http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/646278 Pair of veterans battling A&M's Corps obligation By RON NISSIMOV Copyright 2000 Houston Chronicle Like most of the other 43,000 students at Texas A&M University, Adam McMellan and John Blakeley plan to attend classes Monday during the first day of the fall semester. But McMellan and Blakeley, both sophomores, are worried they will be forced to leave the school for refusing to participate in what they call "childish" traditions. Both men have spent at least five years in the military, and they are incensed that Texas A&M is requiring them to participate in its Corps of Cadets program in order to use their ROTC scholarships. "I'm not going to listen to some 18- or 19-year-old kid tell me how it is in the military and scream at me to do push-ups and tell me how to shine my boots," said McMellan, 24, who spent five years in the Marine Corps and became a platoon sergeant in charge of 53 men at Camp Pendleton, Calif. "The Corps of Cadets doesn't have anything to offer me, except hazing or something like that," said McMellan, originally from Lewisville. "The Corps of Cadets is not a military organization; they do things like a fraternity. I'm not in college to play kids' games; they play a lot of childish games." Blakeley, 25, of Cranfills Gap in Central Texas, was an electrician on a nuclear submarine with the Navy for 5 1/2 years. "There's absolutely nothing the Corps can gain for me; it would be a waste of my time," he said. "I have a 3.43 GPA, and I'm sure it would drop drastically if I had to be in the Corps. These kids are straight out of high school; I don't see how I could tolerate them trying to tell me how to do things when I've been there and done that." Maj. Doc Mills, spokesman for the Texas A&M Commandant's Office, which oversees the Corps of Cadets program, said the university makes it clear in its college catalogs that all ROTC students must participate in the Corps of Cadets. Until 1965, Texas A&M required all its students to be members of the Corps, which is the birthplace of many of the school's traditions, such as Bonfire. About 2,000 students are Corps members, Mills said, adding that about 10 to 20 members have previously served in the military. In a letter Texas A&M sent in August to an attorney representing the two students, school officials said A&M is one of six "Senior Military Colleges" nationwide in the ROTC program, and all these colleges require ROTC students to be in their Corps of Cadets. He said all but one of are public universities. Mills said such disputes have arisen before at A&M on rare occasions, and students usually agree to either join the Corps or go to another school. He denied there is hazing in the Corps, but acknowledged that the Corps teaches "followership." "You have to learn to follow before you can lead," Mills said. The school intends to enforce its policy on Monday, he said. McMellan and Blakeley said they both met with Texas A&M President Ray Bowen last spring, who told them he could get them admitted to the University of Texas, the archrival of A&M. "Imagine an Aggie saying that to another Aggie," McMellan said. The university referred all calls about the issue to Mills, who said he did not know what was said during the conversation between Bowen and the students. McMellan, who is studying agricultural engineering, and Blakeley, who is studying electrical engineering, both said they have always wanted to attend A&M. "I'm not going to let this policy drive me away when it's not reasonable," Blakeley said. McMellan said he did not know about the policy until he arrived at the A&M campus last fall. Blakeley said he knew about it, but was reassured by an official with the Navy ROTC that he would not have to join the Corps. Mills said that since the Navy ROTC does not allow students to transfer during their freshman year, McMellan and Blakeley were allowed to stay at A&M their first year without joining the Corps, with the caveat they would join when they became sophomores. McMellan and Blakeley said that's news to them. Cmdr. Jack Papp, spokesman for the the Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola, Fla., said the Navy considers the issue to be solely "a university policy." The Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarships pay for tuition, books and fees, and provide a $200 monthly stipend. McMellan and Blakeley said they decided to go to college on ROTC scholarships to earn commissions as officers. After college, they would be required to serve in the military four more years. The students are contemplating legal action, but their lawyer, Michele Esparza, said she is unsure if a lawsuit will be filed. Pretty harsh words from Aggies ------------------
It's strange that they would oppose this. Every ROTC program has a similar "corps," though some aren't quite as enthusiastic. It's an integral part of the officer program -- the idea being to train people what they need to know to be an officer in the armed forces. People who have been in the military should understand that better than anyone. Yes, it may be discouraging to go through some of the same drills and training they went through in the military, but any other program they go through, the military academies or commissioning through OCS after obtaining their degrees, would have exactly the same training. Of course, on the other hand, this is a pretty direct message about the A&M Corps of Cadets. Maybe they do need to revise their program to take some of the fraternity out of it -- which does exist. ------------------ Stay Cool...
I think the 'fraternity' of the corps is an integral part of the training and the life and tradition of A&M. These two need to suck it up and deal with it. They new (or at least should have known) that ROTC requires involvement in the Corps. ------------------ I need a new signature. 302
The Corps is a joke. A military guy I met once talked about how he went to Cowledge Stashun (isn't that how they spell it? ) to see a friend. They saw some corps guys in uniform, one of them was a friend of the friend. I guess they had a number of medals on their uniform, so this guy points to a random one (surprised at the number of medals) and asked him what that was for. The cadet replied, "typing". I think Bowen is either an idiot, or thinks we are, when he says that hazing is not a part of the Corps of Cadets. Maybe he should tell that to my friend who's in the Corps. ------------------ Cheerleaders are just dancers who've gone r****ded. visit www.swirve.com
I don't care if the A&M Corp is a "joke" or "lame". The bottom line is they are getting a free ride, now it's time for them to keep their end of the bargain. ------------------ I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem. DREAMer's Rocket Page
Time to pay the piper. These two are good at weaseling. They know that A&M is a traditional place. Now, they want immunity to the same traditions everyone else must endure? Why? Because they didn't read the fine print, think it's childish, think it's hazing, can't take orders from minors, and know too much. In other words, we're above the rules and everyone else. We're too good for tradition. Don't follow the rules...you lose! Surf ------------------
Yeah make them drink copious amounts of liquor through a funnel and putting sump oil where it's not supposed to go now thats tradition ------------------ Discombobulation Imminent
they shouldnt have to put up with some teenagers bullsh*t if they dont want to..they have done their time and to be hazed by a guy that has no clue is lame...i am totally on these guys side here... ------------------ i am rather like a mosquito in a nudist camp..i know what i ought to do but i don't know where to begin...
