Aggie Muster

Texas A&M University conducts its annual "Aggie Muster" today. This long standing tradition is what I regard as the best tradition not only only of tradition rich Texas A&M, but of any college anywhere. On April 21st of each year (the Anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto where Texas won its independence), Aggies gather together wherever they are to reflect on fond school memories and honor classmates who have passed away during the year.

And when I say "wherever they are" I mean it. Tradition commands that if two Aggies are within 100 miles of each other and can possibly meet, then duty commands them to conduct a Muster. In the 27 years since I graduated I have never missed a Muster and have personally attended Muster in such far flung places as ChinChon South Korea, Hawaii, Kansas, South Carolina and (of course) Indianapolis.

The most famous Aggie Muster of all time was held on April 21, 1942 when 25 Aggies huddled in a cave on Corregidor Island and in the midst of an incredible Japanese artillery barrage, nonetheless held Muster to honor fellow Aggies who had already fallen. Only 12 of those 25 would survive the battle and the Japanese POW camps that followed.

Today Aggies shall be meeting across not just Texas, not just this country, but the entire world to conduct Muster. Aggies shall gather in warships at sea in the Persian Gulf. They shall come together in tents, bunkers and barracks throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. The number of such Musters will be in the thousands, and the number of participants in the hundreds of thousands.

The formal part of the ceremony involves the calling of the "Roll Call of the Missing", the names of classmates who have died during the year. Someone shall firmly answer "Here" on behalf of the departed comrade.

Softly call the Muster,
Let comrade answer, "Here!"
Their spirits hover round us
As if to bring us cheer!

Mark them "present" in our hearts.
We'll meet some other day
There is no death, but life etern
For our old friends such as they!

The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.