Corps of Cadets

Texas A&M is one of six United States Senior Military Colleges. The schools' Corps of Cadets (or the Corps) is one of the largest uniformed student bodies outside the service academies. Many members participate in ROTC programs and earn commissions in the United States Armed Forces upon graduation. Members of the Corps have served in every armed conflict fought by the United States since 1876. There were 20,229 Aggies who served in World War II, of these, 14,123 served as officers, more than any other school, including the combined totals of the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy. Since 1876, 225 Aggies have served as generals or Flag Officers.

Until 1965, Corps membership was mandatory. The Corps welcomed female members in the fall of 1974, and as of spring 2012, the co-ed Corps boasts an enrollment of more than 2000 cadets.

The Corps is composed of three Air Force Wings, three Army Brigades, two Navy and Marine Regiments, as well as the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, whose members may be affiliated with any military branch. Parson's Mounted Cavalry is the only mounted ROTC unit in the United States. The Ross Volunteer Company, the oldest student-run organization in the state, is the official honor guard for the Governor of Texas. The Fish Drill Team, a precision, close-order rifle drill team composed entirely of Corps freshmen, represents the school in local and national competitions. They have won the national championship almost every year since their creation in 1946, and have appeared in several Hollywood productions, with prominent roles in the movies A Few Good Men and Courage Under Fire.

The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, the world's largest precision military marching band, provides music for University functions and presents intricate halftime performances at football games. Some band drills are so complicated that they require band members to step between each other's feet to complete the maneuvers. These drills must be drawn by hand as computer marching programs have returned errors; their calculations require two people to be in the same spot at the same time.