it is on, and I found comfort in knowing that one day I would reconnect with my buddies to honor our own.  Muster encourages company and cheer in times of grief. Muster reminds us that we are not alone, wherever we may be after our time at A&M,” Caroline Sauter ‘23 said. 

Though Muster ceremonies may vary based on location, the camaraderie is ever present across each of them. From College Station to Corregidor, the Aggie family will continue to meet each year on April 21st to honor our fallen, and the Corps of Cadets will continue to be a cornerstone of this event.

Story By: Robin Nelson ’22

Shelby Osborne ’23

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Shelby Osborne '23 gives a Gig Em on a black background

Hometown: Marion, Texas

Major: Psychology

Outfit: Squadron 20

A member of Squadron 20, Shelby Osborne ’23 currently serves as the outfit’s Athletics Officer. 

On the Quad, Shelby is a member of Parsons Mounted Cavalry, where she also serves as the special unit’s Executive Officer. 

Off the Quad, Shelby is a student worker with Texas A&M’s Technology Services. In her free time, Shelby enjoys painting, reading and spending time with her family and friends. 

“My dad always talked about how important it is to understand differences you can see in a group of people you work with. A thing he often said was, ‘You don’t have to have the best idea in the room, but instead know how to work with those around you to find it.’ This quote got me through a lot in the Corps. Everyone has an idea on how to best solve issues in leadership, so learning to work with my peers to find the best solution has helped me along the way,” Shelby said of her experience with the Corps of Cadets.

After graduation, Shelby plans to attend the University of Texas’ Health and Science School in San Antonio with hopes of one day becoming a nurse. 

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