Well...it has been a full and busy semester for all. We have come from an outfit with a new crop of freshmen, untrained and unfamiliar in the ways of the Corps to redass, hard charging fish with shined Corps Brass pinned on their collars. We've watched the Aggie Football team and supported them through the ups and downs of the season, and stand ready to support them again. We've lost some outfit members and gained some.
Ultimately, all these events are what make up our outfit culture and image. The outfit is a living, breathing thing, constantly changing and constantly requiring new and different ways to tend to it. With the training that the freshmen have received throughout the semester and the training they are to receive next semester, they will begin on their path of taking the reigns, preparing to fill the shoes of their upperclassmen as we all begin to move on.
Corps Brass, a time in which freshmen are forced to come together as a class to accomplish several different tasks in order to earn the brass worn by all members of the Corps on their left collar, has come and gone. This is a time when, through the followership that is characteristic of fish year, class leaders begin to surface. Anxiety increases, stress intensifies, and resolve and perseverance strengthen. Your sons have matured far beyond what they once were, and will continue to mature through the rigors of finals and second semester's activities. I encourage all of you to give your sons a pat on the back, for this is no small achievement.
Pictures will be posted in the near future of several of these activities, so keep an eye out. Please encourage your sons to make this one last push for grades during the finals time. The fish grades determine the majority of what the outfit can and cannot due next semester, and we want them to get the full experience out of their once in a lifetime freshman year.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Silent Auction Postponed, As Well
Parents,
After reviewing the last post about the postponement of the Will Ferrell Golf Tournament, I realized that I failed to mention that the Silent Auction is being postponed, as well. These two events are usually paired together every year and I had assumed that everyone understood that postponement of one means postponement of the other, which is my mistake.
If you were planning on coming down for the auction or bringing an item, I am terribly sorry for the lack of clarification. We will store your items, if they are able to be stored, until next semester when we hold the auction if you still want to bring it down to us. If not, that's fine too.
On another note, we are not holding an outfit BBQ this weekend. We will give all of you prior warning of an approaching BBQ, which we will hold a few more times this semester; however, this weekend we are not having one.
If anyone has any questions or comments at all, please do not hesitate to contact me.
After reviewing the last post about the postponement of the Will Ferrell Golf Tournament, I realized that I failed to mention that the Silent Auction is being postponed, as well. These two events are usually paired together every year and I had assumed that everyone understood that postponement of one means postponement of the other, which is my mistake.
If you were planning on coming down for the auction or bringing an item, I am terribly sorry for the lack of clarification. We will store your items, if they are able to be stored, until next semester when we hold the auction if you still want to bring it down to us. If not, that's fine too.
On another note, we are not holding an outfit BBQ this weekend. We will give all of you prior warning of an approaching BBQ, which we will hold a few more times this semester; however, this weekend we are not having one.
If anyone has any questions or comments at all, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Will Ferrell Memorial Golf Tournament Postponed
Howdy all.
Unfortunately, we are postponing the Will Ferrell Golf Tournament until next semester. As some of you might know, the weekend we had planned is also the opening weekend of deer season and, though it might not seem to be significant, the numbers we have signed up compared to last year are extremely low.
Therefore, we intend to capitalize on the high numbers of Old Foxes and family members in town by holding the Will Ferrell tournament during the weekend of our outfit reunion next semester, during the Spring. We will put out solid dates at a later time, but plan on the tournament being in the Spring.
We apologize for the inconvenience to all of you and hope that you will come out to the tournament next semester. In the meantime, I encourage you all to continue to support your sons and the outfit to succeed. We cannot do what we do without your encouragement.
Unfortunately, we are postponing the Will Ferrell Golf Tournament until next semester. As some of you might know, the weekend we had planned is also the opening weekend of deer season and, though it might not seem to be significant, the numbers we have signed up compared to last year are extremely low.
Therefore, we intend to capitalize on the high numbers of Old Foxes and family members in town by holding the Will Ferrell tournament during the weekend of our outfit reunion next semester, during the Spring. We will put out solid dates at a later time, but plan on the tournament being in the Spring.
We apologize for the inconvenience to all of you and hope that you will come out to the tournament next semester. In the meantime, I encourage you all to continue to support your sons and the outfit to succeed. We cannot do what we do without your encouragement.
Monday, October 19, 2009
President Obama's Visit to Texas A&M
As some of you might have known, President Obama visited the Texas A&M Campus last Friday at the request of President Bush Sr. Fortunately for the outfit, one of the President's Secret Service Agents is an old Fox, class of '90! With some work between the agent and some outfit members, a last minute visit to Duncan Dining Hall was arranged for the President to come see some members of the Corps. After the situation developed, Duncan was full of cadets and invited non-reg students when President Obama, President Bush, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates strolled in through the side doors. The place erupted with whoops and cheers and celebration as these three stood side by side waving and smiling. After a short two minute oratory on service, the President and Secretary of Defense made their way around the perimeter of students to shake as many hands as possible.
This meeting was not about politics or political beliefs, it was about the President of the United States experiencing first hand what this Spirit is that he has heard so much about from President Bush and Secretary Gates. He came to a place that boasts of its service-oriented student body to talk about its importance in today's society and was blown away by the Aggie Spirit. I have posted some pictures that I was able to take and encourage you to check em out.
This meeting was not about politics or political beliefs, it was about the President of the United States experiencing first hand what this Spirit is that he has heard so much about from President Bush and Secretary Gates. He came to a place that boasts of its service-oriented student body to talk about its importance in today's society and was blown away by the Aggie Spirit. I have posted some pictures that I was able to take and encourage you to check em out.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Oklahoma State Weekend
Despite the Aggies' loss to Arkansas and the Cowboys' loss to the Broncos, we hope you still had a great weekend. The outfit successfully made it to Dallas and back without any major problems, which is a significant achievement. To those who were able to make it out and support the outfit in person, we hope that you were not disappointed in the Corps' appearance. The Southwest Classic is a game that will be held in the Cowboys' Stadium for the next 10 years, according to the contract, so hopefully the Corps' March-In will become bigger and bigger each year (and hopefully the Aggies' performance will get better, as well).
From one weekend to another, the Ags will take on OSU this weekend in a series that has developed significantly over the past few years. OSU and Texas A&M have played each other for several years in a row now, and the match-up rarely disppoints. If you have not already purchased tickets, I personally recommend acquiring some for this event. If not, we still encourage everyone to stop by for the BBQ after the game. Here is the basic time line for Saturday...
9:15 - First Call
10:00 - Step Off
11:30 - Kick Off, Beat the Hell Outta' OSU
~6:00 - BBQ Dinner
The outfit has not had an evening BBQ dinner in a while; however, we are pouring a lot of effort into this one to get it going. The BBQ chain is cooking up some mad fajitas Saturday and we invite everyone to come out after the game and grab a couple during the cool College Station evening. Your son should be contacting you for estimated numbers to attend the BBQ, but please give him a call just in case he forgets. We are planning on serving at 6:00 in the evening, but this time may be changed depending on what time the game ends.
A few other notes...
October 31st, the Iowa State weekend, we will be holding our annual F-2 Silent Auction. This is one of the primary fund raisers that the outfit conducts each year, with merchandise donated by local businesses. Every year, outfit members collect Texas A&M, Corps of Cadets, and Company F-2-related merchandise provided by local businesses to be auctioned off. We reserve a room in the study lounge (the small building by the dorm and BBQ site) where we set up with all of the items and open it up to F-2 friends and family members to come and go throughout the day. We also invite Greek Essentials, a local business who create customized products that they put on sale at a booth they set up in the same room, just in case the auction doesn't have something you want.
We invite and encourage everyone to come and bid, but to those who aren't satisfied with simply showing up, there are ways you can help further. In the past, outfit parents have provided items from their homes. From quilts to knitted blankets to baskets of assorted goods, we have had a significant portion of auctioned merchandise come from outfit parents, so if you feel so compelled, feel free to bring something down. We only ask that you notify us of what you intend to bring so that we may maintain an accurate inventory.
That Sunday, November 1st, we are holding the annual Will Ferrell Memorial Golf Tournament. Will Ferrell, F-2 class of 2001, passed away in a car accident the summer after his senior year. In his honor, his F-2 '01 buddies created a scholarship in his name and began holding a golf tournament, each year to raise funds for that scholarship. In 2008, the class of '01 passed along the responsibility of holding the tournament to the outfit. We are humbled and honored to bear such a responsibility and invite all F-2 family and friends to this year's tournament on November 1st at the Bryan Municipal Golf Course. Mark this date down in your calendars, as it is not one you should want to miss. More information will follow, but if you intend to come and participate in the tournament, please contact Brian Rhoades at rhoadesy@tamu.edu (please stand by for a change in this contact). There is a fee involved to play, usually around $30. We will get a hard number for you once we have finalized the deal with the golf course.
The outfit is doing well, thus far and the fish are performing magnificently. F-2 received the second highest score in the first round of Commandant's Room Inspections and doing very well in march-in evaluations, despite a low score from last year's Final Review (*ahem* class of 2009) that counts towards this year's overall score. We're all working hard, getting ready for the second and third rounds of tests and preparing for General Moore Inspections. We hope to see all of you this weekend for fajitas, football, and family after the game.
From one weekend to another, the Ags will take on OSU this weekend in a series that has developed significantly over the past few years. OSU and Texas A&M have played each other for several years in a row now, and the match-up rarely disppoints. If you have not already purchased tickets, I personally recommend acquiring some for this event. If not, we still encourage everyone to stop by for the BBQ after the game. Here is the basic time line for Saturday...
9:15 - First Call
10:00 - Step Off
11:30 - Kick Off, Beat the Hell Outta' OSU
~6:00 - BBQ Dinner
The outfit has not had an evening BBQ dinner in a while; however, we are pouring a lot of effort into this one to get it going. The BBQ chain is cooking up some mad fajitas Saturday and we invite everyone to come out after the game and grab a couple during the cool College Station evening. Your son should be contacting you for estimated numbers to attend the BBQ, but please give him a call just in case he forgets. We are planning on serving at 6:00 in the evening, but this time may be changed depending on what time the game ends.
A few other notes...
October 31st, the Iowa State weekend, we will be holding our annual F-2 Silent Auction. This is one of the primary fund raisers that the outfit conducts each year, with merchandise donated by local businesses. Every year, outfit members collect Texas A&M, Corps of Cadets, and Company F-2-related merchandise provided by local businesses to be auctioned off. We reserve a room in the study lounge (the small building by the dorm and BBQ site) where we set up with all of the items and open it up to F-2 friends and family members to come and go throughout the day. We also invite Greek Essentials, a local business who create customized products that they put on sale at a booth they set up in the same room, just in case the auction doesn't have something you want.
We invite and encourage everyone to come and bid, but to those who aren't satisfied with simply showing up, there are ways you can help further. In the past, outfit parents have provided items from their homes. From quilts to knitted blankets to baskets of assorted goods, we have had a significant portion of auctioned merchandise come from outfit parents, so if you feel so compelled, feel free to bring something down. We only ask that you notify us of what you intend to bring so that we may maintain an accurate inventory.
That Sunday, November 1st, we are holding the annual Will Ferrell Memorial Golf Tournament. Will Ferrell, F-2 class of 2001, passed away in a car accident the summer after his senior year. In his honor, his F-2 '01 buddies created a scholarship in his name and began holding a golf tournament, each year to raise funds for that scholarship. In 2008, the class of '01 passed along the responsibility of holding the tournament to the outfit. We are humbled and honored to bear such a responsibility and invite all F-2 family and friends to this year's tournament on November 1st at the Bryan Municipal Golf Course. Mark this date down in your calendars, as it is not one you should want to miss. More information will follow, but if you intend to come and participate in the tournament, please contact Brian Rhoades at rhoadesy@tamu.edu (please stand by for a change in this contact). There is a fee involved to play, usually around $30. We will get a hard number for you once we have finalized the deal with the golf course.
The outfit is doing well, thus far and the fish are performing magnificently. F-2 received the second highest score in the first round of Commandant's Room Inspections and doing very well in march-in evaluations, despite a low score from last year's Final Review (*ahem* class of 2009) that counts towards this year's overall score. We're all working hard, getting ready for the second and third rounds of tests and preparing for General Moore Inspections. We hope to see all of you this weekend for fajitas, football, and family after the game.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Arkansas March-In
Howdy all!
As you know, Texas A&M is beating the hell outta Arkansas in the new Cowboys Stadium on Saturday and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets is taking its first Corps Trip of the year to the DFW area to support to the team. Your sons have all the information regarding expectations of them for travel to and from Arlington, where and when to show for the march-in, and when to be back. I want to highlight a few items for you so that you know what to expect.
First off, all information can be found on the Cadets' Intranet web page-Arkansas OpOrd.
All cadets are carpooling to Dallas. Friday morning and evening activities have been canceled to allow for rest and a safe trip. All cadets are responsible for finding a place to stay Friday night. Saturday, the Corps is to be at the assembly area no later than 12:45, in order to form up at 1:00 and step off at 1:30. Kick off is at 6:30 and all cadets are free to either go to the game if they have tickets, or watch it at some other location. Cadets are required to report back to College Station no later than 4:30 Sunday afternoon to prepare for next week's activities.
A layout of the route the Corps is taking can be found in the link posted above. If you have any questions, please contact me, Brian Rhoades, and I will do the best I can to answer your questions.
We would like to thank all parents who came to the BBQ last weekend for their support and the BBQ chain would like to send out extra thanks to those who provided sides, drinks, and desserts. We hope you enjoyed the delicious chicken and pork tenderloins and hope to see you at future BBQs. All your hard work as parents is evident in your sons' morale and performance as fish. The fish class is strong and I as their commander have no doubt that it is directly related to the support they are receiving at home. I hope that you will all have a chance to see your son this weekend and continue to support him in this difficult and rewarding fish year. As always, if you have any issues, please do not hesitate to contact me so we can discuss and correct any problems.
We hope to see all of you this weekend while we help the football team Beat The Hell Outta' Arkansas!
As you know, Texas A&M is beating the hell outta Arkansas in the new Cowboys Stadium on Saturday and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets is taking its first Corps Trip of the year to the DFW area to support to the team. Your sons have all the information regarding expectations of them for travel to and from Arlington, where and when to show for the march-in, and when to be back. I want to highlight a few items for you so that you know what to expect.
First off, all information can be found on the Cadets' Intranet web page-Arkansas OpOrd.
All cadets are carpooling to Dallas. Friday morning and evening activities have been canceled to allow for rest and a safe trip. All cadets are responsible for finding a place to stay Friday night. Saturday, the Corps is to be at the assembly area no later than 12:45, in order to form up at 1:00 and step off at 1:30. Kick off is at 6:30 and all cadets are free to either go to the game if they have tickets, or watch it at some other location. Cadets are required to report back to College Station no later than 4:30 Sunday afternoon to prepare for next week's activities.
A layout of the route the Corps is taking can be found in the link posted above. If you have any questions, please contact me, Brian Rhoades, and I will do the best I can to answer your questions.
We would like to thank all parents who came to the BBQ last weekend for their support and the BBQ chain would like to send out extra thanks to those who provided sides, drinks, and desserts. We hope you enjoyed the delicious chicken and pork tenderloins and hope to see you at future BBQs. All your hard work as parents is evident in your sons' morale and performance as fish. The fish class is strong and I as their commander have no doubt that it is directly related to the support they are receiving at home. I hope that you will all have a chance to see your son this weekend and continue to support him in this difficult and rewarding fish year. As always, if you have any issues, please do not hesitate to contact me so we can discuss and correct any problems.
We hope to see all of you this weekend while we help the football team Beat The Hell Outta' Arkansas!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Utah State Weekend
Football!
The Texas Aggie football team is beating the hell outta Utah State this weekend and, in true F-2 fashion, we are having another barbecue! The schedule is basically the same as the last football weekend with the BBQ starting around 11:30, first call at 3:45, step off at 4:30, and kick off at 6:00. You are all invited and encouraged to come out and spend some time with the Fox family. Your sons are progressing marvelously, perfecting their drill, memorizing and reciting their campusologies perfectly, and sharpening their skills at wearing the Aggie uniform and we hope that you will come support us with your presence. Your son should have already asked for an expected number from you so we can put together an estimate for the food, but please call him, just in case.
We look forward to having yall out for another wonderful weekend of food, family, and camaraderie. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email or call me.
The Texas Aggie football team is beating the hell outta Utah State this weekend and, in true F-2 fashion, we are having another barbecue! The schedule is basically the same as the last football weekend with the BBQ starting around 11:30, first call at 3:45, step off at 4:30, and kick off at 6:00. You are all invited and encouraged to come out and spend some time with the Fox family. Your sons are progressing marvelously, perfecting their drill, memorizing and reciting their campusologies perfectly, and sharpening their skills at wearing the Aggie uniform and we hope that you will come support us with your presence. Your son should have already asked for an expected number from you so we can put together an estimate for the food, but please call him, just in case.
We look forward to having yall out for another wonderful weekend of food, family, and camaraderie. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email or call me.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
UNM Football Weekend Wrap Up
Pictures from this weekend's festivities have been uploaded. Check them out here.
The outfit leadership is very grateful of all the wonderful parent support we received this weekend. Without your efforts, we could not possibly put on the great barbecues or get the freshmen motivated for football weekends. We thank all of you who were able to attend the BBQ, march-in, and football game and encourage everyone to come back in two weeks to the next home game. As of now, the schedule for the 19 September Utah State game is the same with lunch at noon, first call at 3:45, step off at 4:30, and kick off at 6:00. Please help us make the next BBQ even better than yesterday's.
The BBQ chain would like to thank all those parents who kindly and selflessly donated either money or food. It is only because of your generosity that we can afford to put these events on without breaking the upperclassmen's bank accounts.
This week we will be starting to get into the meat of Corps training. The outfit will begin its Physical Training regimen with a diagnostic PT test to determine physical strengths and weaknesses so we can adjust the future PT plan to build and sustain excellent physical performance. We are going on a few Company Runs, as well, to build lung capacity and endurance. These runs also incorporate a significant amount of motivation...there's just something about long runs as an outfit in formation to the First Sergeant's "jodies" (songs to keep everyone in step and maintain cadence) that gets everyone psyched up and motivated. The freshmen will also here from the Fish Drill Team staff about joining the nationally famous FDT, something we encourage all motivated freshmen to get into. We will continue to perfect marching ability and begin football practices in preparation for the intramural season.
As mentioned before, this weekend will be a closed weekend to the freshmen, with mandatory study hours on Saturday and Sunday to prepare for the first round of tests in two weeks. Kelly Essler, the outfit's academic volunteer, will be having the fish out to her house on Saturday for dinner with her family. There, the fish will be able to unwind and relax and be able to interact with her and ask any questions they may have. We encourage all freshmen parents to urge their sons to take advantage of this rare opportunity that many other outfits do not have.
Once again, I would personally like to thank all of you for your help in making this first football weekend so memorable. Going into the weekend, it began to dawn on me that this is the seniors' last year of outfit BBQs as outfit members. After this year, we will go through Aggie football weekends as "Former Foxes." Once this realization set upon me, the entire weekend's activities, which I had taken for granted in the past, began to mean a little more. I want to thank all of you for helping make this weekend so successful for the outfit which, in turn, helped it mean so much more for us, seniors. We all look forward to the wonderful weekends in the future and look forward to your help in making them successful for the outfit.
Have a great week,
Thanks and Gig 'Em!
The outfit leadership is very grateful of all the wonderful parent support we received this weekend. Without your efforts, we could not possibly put on the great barbecues or get the freshmen motivated for football weekends. We thank all of you who were able to attend the BBQ, march-in, and football game and encourage everyone to come back in two weeks to the next home game. As of now, the schedule for the 19 September Utah State game is the same with lunch at noon, first call at 3:45, step off at 4:30, and kick off at 6:00. Please help us make the next BBQ even better than yesterday's.
The BBQ chain would like to thank all those parents who kindly and selflessly donated either money or food. It is only because of your generosity that we can afford to put these events on without breaking the upperclassmen's bank accounts.
This week we will be starting to get into the meat of Corps training. The outfit will begin its Physical Training regimen with a diagnostic PT test to determine physical strengths and weaknesses so we can adjust the future PT plan to build and sustain excellent physical performance. We are going on a few Company Runs, as well, to build lung capacity and endurance. These runs also incorporate a significant amount of motivation...there's just something about long runs as an outfit in formation to the First Sergeant's "jodies" (songs to keep everyone in step and maintain cadence) that gets everyone psyched up and motivated. The freshmen will also here from the Fish Drill Team staff about joining the nationally famous FDT, something we encourage all motivated freshmen to get into. We will continue to perfect marching ability and begin football practices in preparation for the intramural season.
As mentioned before, this weekend will be a closed weekend to the freshmen, with mandatory study hours on Saturday and Sunday to prepare for the first round of tests in two weeks. Kelly Essler, the outfit's academic volunteer, will be having the fish out to her house on Saturday for dinner with her family. There, the fish will be able to unwind and relax and be able to interact with her and ask any questions they may have. We encourage all freshmen parents to urge their sons to take advantage of this rare opportunity that many other outfits do not have.
Once again, I would personally like to thank all of you for your help in making this first football weekend so memorable. Going into the weekend, it began to dawn on me that this is the seniors' last year of outfit BBQs as outfit members. After this year, we will go through Aggie football weekends as "Former Foxes." Once this realization set upon me, the entire weekend's activities, which I had taken for granted in the past, began to mean a little more. I want to thank all of you for helping make this weekend so successful for the outfit which, in turn, helped it mean so much more for us, seniors. We all look forward to the wonderful weekends in the future and look forward to your help in making them successful for the outfit.
Have a great week,
Thanks and Gig 'Em!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
New Mexico Football Game and BBQ
Parents,
This weekend, Texas A&M will be playing the University of New Mexico at Kyle Field and, as it has done for many years, the Corps will be marching in before the game kicks off. We invite you all to come down to College Station to watch your sons march in for the first time this year. First Call will be at 3:45, with the Corps stepping off the Quad at 4:30 and the game kicking of at 6:00. We invite all of you into the hallway at 3:45 to watch the hallway antics that are always an entertaining spectacle.
We will also be holding an outfit BBQ at approximately 12:00, to which all F-2 parents and family and friends are invited. We only ask you to report to your son how many family members we can expect so we can make adequate preparations for the amount of food required. Since we are the "Country Club," we would love to have all of you join us for this weekend's activities so that we can promote that close-knit, family atmosphere we are so proud of. We hope to see you there this weekend!
This weekend, Texas A&M will be playing the University of New Mexico at Kyle Field and, as it has done for many years, the Corps will be marching in before the game kicks off. We invite you all to come down to College Station to watch your sons march in for the first time this year. First Call will be at 3:45, with the Corps stepping off the Quad at 4:30 and the game kicking of at 6:00. We invite all of you into the hallway at 3:45 to watch the hallway antics that are always an entertaining spectacle.
We will also be holding an outfit BBQ at approximately 12:00, to which all F-2 parents and family and friends are invited. We only ask you to report to your son how many family members we can expect so we can make adequate preparations for the amount of food required. Since we are the "Country Club," we would love to have all of you join us for this weekend's activities so that we can promote that close-knit, family atmosphere we are so proud of. We hope to see you there this weekend!
FOW Friday and Fish Review Pictures Posted
Be sure to check out the new pictures from lunch at Duncan and drill practice from Friday as well as from the FOW Fish Review.
Friday Drill Practice
FOW Fish Review
Friday Drill Practice
FOW Fish Review
Friday, August 28, 2009
FOW Tuesday and Wednesday Pictures Posted
Howdy, all.
Pictures from Tuesday and Wednesday of FOW have been posted. These include marching practice, learning how to put brass on uniforms, and learning how to make beds.
I hope to see all of you at the FOW fish Review this afternoon at 5:30 on the Quad. We have all been working hard to ensure that F-2 is the best looking outfit in the Corps.
Yesterday evening, the fish had the privilege of officially meeting their sophomore cadre. The whip out party was a complete surprise to them; however, the fish performed magnificently, remembering all their training in whipping out and sounding off and ultimately impressing their upperclassmen.
Last night, the freshmen also experienced the biggest kept secret of the Corps of Cadets...FOW Air Out. After going to bed at around 9:30, the upperclassmen surprised the fish by waking them up at 11:00 to the sound of Parson's Mounted Cavalry's cannon firing on the Quad. After being given their F-2 Physical Training gear, a significant source of pride for every F-2 Fox, the freshmen were led to the Quad and eventually to the Corps Plaza for their first Fightin' Texas Aggie Yell Practice as Corps freshmen. During the Yell Practice, the fish heard several motivational speeches from the Yell Leaders, as well as a guest speaker. After the Yell Practice, the freshmen were brought back to the dorm to enjoy some watermelon and listen to the wise words of a former fox, First Lieutenant Jason Schlachter '07, Commander of F-2 when the current seniors, class of 2010, were freshmen. The entire night was one of fear, excitement, and ultimately pride...pride in accomplishing what most college freshmen could never fathom. The freshmen are now ready to begin the school year as Corps fish, set up for success. Please keep your sons encouraged and motivated. Be sure to ask them about their experiences, as they should have many stories for you.
Pictures from Tuesday and Wednesday of FOW have been posted. These include marching practice, learning how to put brass on uniforms, and learning how to make beds.
I hope to see all of you at the FOW fish Review this afternoon at 5:30 on the Quad. We have all been working hard to ensure that F-2 is the best looking outfit in the Corps.
Yesterday evening, the fish had the privilege of officially meeting their sophomore cadre. The whip out party was a complete surprise to them; however, the fish performed magnificently, remembering all their training in whipping out and sounding off and ultimately impressing their upperclassmen.
Last night, the freshmen also experienced the biggest kept secret of the Corps of Cadets...FOW Air Out. After going to bed at around 9:30, the upperclassmen surprised the fish by waking them up at 11:00 to the sound of Parson's Mounted Cavalry's cannon firing on the Quad. After being given their F-2 Physical Training gear, a significant source of pride for every F-2 Fox, the freshmen were led to the Quad and eventually to the Corps Plaza for their first Fightin' Texas Aggie Yell Practice as Corps freshmen. During the Yell Practice, the fish heard several motivational speeches from the Yell Leaders, as well as a guest speaker. After the Yell Practice, the freshmen were brought back to the dorm to enjoy some watermelon and listen to the wise words of a former fox, First Lieutenant Jason Schlachter '07, Commander of F-2 when the current seniors, class of 2010, were freshmen. The entire night was one of fear, excitement, and ultimately pride...pride in accomplishing what most college freshmen could never fathom. The freshmen are now ready to begin the school year as Corps fish, set up for success. Please keep your sons encouraged and motivated. Be sure to ask them about their experiences, as they should have many stories for you.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
FOW Monday Pictures Posted
Pictures from Monday are posted! Be sure to check them out, as they include "whipping out" and haircuts...
FOW Monday Pictures
FOW Monday Pictures
Monday, August 24, 2009
FOW Sunday Pictures
Pictures from FOW Sunday have been posted on the outfit Photobucket page.
Click here to check out FOW Sunday pictures...
Look for more pictures from each day and different pieces of training.
Click here to check out FOW Sunday pictures...
Look for more pictures from each day and different pieces of training.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
FOW Sunday
Howdy!
I hope everyone was pleased with the FOW Sunday in-processing experience and that the Corps and the outfit displayed the professionalism that we train our upperclassmen cadre to maintain. After half of a day and one night in the Corps, the freshmen have participated in their first evening and morning formations, have experienced Duncan Dining Hall chow, have learned their "four fish answers," and have learned basic Drill and Ceremonies (how to pay respect to the flag by rendering a hand salute, for instance). Spirits are high and the cadre are extremely excited to dive into the rigorous training schedule that we have prepared.
Today, Monday 24 August, the fish will receive their uniform issue, receive introductory honor training from the Commander, will receive their first fish hair cut, and will meet and eat dinner with the military and academic advisors, Captain Hazard and Kelly Essler, with other basic training items scattered throughout the day.
Sounds of echoing fish classes yelling in the hallways across the quad can be heard while one is walking through the dorms. It is a very exciting time in College Station and for the Corps. After the dust had settled and the fish were asleep last night in their beds, the Corps Commander, Brent Lanier, announced that we have our largest fish class in the past five years at 647 freshmen cadets. F-2 has not seen this many freshmen since 2006-07, when we had a freshmen class of 21. We are all eager to begin the new year with the newest class of cadets, the class of 2013.
I hope everyone was pleased with the FOW Sunday in-processing experience and that the Corps and the outfit displayed the professionalism that we train our upperclassmen cadre to maintain. After half of a day and one night in the Corps, the freshmen have participated in their first evening and morning formations, have experienced Duncan Dining Hall chow, have learned their "four fish answers," and have learned basic Drill and Ceremonies (how to pay respect to the flag by rendering a hand salute, for instance). Spirits are high and the cadre are extremely excited to dive into the rigorous training schedule that we have prepared.
Today, Monday 24 August, the fish will receive their uniform issue, receive introductory honor training from the Commander, will receive their first fish hair cut, and will meet and eat dinner with the military and academic advisors, Captain Hazard and Kelly Essler, with other basic training items scattered throughout the day.
Sounds of echoing fish classes yelling in the hallways across the quad can be heard while one is walking through the dorms. It is a very exciting time in College Station and for the Corps. After the dust had settled and the fish were asleep last night in their beds, the Corps Commander, Brent Lanier, announced that we have our largest fish class in the past five years at 647 freshmen cadets. F-2 has not seen this many freshmen since 2006-07, when we had a freshmen class of 21. We are all eager to begin the new year with the newest class of cadets, the class of 2013.
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