The Corps of Cadets is the military entity of Texas A&M University that makes the school a Senior Military College. Texas A&M is a land grant college that started off as an all-male, all-military school that has morphed over the years into a leading global powerhouse of higher education in research, government & public service, military performance, science & technology and so much more. As I approached graduation and in my time post-graduation, I realized the enormous impact that my peers and role models are making on the world as a result of their time at Texas A&M. The Corps of Cadets is the heart of those core values and the mentality that has encouraged and led that growth. Today, only a fraction of the university are members of the Corps of Cadets at roughly ~2500 out of 70,000+ students. If you were a student or a visitor attending a football game, you’d think that it was much larger than that due to its presence and impact. The Corps taught me the importance of core values, particularly integrity, loyalty, respect, and selfless service. These became intertwined with our daily lives as each individual was responsible for those above, beside, or below them in the hierarchical structure of the organization. I learned the value of pursuing a common goal as a team and the lengths to which a simple positive attitude and mindset can take you, regardless of how poor the situation at hand is. I had bad leaders and good leaders. Both taught me incredible lessons but I also realized that you never know what people will take away from a conversation or interaction. Four years later, I would have someone tell me how much of an impact something I said had on them, and I could hardly recall saying it. People are always watching and observing both the good and the bad. My mantra that you would often hear me say is, “Do consistently what others do occasionally”. That was where I saw growth and improvement most - consistency. Ultimately, what I want you to know is that I experienced life lessons that morphed my character on a very large scale through physical and mental challenges that showed me how the real world operates. Everyone has different motives and balancing intrapersonal dynamics for the common good is both an art and a science.
While in the Corps of Cadets, I was the Guidon Bearer and First Sergeant of Company A-1, the oldest outfit at Texas A&M. As Guidon Bearer, my duties consisted of setting the physical fitness and military bearing standard for the unit while carrying the 'guidon' or unit flag for march-ins and training. Once I was selected as First Sergeant my duties shifted more towards a managerial position that was still meant to inspire, but I was now responsible for the metrics of the unit consisting of about 50 people. This included academic performance, physical fitness, and general presence & contribution to our team at large. First Sergeant taught me what it looks like to stick your neck out for things that matter and not let irrelevant debacles divert your focus for growth. When the opportunity came around for senior leadership, I opted out of A-1 leadership in order to pursue my interests with the Ross Volunteer Company which you can read about under the 'Ross Volunteer Company' tab.
RV CO Saber on Military Walk
With my best friend and PMC Commander
Block T on Kyle Field my Freshman Year
March-in as Guidon Bearer
