Editing Texas A&M University (section)

===Corps of Cadets===
{{Main|Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets}}
[[File:AggieBandFormation.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Fightin' Texas Aggie Band]]'s Bugle Rank leads the band at halftime at a football game.|alt=Row of students in uniform with calf-length boots. Each holds a bugle that dangles a pennant.]]
[[File:Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and members of Texas A&M University's Corps of Cadets.jpg|thumb|[[Robert Gates]] and senior cadets from the Corps of Cadets give the "[[Traditions of Texas A&M University#Gig 'em|gig 'em]]" sign at the [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]].|alt=Secretary of Defense Robert Gates standing with 5 other people in uniform; all are giving a thumbs up gesture]]

Texas A&M is one of six United States [[senior military college]]s.<ref name="SMC">{{cite web |title = 10 U.S. Code § 2111a – Support for senior military colleges |publisher = [[Cornell University]] |url = https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/2111a |access-date = January 8, 2022 }}</ref> As of 2019, the university's Corps of Cadets (or the Corps), with more than 2,500 members, is the largest uniformed student body outside the [[service academy|service academies]].<ref name=SMC/><ref name=CorpsDorms/><ref name=CorpsSize>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebatt.com/opinion/letter-from-the-editor-corps-values-exploring-texas-a-ms-oldest-tradition/article_3e821d2e-3fe7-11e9-a7a3-9f51847ee903.html|date=March 6, 2019|title=Letter from the editor: Corps values—exploring Texas A&M's oldest tradition|first=Megan|last=Rodriguez|work=[[The Battalion]]|access-date=December 3, 2021|archive-date=December 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203195353/https://www.thebatt.com/opinion/letter-from-the-editor-corps-values-exploring-texas-a-ms-oldest-tradition/article_3e821d2e-3fe7-11e9-a7a3-9f51847ee903.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many members participate in [[Reserve Officers' Training Corps]] (ROTC) programs and earn commissions in the [[United States Armed Forces]] upon graduation.<ref name="cadetsconservative"/> Members of the Corps have served in every armed conflict fought by the United States since 1876, and over 285 alumni have served as generals or [[flag officer]]s as of 2021.<ref name="cadetsconservative">{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/05/13/texas/index.html|title=A&M cadets staunchly conservative|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=February 18, 2008|date=May 13, 2004|last=Moghe|first=Sonia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210155828/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/05/13/texas/index.html|archive-date=December 10, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=CorpsSize/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2018-11-30/html/CREC-2018-11-30-pt1-PgE1583-4.htm|title=Congressional Record, Volume 164 Issue 189 (Friday, November 30, 2018)|date=November 30, 2018|publisher=[[U.S. Government Publishing Office]]|access-date=December 21, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://corpsofcadets.org/flag-officers|title=Flag Officers|publisher=Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets Association|access-date=December 21, 2021}}</ref> Until 1965, Corps membership was mandatory. The Corps began accepting female members in the fall semester of 1974.<ref name="nauman">{{cite news|last=Nauman|first=Brett|title=Women Joined Corps 30 Years Ago|newspaper=[[The Bryan-College Station Eagle]]|date=September 10, 2004|url=http://209.189.226.235/aandmnews/091004womencadets.php|access-date=April 2, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090907072910/http://209.189.226.235/aandmnews/091004womencadets.php|archive-date=September 7, 2009}}</ref>

The Corps of Cadets is composed of four major units, the Air Force Wing, the Army Brigade, the Navy/Marine Regiment, and the [[Fightin' Texas Aggie Band]], whose members may be affiliated with any military branch.<ref>{{cite web |last=Miller|first=Alex|date=May 14, 2023|title=Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets adds leadership level|url=https://theeagle.com/news/a_m/texas-a-m-s-corps-of-cadets-adds-leadership-level/article_e0145d6a-f0ef-11ed-a186-5fa968ddf46c.html|access-date=June 14, 2023|website=The Eagle|language=en}}</ref> Parson's Mounted Cavalry is the only mounted [[ROTC]] unit in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://catalog.tamu.edu/07-08_UG_Catalog/gen_info/campus_life/corps/corps_activities.htm|title=Campus Life: The Corps Experience|publisher=Texas A&M University|access-date=March 4, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008175556/http://catalog.tamu.edu/07-08_UG_Catalog/gen_info/campus_life/corps/corps_activities.htm|archive-date=October 8, 2013}}</ref> The Ross Volunteer Company, one of the oldest student-run organizations in the state, is the official honor guard for the Governor of Texas.<ref name="Adams55">{{Cite book|last=Adams|first=John A. Jr.|title=Keepers of the Spirit|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|page=55|year=2001|isbn=1-58544-127-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://corps.tamu.edu/special-units|title=Special Units|publisher=[[Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets]]|access-date=March 2, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228234205/http://corps.tamu.edu/special-units|archive-date=February 28, 2014}}</ref> The [[Fish Drill Team]], a precision, close-order rifle drill team composed entirely of Corps freshmen, represents Texas A&M in local and national competitions. The team have won the national championship almost every year since their creation in 1946, and have appeared in several Hollywood films, including ''[[A Few Good Men (film)|A Few Good Men]]'' and ''[[Courage Under Fire]]'', in which they had prominent roles.<ref name="fishdrillteam">{{cite news|last=Nading |first=Tanya |title=Corps Fish Drill Team Reinstated |work=[[The Battalion]] |date=November 2, 2001 |url=http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2001/11/02/FrontPage/Corps.Fish.Drill.Team.Reinstated-516243.shtml |access-date=April 13, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623201555/http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2001/11/02/FrontPage/Corps.Fish.Drill.Team.Reinstated-516243.shtml |archive-date=June 23, 2009 }}</ref>

The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, the nation's largest precision military [[marching band]], provides music for university functions and presents halftime performances at football games.<ref name=BandBatt>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebatt.com/news/now-the-largest-military-band-in-the-nation-the-aggie-band-started-with-13-volunteers/article_54b481ee-4006-11e9-98ef-b36218afb11d.html|date=March 6, 2019|title=Now the largest military band in the nation, the Aggie Band started with 13 volunteers|first=Samantha|last=Mahler|work=[[The Battalion]]|access-date=January 8, 2022|archive-date=January 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108234159/https://www.thebatt.com/news/now-the-largest-military-band-in-the-nation-the-aggie-band-started-with-13-volunteers/article_54b481ee-4006-11e9-98ef-b36218afb11d.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Texas A&M Corps of Cadets]]|url=http://corps.tamu.edu/fightin-texas-aggie-band|title=Fightin' Texas Aggie Band|access-date=March 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301002212/http://corps.tamu.edu/fightin-texas-aggie-band|archive-date=March 1, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Some band drills are so complicated they require band members to step between each other's feet to complete the maneuvers.<ref name="steponfeet">{{cite web|url=https://musa.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FTAB-Handbook-2018.pdf|title=Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Marching Fundamentals Handbook|publisher=[[Fightin' Texas Aggie Band]]|access-date=January 8, 2022}}</ref><ref name="errorband">{{cite web|url=http://b-batt.tamu.edu/dwnld/040918-jumbo-clem.wmv|title=The Aggie Band: Doing the Impossible|publisher=[[The Association of Former Students]]|format=WMV|access-date=May 18, 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614135744/http://b-batt.tamu.edu/dwnld/040918-jumbo-clem.wmv |archive-date = June 14, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> Membership of the Corps of Cadets is a requirement for joining the Aggie Band, whose members live by the same standards, schedules, and regimens as the rest of the Corps.<ref name="Powell">{{cite book|year=1994|author=Powell, Donald B. |author2=Mary Jo Powell|title=The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University)|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|isbn=978-0-89096-595-5}}</ref>