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Just HOW difficult is the A&M Corps of Cadets? (I'm needing some advice)

AirAggie92

New Member
Okay, while this isn't exactly a question about NROTC, it certainly relates. If there is a more appropriate forum for this, a moderater can move it.

My original plan was that I'd go to Texas A&M University, and join the Corps of Cadets. However, I was not accepted and I was dissapointed, but now I'm wondering if this was a huge blessing in disguise. I did get accepted to Texas A&M University at Galveston, which is where I am right now (I'm from Colorado). I'm not gonna lie, I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed, stressed, and not sure what to do:

Here at TAMUG, they have what they call the "Cadet Battalion" which is what I'm in. O-week was very stressful for me, but I ended up getting through with the help of my "fish buddies". Now I am doing alright here, though I am still getting the hang of college, being on my own for the first time (I am only 18-years-old), and of course, dealing with all the things upperclassmen do.

At first, I was only at TAMUG to transfer to College Station, which I thought I really wanted to do. However, everybody is telling me that the Corps of Cadets at College Station is WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY (yes that is how many times they say the word "way") harder than the Cadet Battalion here at TAMUG, which is what I'm finding very difficult as it is. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I can't live with being in the Cadet Battalion down here, and if College Station was just the same thing again I'd certainly want to go, but from what everybody is telling me, I'm not sure if I can handle it. I do like Aggie traditions and I certainly like the structure of the Corps, but all of these little teeny tiny things that I constantly get yelled at for can sometimes get to me.

Here are my questions:

1. I know that many of you on here are Naval Aviators and were not in any sort of "Corps of Cadets". I even heard one guy on here who was in the VA Tech Corps of Cadets say that he liked ROTC, loved his University, but hated his Corps. Plenty of people on here have made fun of the Aggie Corps. But at the same time, is being good at the stuff in the Corps necessary for being a good Naval Officer? I'd love to hear some opinions on this. Being in the Cadet Battalion has been quite stressful for me, and I'm wondering if this is necessary or not to be a good officer.

2. Some of you guys are Aggies and know exactly what Corps of Cadets life is like. How hard was it for you? Now that you're an aviator, how often do you find yourself benefitting from being the in Corps? Is being an Officer in the Navy as hard and being in the Corps? Also, this may be hard for you to answer, but what is your impression on how the College Station Corps compares to the TAMUG Cadet Battalion? Am I insane to transfer if this down here is so hard for me?

I really do like aggie traditions and would be proud to have graduated from A&M, however I also need to honestly assess what kind of person I am, and what kind of carreer is best suited for me. I've dreamed being an aviator for a long time of course. I'd really appreciate honest answers.

Thank you so much everyone!
 

Treetop Flyer

Well-Known Member
pilot
Standby for a ton of Aggie haters to pile on.

That said, I went to Texas A&M and was not in the Corps of Cadets and I am very happy with the choices I made. The only way being in the Corps makes sense to me is if you get an ROTC scholarship. I can't tell you exactly how "hard" the Corps is, but I can tell you that it's a lot easier once you're not a fish, and don't worry too much about how it compares to the military. ROTC is ROTC and the military is the military. I personally haven't noticed any trend in differences in people commissioned through ROTC, OCS, or Academy. If you like it now, and you get a scholarship out of it, then go for it.
 

AirAggie92

New Member
Thanks Treetop Flyer. I'm still weighing things out because Corps stuff does give me in state tuition but after a year of being in Galveston I might be able to get that anyway.

Oh yeah, one thing I've told people is "Well the Cadet Battalion here is probably getting me ready for the Corps at College Station" and they say "Hell no dude! That's like saying Kindergarden is getting you ready for 12th grade!"

The more input I get from y'all, the better =)
 

HH-60H

Manager
pilot
Contributor
The key to succeeding in college, and much of life for that matter, is finding where you are comfortable and what works for you. That sets you up to excel. Whether it be your major or the place you go to school. We get hundreds of high school kids and college freshman asking what they should major in and we always tell them to choose a subject that they find interesting, not a subject that will give them an "edge" in selecting aviation. The reasoning is that if you are studying a subject that you find interesting, then you will excel and get good grades. This, in turn, will give you a far better chance at service selection. The reasoning here is the same.

That's not to say that working outside of your "comfort zone" isn't beneficial, but this early in your life and career that's not something you need to worry about.
 

desertoasis

Something witty.
None
Contributor
1. I know that many of you on here are Naval Aviators and were not in any sort of "Corps of Cadets". I even heard one guy on here who was in the VA Tech Corps of Cadets say that he liked ROTC, loved his University, but hated his Corps. Plenty of people on here have made fun of the Aggie Corps. But at the same time, is being good at the stuff in the Corps necessary for being a good Naval Officer? I'd love to hear some opinions on this. Being in the Cadet Battalion has been quite stressful for me, and I'm wondering if this is necessary or not to be a good officer.

The two are completely unrelated. As a former member of the Corps, I can tell you that I have used exactly zero things I learned in the Cadet Corps. It was fun and it probably got me through college, but the VERY first thing you have to learn about the Corps is that it is not the real military. It's not even close to the real military. I'm glad I was in the Corps, but you can very easily brain dump most of the training you got in the Corps and still do just fine in the Navy. The Corps trains people to join the Army, and is immensely helpful for them, but we Navy/Marine Corps types are basically getting all of our 'real military' training from the ROTC unit the same as all the other ROTC schools.

2. Some of you guys are Aggies and know exactly what Corps of Cadets life is like. How hard was it for you? Now that you're an aviator, how often do you find yourself benefitting from being the in Corps? Is being an Officer in the Navy as hard and being in the Corps? Also, this may be hard for you to answer, but what is your impression on how the College Station Corps compares to the TAMUG Cadet Battalion? Am I insane to transfer if this down here is so hard for me?

It wasn't that hard once you learn how to play the game. It's all a game. I'm not winged yet, but being an officer in the Navy is thus far much MUCH better than being in the Corps. The Corps was all a game, with some good people who enjoyed teaching their underclassmen their way of leading and complete jackwagons who just like torturing people, and even people who taught the wrong way to lead. It's as diverse a crowd as you can hope for in the most conservative school in the known universe. Find the right people and you'll have fun, get mixed up in the wrong crowd and you'll hate it.

Unfortunately, I can't speak to the dynamic in the Galveston Battalion, but I'd guess its similar.

I really do like aggie traditions and would be proud to have graduated from A&M, however I also need to honestly assess what kind of person I am, and what kind of carreer is best suited for me. I've dreamed being an aviator for a long time of course. I'd really appreciate honest answers.

That's why you should transfer to A&M-CS, not because of the perceived benefits of joining the Corps. Go to a school because you like the place, not because of what you think it can do for you. If you like the place, the benefits come on their own.


And regarding the Aggie haters, yeah, stand by. The bad apples and the ones who don't get it make it tough for the rest of us normal folk. But if you want to head off the dogpile, a little piece of advice; keep your enthusiasm about A&M to a reasonable level. School pride is fine, but taking it too far will bring out the wolves (and the Longhorns)...

And as usual, any questions PM me.
 

sanders

Member
1. No, being good at stuff in the Corps is not necessary to be a good naval aviator. There are plenty of pilots out there that did not do NROTC. Honestly, the biggest benefit I saw from the Corps was the preparation I received for Marine OCS. But again, there are plenty of guys out there who managed to make it through OCS just fine without having been an any sort of college military program.

2. The corps is what you make of it. Yes it is hard, but just do what you are told and you will be fine. After freshman year it is not that difficult, but still a lot of work. I am an 0-1 waiting for API right now, and other than the connections I made at A&M, there is no huge benefit. Like I said, it helped me get through OCS but that is all behind me now. I have met a bunch of the galveston guys and they seemed alright.

I have no regrets about joining the Corps. I met a bunch of great guys and had more fun in college than I ever thought I would. Yea of course I would encourage you to transfer, but if you are happy at Galveston then I see no point in switching. As long as you work hard, you will be wearing butter bars in a couple years no matter where you go. If you have any specific questions about anything, PM me.
 

AirAggie92

New Member
Thanks for the responses. I think I'm going to take my mom's advice and take this "one step at a time". I do admit that a part of me envies those of you at normal universities who just take NROTC, which is something I'm thinking about.
 

sanders

Member
Thanks for the responses. I think I'm going to take my mom's advice and take this "one step at a time". I do admit that a part of me envies those of you at normal universities who just take NROTC, which is something I'm thinking about.

Well TAMUG is a normal university (aggie jokes aside) that offers NROTC, right?
 

AirAggie92

New Member
TAMUG has its own Corps, which they now call the "Cadet Battalion" to distinguish it from the one at College Station. Essentially it's like the Corps, but much easier. I'm struggling with it.
 

SteveG75

Retired and starting that second career
None
One of my best friends did NROTC at UC Boulder.

My last squadron was the active duty partner for the NROTC unit at Boulder. One of my last cross countries was to Buckley to support a dog and pony for them. I went off and spent the weekend with family. The three JO's went raging in downtown Boulder in bags and drank the mids under the table. :icon_drin
 

scoolbubba

Brett327 gargles ballsacks
pilot
Contributor
Nothing you will learn in the corps of cadets will teach you how to be a naval aviator or an officer in the Navy. You're better off unlearning all of that bullshit before it even gets in your head.

This may just be the bitter guy who loved his university, liked his ROTC, and hated his Corps talking, though.

Go to a school where you can have fun and still get commissioned, you will not regret it.
 

AirAggie92

New Member
Yes scoolbubba, if you put your mouse pointer over that sentence in my first post, you will see it links to where you said that. Is it possible to be a non-reg at Texas A&M and still be in ROTC?
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
Just HOW difficult is the A&M Corps of Cadets, you ask ??? ;):D:):sleep_125:icon_wink

The biggest 'problem' you will have is figuring out 'how many Aggies does it take' to change a light-bulb ... or milk a cow ... or rope a horse ... or fly an airplane.

When you figure this stuff out ... the rest is 'easy' ...

Gig 'em ... :)
smile.gif
 
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