Aggie Muster: Frequently Asked Questions

To suggest corrections or additions to this document, please email MHenderson09@AggieNetwork.com. 

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Section 1: Quick Links

Section 2: Key Contacts for Muster & Related Events of April 2024

Section 3: The Roll Call, including how to add names to the roll and how to find out where specific names will be called

Section 4: Information for Muster Chairs

Section 5: Information for Muster Speakers

Section 6: Information for Muster Attendees

Section 7: Live Worldwide Roll Call at the Alumni Center

Section 8: Student-Run Muster at Reed Arena and related events: Reflections Display, Aggie Ring Remembrance, Class of 1974 50th Anniversary Reunions

Section 9: Brazos County A&M Club Muster at Brazos County Expo Center

Section 10: Muster Memorials, Media, and Exhibits

Section 11: Muster History

 

 

Section 1: Quick Links

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• What is Aggie Muster? tx.ag/WhatIsMuster
• Worldwide Roll (database of names of Aggies who have passed since last Muster): tx.ag/RollCall
• Notify The Association of an Aggie’s passing: tx.ag/AddAName
• Which Muster calls an Aggie’s name? tx.ag/WhichMuster
• Can a name be called at a different or additional Muster? tx.ag/WhichMuster
• Organize a Muster: tx.ag/HostAMuster
• Add a Muster to the master list and map: tx.ag/HostAMuster
• Find your nearest Muster: tx.ag/FindAMuster
• Campus Muster at Reed Arena: muster.tamu.edu
• Criteria for names called at Reed Arena: tx.ag/Criteria
• Names currently on Reed Arena Roll Call: tx.ag/CampusMusterRoll
• Request an addition to Reed Arena Roll Call: tx.ag/CampusMusterAdd (scroll to bottom of page)
• Worldwide Roll Call for the Absent livestream: MusterLive.AggieNetwork.com
• Muster BBQ: AggieMusterBBQ@gmail.com
• Reflections Display at the MSC: tx.ag/Reflections
• Aggie Ring Remembrance: Campus@AggieNetwork.com
• Class of ’74 50th Reunion: tx.ag/1974reunion50
• Brazos County A&M Club Muster (2024 location TBA): tx.ag/BCAMCMuster
• All other hometown Musters: tx.ag/FindAMuster
• Muster poems, songs, scripts, audio and video recordings: tx.ag/MusterMedia
• Submit Muster photos: tx.ag/MusterPhotos

 

 

Section 2: Key Contacts
for Muster & Related Events of April 2024

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MEDIA INQUIRIES

Media inquiries for all Association of Former Students events: Scot Walker ’90, 979-845-7514, SWalker90@AggieNetwork.com. 

Media inquiries for student-run Muster at Reed Arena: Student Muster Committee Chair, MusterChair@gmail.com.

Media inquiries for Texas A&M University: tamunews@tamu.edu, 979-845-4641

 

ALL OTHER INQUIRIES

Campus Muster at Reed Arena: muster.tamu.edu; Muster Committee Chair, MusterChair@gmail.com; Campus Roll Call Coordinators, CampusRollCall@gmail.com or call (979) 862-1191.

Reflections Display at the MSC: tx.ag/Reflections; Reflections Display Coordinators, Muster.Reflections@gmail.com.

Muster Camaraderie BBQ: AggieMusterBBQ@gmail.com.

Aggie Ring Remembrance (ceremony for enrolled A&M students who passed away since the previous Muster): The Association of Former Students, Campus@AggieNetwork.com, 979-845-7514.

Class of 1974 50th Anniversary Reunion: tx.ag/1974reunion50, The Association of Former Students Class Programs team: Ashley Giles ’15, Class@AggieNetwork.com, 979-845-7514; or the Class of 1974 Agents Judy Brown ’74 , Randy Maness ’74, Kyle McNeely ’74 and Robert Oliver ’74. 

Live Worldwide Roll Call for the Absent (full 2024 Roll Call streamed from the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center): MusterLive.AggieNetwork.com; Scot Walker ’90, The Association of Former Students, SWalker90@AggieNetwork.com, 979-845-7514.

Brazos County A&M Club Muster at Brazos County Expo Center: bcamc.org or contact the club at BCAMCMuster@AggieNetwork.com.

All other hometown Musters: The Association of Former Students' Juliann Miller ’21, JMiller21@AggieNetwork.com; 979-845-7514; or the local Muster organizer as shown on the list at tx.ag/FindAMuster.

 

 

Section 3: The Worldwide Roll

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The Worldwide Roll consists of names reported to The Association since the previous Muster of former and current students who have passed away. This includes those who attended A&M at the campuses in College Station, Galveston, Qatar, and McAllen, the Law School, and the various Health Science Center campuses. It also includes some faculty members. The Roll is updated daily; you can view it and learn how to add a name at tx.ag/RollCall.

 

WHICH NAMES WILL BE CALLED AT THE MUSTER IN REED ARENA?

It is a popular belief that all names are called at the student Muster, but it has never been so. The student-run Muster in Reed Arena is one of hundreds of local Musters, and like the others, it mostly calls the names of Aggies from its local community. For most of its history, since the first campus Muster in 1944 to present day, the student Muster has primarily called the names of enrolled students and other Aggies from the on-campus community.

Current criteria for the Reed Arena Roll Call, as set by the student-run Campus Muster Committee:

• Students currently enrolled at Texas A&M University - College Station.
• Former students who are immediate family of enrolled students.
• Former students who died while serving on active military duty.
• Current and recently retired or relocated faculty and staff.
• Members of the 50 Year Reunion Class who have passed away since the last Muster.

Exact wording of the criteria: tx.ag/criteria.

List of names to be called in Reed for 2024: tx.ag/CampusMusterRoll.

To request that a name be added to that list, complete the online submission form at tx.ag/CampusMusterAdd as soon as possible. This form will go to the Campus Muster Roll Call coordinators, who request that information by April 19 if possible.

For deaths that occur on or just before Muster, according to the roll call coordinators: “If the honoree meets the campus Muster criteria but the family has not had enough time to make arrangements to attend or feels that the ceremony is too soon for them emotionally, we also give them the option to defer to next year's ceremony.”

 

WHERE WILL AN AGGIE’S NAME BE CALLED?

Names are sent to the Muster closest to the deceased's last known address in The Association’s database; see the list at tx.ag/RollCall to see which A&M Club the name has been assigned to. If no Club is assigned, email Muster@AggieNetwork.com or call 979-845-7514.

Some Clubs only call the names of Aggies who have someone in attendance to answer for them, so let the Muster chair know you plan to attend.

You can also ask that a name be added to the Roll Call at any hometown Muster you are attending. See tx.ag/WhichMuster for details.

 

CAN I REQUEST THAT A NAME BE CALLED AT A DIFFERENT MUSTER?

Yes. The student-run Muster on campus only calls names that meet certain criteria (see tx.ag/Criteria), but other Musters have less formalized ceremonies and usually will add names requested by attendees. Contact the local Muster chair using the info at tx.ag/FindAMuster, explain who will attend, and ask for the name to be added. Do this as early as possible. See tx.ag/WhichMuster for more details.

 

HOW TO ADD A NAME TO THE WORLDWIDE ROLL CALL

Email the name, Class year, date of death, and any obituary info to AddAName@AggieNetwork.com. The Association of Former Students manages the Worldwide Roll; hometown Musters pull their local Rolls from The Association's master list. See tx.ag/AddAName for more details.

 

LIVE WORLDWIDE ROLL CALL FOR THE ABSENT

The Association of Former Students produces an annual reading of the entire Worldwide Roll of more than 1,400 names each April 21. This Worldwide Roll Call, begun in 2018, is the only occasion on which the entire annual Muster Roll is read and answered in a single location. The live Roll Call originates from the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center and is streamed at MusterLive.AggieNetwork.com. See Section 7 for more information.

 

SCROLLING LIST OF NAMES ON AGGIENETWORK.COM

The Association of Former Students produces a scrolling video roll of all the names on the Worldwide Roll Call (1,653 Aggies in 2019; 1,519 in 2020; 1,401 in 2021). This scroll plays onscreen at Reed Arena during Muster. It also plays in a loop throughout Muster Day on AggieNetwork.com and on the Huddleston Video Wall in the Williams Alumni Center. It will appear online at 3:22 p.m. Central time on April 20, 2024, which will be sunrise on April 21 in Sydney, Australia, home of the easternmost A&M Club.

Due to the time it takes to create and process the video, the list of names to be included in the scrolling roll call must be pulled in advance. The cutoff to report a passing and have the name included in the 2023 scrolling roll was 5 p.m. on April 14.  

 

WHY ARE PEOPLE WHO DIED YEARS AGO LISTED ON THIS YEAR’S ROLL CALL?

The death was only recently reported and the Aggie has not been previously honored at Muster. The Association of Former Students learns of deaths when a friend or family member notifies us at AddAName@AggieNetwork.com.

 

ACTIVE DUTY DEATHS

It is traditional for the names of Aggies killed in military service-related actions to be called at all Musters. When such deaths are reported, The Association of Former Students will notify the chairs of registered Musters via email. The Association will also list them separately at the top of the master Roll Call page at tx.ag/RollCall. 

To date, no such deaths have been reported since the 2020 Muster.

 

Section 4: Information for Muster Chairs

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REGISTER YOUR EVENT

Registering your event will give you access to everything a Muster Chair should need: forms, poems, songs, Roll Call instructions, sample event agendas, and much more. 

To register your event: While logged into AggieNetwork.com, go to tx.ag/HostAMuster, click on “Create a New Muster” and follow the prompts. Be sure to select an affiliation in the dropdown menu, if applicable. 

 

DOWNLOAD THE ROLL FOR YOUR EVENT 

To get the Roll specific to your event if you selected an affiliation: If your Muster is affiliated with an A&M Club, Class or Constituent Network, you can download a list of names specific to your event. Go to tx.ag/RollCall. If your event is registered and you are logged in, you will see the name of your event at the top of the page and a button that says “Muster Roll Call.” Click the button to see a Roll specific to your event. Click “Export Roll Call to Excel” to download the list. When you open the list, you may see a warning prompt, which is expected. Disregard it and click “Yes.”

To get the Roll specific to your event if you did not select an affiliation: Go to tx.ag/RollCall. If your event is registered and you are logged in, you will see the name of your event at the top of the page, next to a button that says “Muster Roll Call.” Click that button. You will then see the entire 2023 Roll. Click “Export Roll Call to Excel” to download the list to your computer. When you open the list, you may see a warning prompt, which is expected. Disregard it and click “Yes.” You can then sort the list as you choose and select the names to call at your event.

For more detailed instructions on how to pull your roll call, please go to tx.ag/PullYourRoll. 

 

SELECT A MUSTER SPEAKER

The Association of Former Students maintains a database of people available to speak at local Muster ceremonies. Organizers of local Musters can access that database at tx.ag/SpeakersBureau. Muster chairs are not limited to selecting someone from that list. 

After your speaker is confirmed, please email your event’s speaker information to Muster@AggieNetwork.com so we can update our records.

 

DOWNLOAD MUSTER POEMS, SONGS, AUDIO AND VIDEO

A variety of A&M-related songs and videos are available for Muster chairs to download at tx.ag/MusterMedia. Also available are song lyrics and relevant poems, including Roll Call for the Absent, In Memoriam and The Last Corps Trip. In 2021, we added a recording of the Ross Volunteers firing a 21-gun rifle salute.  

 

ACTIVE DUTY DEATHS

It is traditional for the names of Aggies killed in military service-related actions to be called at all Musters. When such deaths are reported, The Association of Former Students will notify the chairs of registered Musters via email. The Association will also list them separately at the top of the master Roll Call page at tx.ag/RollCall.

To date, no such deaths have been reported since the 2020 Muster.

 

WHY ARE PEOPLE WHO DIED YEARS AGO LISTED ON THIS YEAR’S ROLL CALL?

The Association only recently learned of this person’s passing, so he or she has not previously been honored at a Muster. We learn of deaths when a friend or family member notifies us at AddAName@AggieNetwork.com. 

 

HOW DO I SUBMIT MUSTER PHOTOS FOR TEXAS AGGIE MAGAZINE?

Attendees or organizers can go to tx.ag/MusterPhotos on a computer or mobile device to submit photos.

Please upload the original or highest-resolution version of the image. Low-resolution images are suitable for social media but cannot be used in the magazine.

Please provide as much information as possible about the picture(s) when submitting photos:

• Club or Muster group name.
• Muster date and location.
• Muster chair's name and Class year.
• If a photo shows only a small group of people (6 or fewer), please identify everyone by name and Class year, from left to right.
• A brief description of the event is helpful. How many people attended? Who was the speaker? Was there a meal?
• Strive for a variety of candid photos.  A photo of the entire group is always welcome, but we also would like to receive candid and casual photos that showcase the event or show Aggies having fun together. 

 

SHARE PHOTOS ONLINE TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO ATTEND NEXT YEAR 

Share photos online afterward to show the character of your local event. Grilling on a patio or playing horseshoes? That’s the kind of good bull that could encourage someone to attend next year. Be sure to use the hashtag #AggieMuster or tag @AggieNetwork.

 

 

Section 5: Information for Muster Speakers

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HOW MUSTER SPEAKERS ARE SELECTED

The speaker at the student-run campus Muster is selected by the student Muster Committee. Speakers at all other Musters are selected by the local event organizers; many Muster organizers use The Association's Muster Speakers Bureau for this purpose.

 

MUSTER SPEAKERS BUREAU

The Association of Former Students maintains a database of people available to speak at Muster ceremonies. Organizers of local Musters can access that database at tx.ag/SpeakersBureau. Muster chairs are not limited to selecting someone from that list.

To be considered for addition to the Muster Speakers Bureau, visit tx.ag/SpeakersBureau and fill out a speaker profile (you must be logged into AggieNetwork.com). The Association’s team will review the profile and consider it for addition to the Muster Speakers Bureau.

 

RESOURCES FOR MUSTER SPEAKERS

Speakers at registered local Musters can access resources provided by The Association of Former Students to help them create their speech. If you are a 2024 Muster speaker, please contact Juliann Miller ’21, Coordinator of Club Programs, at Muster@AggieNetwork.com or 979-845-7514 for more information.

Additional resources for Muster speakers can be found at tx.ag/MusterSpeakerResources. 

 

2024 CAMPUS MUSTER SPEAKER

The Campus Muster Committee selects a speaker to deliver the keynote address at the Muster ceremony in Reed Arena. The 2024 Campus Muster keynote speaker will be Major General (Ret.) Tim Green ’86, Director of the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex at Texas A&M University.

More information about the 2024 Campus Muster speaker can be found at tx.ag/CampusMusterSpeaker. 

For a list of every speaker since the first campus Muster in 1944, visit tx.ag/CampusMusterSpeakers.

 

BOOK COMPILES CAMPUS MUSTER SPEECHES

A book released in 2018 compiles the speeches of 73 of the campus Muster keynote speakers, from 1944 to 2017. Here: The Muster Speeches at Texas A&M University was edited by Jerry C. Cooper ’63, retired editor of Texas Aggie magazine, and published by the Texas A&M University Press as part of the Centennial Series of The Association of Former Students. The book is available on amazon.com and tamupress.com.

Audio resurfaced in 2019 of the 1964 campus Muster ceremony, including remarks from A&M’s president, Maj. Gen. Earl Rudder ’32, and Muster speaker E. King Gill, Class of 1924, on the 12th Man tradition. To hear Gill’s speech or the entire 1964 ceremony, visit tx.ag/12thManAudio.

 

 

Section 6: Information for Muster Attendees

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The student-run Muster for the campus community takes place in Reed Arena. See Section 8 for detailed information or visit muster.tamu.edu.

Hundreds of other Muster ceremonies take place off campus every year. Some off-campus Musters are sponsored by local A&M Clubs. Others are organized by local volunteer Muster chairs unaffiliated with any A&M Club. Some Musters are casual get-togethers of Classmates or friends in homes or restaurants, bars or barns. A few are organized by Aggie co-workers at large companies, and some are simply spontaneous gatherings of Aggies who happen to find themselves together on or around April 21. 

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

The largest off-campus Musters draw hundreds of Aggies, yet every year, there are also Aggies who Muster in groups of just two or three. Each Muster is unique, and each is representative of its organizers and participants. Some are somber like the Muster at Reed Arena, but many are more casual. At some Musters, the attendees wear their Sunday best; at others, they are in jeans or shorts. Some are free; others charge a fee to cover expenses or fund scholarships. Some Musters include a meal. It can be an evening event at a restaurant or bar, or a family-friendly daytime picnic. It might just be a small group gathered in someone’s backyard or kitchen. But whether simple or elaborate, formal or casual, every Muster perpetuates the essence of the Aggie Spirit. To learn what to expect at a particular event, contact the organizer listed at tx.ag/FindAMuster. 

 

LOOKING FOR A MUSTER

If someone is looking for a Muster, they can simply go to tx.ag/FindAMuster and use the keyword search starting with city and/or state, or they can scroll the map to find a nearby Muster. This list is frequently updated with new events and additional details on existing events.

 

VOLUNTEER TO ORGANIZE A MUSTER

Any volunteer can put together a Muster event using The Association of Former Students’ toolkit. If a Muster is not listed for a specific area on tx.ag/FindAMuster, or if you'd like to host your own event, visit tx.ag/HostAMuster to learn more.

 

WHERE WILL AN AGGIE’S NAME BE CALLED?

Names are sent to the Muster closest to the deceased's last known address in The Association’s database; see the list at tx.ag/RollCall to see which A&M Club the name has been assigned to. If no Club is assigned, email Muster@AggieNetwork.com or call 979-845-7514.

Some Clubs only call the names of Aggies who have someone in attendance to answer for them, so let the Muster chair know you plan to attend and the Aggie(s) for whom you plan to answer.

You can also ask that a name be added to the Roll Call at any hometown Muster you are attending. See tx.ag/WhichMuster for details.

 

CAN I ANSWER ‘HERE’ FOR THEM IF I AM ATTENDING A DIFFERENT MUSTER?

Yes. The student-run Muster on campus only calls names that meet certain criteria (see tx.ag/Criteria), but other Musters have less formalized ceremonies and usually will add names requested by attendees. Contact the local Muster chair using the info at tx.ag/FindAMuster, explain who will attend, and ask for the name to be added. Do this as early as possible. See tx.ag/WhichMuster for more details.

 

QUESTIONS TO ASK IF YOU ARE ATTENDING TO SAY ‘HERE’

Let the Muster chair know, as early as possible, that you will attend in person to answer “Here.” Each local Muster is different; some include a meal. You may be asked if you wish to hold a candle. You may want to ask how formal or informal the attire will be, or whether there is a cost associated with dinner. Information regarding meals, costs, and attire are often included with the event listing at tx.ag/FindAMuster. See also the section just above titled "What To Expect."

 

HOW DO I SUBMIT MUSTER PHOTOS FOR TEXAS AGGIE MAGAZINE?

Attendees or organizers can go to tx.ag/MusterPhotos to submit photos.

Please upload the original or highest-resolution version of the image. Low-resolution images are suitable for social media but cannot be used in the magazine.

Please provide as much information as possible about the picture(s) when submitting photos:

• Club or Muster group name.
• Muster date and location.
• Muster chair's name and Class year.
• If a photo shows only a small group of people (6 or fewer), please identify everyone by name and Class year, from left to right.
• A brief description of the event is helpful. How many people attended? Who was the speaker? Was there a meal?
• Strive for a variety of candid photos. A photo of the entire group is always welcome, but we also would like to receive candid and casual photos that showcase the event or show Aggies having fun together.

 

SHARE PHOTOS ONLINE TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO ATTEND NEXT YEAR

Share photos online afterward. Be sure to use the hashtag #AggieMuster or tag @AggieNetwork.

 

 

Section 7: Worldwide Muster Roll Call at the Alumni Center

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When: 6:51 a.m. (sunrise) on April 21, 2024

Where: From the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center

Can I watch or listen to it online? Yes. The reading is streamed at The Association's online Muster portal, MusterLive.AggieNetwork.com. After the event concludes, a recorded replay is made available at the same link. 

Details: Until 2018, in the long and storied history of Aggie Muster, there had never been a documented occasion on which every name on an annual list of deceased former students was called in a single location. It is commonly believed that the main campus Muster once called the full annual roll, but historical records do not support that belief.

In 2018, for the first time, every name on the Worldwide Muster Roll Call was called in a live reading and answered with "Here." This live Roll Call is now an annual event, originating from the Neely Mezzanine in the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. Teams of volunteers are selected to read and answer “Here” for every name on the annual Roll Call. That was 1,640 names in 2018, 1,653 names in 2019, 1,519 names in 2020, and 1,401 names in 2021.

Speakers mounted on the building project audio of the Roll Call on the College Station campus, and AggieNetwork.com hosts a live stream at MusterLive.AggieNetwork.com that makes the entire reading available to the worldwide Aggie Network. It lasts about two and a half hours. After the reading concludes, a recording is made available for on-demand viewing.

The reading incorporates the entire Worldwide Roll for the current year, which includes the names of all current and former students from the campuses in College Station, Galveston, Qatar, and McAllen, the A&M Law School, and the A&M Health Science Center whose deaths have been reported to The Association of Former Students since the prior Muster. Some of those deaths happened more than a year ago but are included because the death was only recently reported to The Association and the Aggie had not been previously honored at Muster. (The Association learns of deaths when a friend or family member notifies us at AddAName@AggieNetwork.com.)

The list of names to be called as part of the 2024 Worldwide Muster Roll Call can be found at tx.ag/RollCall. If you know of an Aggie who passed away since the 2023 Muster and who is not already listed at tx.ag/RollCall, please email AddAName@AggieNetwork.com.

For more information about the live reading of the 2024 Worldwide Muster Roll Call, contact Scot Walker ’90 of The Association of Former Students at SWalker90@AggieNetwork.com or 979-845-7514.

 

 

Section 8: Student Muster at Reed Arena and related events:
Muster Camaraderie BBQ, Reflections Display, Aggie Ring Remembrance, 50th Anniversary Class Reunion  

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STUDENT-RUN MUSTER AT REED ARENA

Contacts: See muster.tamu.edu/contact for the names and email addresses of all of the 2023 Student Aggie Muster Committee executives.

When: 7 p.m. April 21, 2024

Where: Reed Arena

Tickets: Tickets are not required and seating for the ceremony is first-come-first-served, with doors opening at 5:00 p.m.

Suggested attire: “Sunday best”

Free parking: 5 p.m. to midnight on April 21 in Reed Arena Lots 100 a-f, 100j, 100m, as well as Lots 61, 74, 95, 97 and 104. Lot 102 is disabled parking and Lot 100g is reserved for honored guests. Pay-by-hour parking is available in the West Campus Garage. See tx.ag/MusterParkingTAMU.

Can I watch it on TV or online? Yes. Watch the Reed Arena Muster beginning at 7 p.m. on MusterLive.AggieNetwork.com or on KAMU-TV in the Bryan-College Station area, or at tx.ag/KAMUstream.

Family members of the Aggies whose names are being called at Reed Arena should email CampusRollCall@gmail.com for seating information.

The 50th Anniversary Reunion Class, as the honored Class, has special seating arrangements. Inquiries from a ’74 Classmate or Reunion guest should be directed to The Association’s Class Programs team: Ashley Giles ’15, Class@AggieNetwork.com, 979-845-7514.

 

WHICH NAMES WILL BE CALLED AT THE MUSTER IN REED ARENA?

Popular belief is that all names are called at the student Muster, but it has never been so. The student-run Muster in Reed Arena is one of more than 300 Musters, and like the others, it calls mostly the names of Aggies from its local community. For most of its history, since the first campus Muster in 1944 to present day, the student Muster has primarily called the names of enrolled students and other Aggies from the on-campus community.

Current criteria for the Reed Arena Roll Call, as set by the student-run Campus Muster Committee:

• Students currently enrolled at Texas A&M University - College Station.
• Former students who are immediate family of enrolled students.
• Former students who died while serving on active military duty.
• Current and recently retired or relocated faculty and staff.
• Members of the 50 Year Reunion Class who have passed away since the last Muster.

Exact wording of the criteria: tx.ag/Criteria.

List of names to be called in Reed for 2024: tx.ag/CampusMusterRoll.

To request that a name be added to that list, complete the online submission form at tx.ag/CampusMusterAdd as soon as possible. This form will go to the Campus Muster Roll Call coordinators, who request that information by April 19 if possible.

For deaths that occur on or just before Muster, according to the roll call coordinators: “If the honoree meets the campus Muster criteria but the family has not had enough time to make arrangements to attend or feels that the ceremony is too soon for them emotionally, we also give them the option to defer to next year's ceremony.”

 

MUSTER REFLECTIONS DISPLAY

What: Family members of those named on the Reed Arena Roll Call can submit photographs, letters, or other personal items for temporary display in the MSC Flag Room as a living memorial. 

This display is open to the public and all are encouraged to see the poignant, physical memorials of the Aggies being honored on this year's Campus Roll Call. 

When: April 14 through noon on April 21

More info: tx.ag/reflections or contact the Reflections Display Coordinators at muster.reflections@gmail.com.

 

MUSTER CAMARADERIE BBQ

What: The Muster Camaraderie BBQ is held in conjunction with Muster to unite Aggies in friendship, fellowship and fun. Current students and members of the 50th Anniversary Reunion Class of 1974 will mingle with fellow Aggies, faculty, staff and families of the Muster honorees.

Please note that, for 2024, this event will be held the Friday before Muster. The 2024 Campus Muster will be held on Sunday, April 21.

When: April 19, 2024 (Friday) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Aggie Park

More details, including the menu and entertainment, will be announced at tx.ag/MusterBBQ.

 

AGGIE RING REMEMBRANCE

Contact: Campus@AggieNetwork.com, 979-845-7514

What: An event put on by The Association of Former Students for the families of the Aggies on the Roll Call who died while enrolled at Texas A&M. This event is not open to the public.

When: April 21, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Where: Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center

Aggie Ring Remembrance was first held in 2000. Originally, it was only for the families of those students who died while enrolled and who had not received an Aggie Ring. In 2008, the eligibility was modified to include the families of all Aggies who died while enrolled, even if that student had already received his or her Aggie Ring. Students are honored at this ceremony if they died while enrolled at the College Station campus; students who died while enrolled at Galveston, McAllen, Qatar, the Law School, or Health Science Center campuses outside of College Station are also eligible to be honored, but that recognition may happen during a separate event.

Families receive a wooden display box lined with maroon velvet. Inside are an engraved medallion and an Aggie Ring crest with the deceased student’s Class year. In cases of split families, a piece can be provided to each family unit.

The Aggie Ring Remembrance program includes remarks from the Chair of the Board of The Association of Former Students, the keynote speaker for the student-led Muster at Reed Arena, and the student body president.

Aggie Ring Remembrance is always held on the day of the Reed Arena Muster at a time that complements other scheduled family activities for that day. 

 

50TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION

The 50th Anniversary Reunion Class is traditionally the honored Class each year at the student-run Muster in Reed Arena. The Classmates have reserved seating on the floor of the arena, and the names of former students from that Class who passed away in the preceding year are called as part of the campus Muster Roll Call.

Attendance at the campus Muster is just one of many events during the 50th Anniversary Reunion, which typically stretches over four days and includes Class business meetings, updates from Association and university leaders, tours of campus, a class photo, pictures with Reveille, and the Camaraderie BBQ with current students. 

Like all Class Reunions, the 50th Anniversary Reunion is sponsored, hosted and organized by The Association of Former Students in conjunction with the Class Agents.

For more information, contact:

• The Association of Former Students Class Programs team: Ashley Giles ’15, Class@AggieNetwork.com, 979-845-7514;  
• The Class of 1974 Agents: Contact info TBA

 

Section 9: Brazos County A&M Club Muster

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The 2024 Brazos County A&M Club Muster will be held on Sunday, April 21, at the Brazos County Expo Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The keynote speaker will be former Texas A&M University President Dr. R. Bowen Loftin ’71.

For further information or to purchase a ticket, visit the Brazos County A&M Club's Muster webpage.

 

WHAT NAMES ARE CALLED AT THE BCAMC MUSTER?

The BCAMC Muster calls the names of Brazos County residents who died in the past year, and those of any former students who died while deployed on active military duty. And, like other hometown Musters, the Club also makes every effort to include names requested by those who attend.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit BCAMC.org or contact the club at BCAMC@AggieNetwork.com.

 

 

Section 10: Muster Memorials, Media, and Exhibits

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AGGIE MUSTER DOCUMENTARY

On April 21, 2018, The Association of Former Students released the documentary film Aggie Muster.

Aggie Muster tells the story of Texas A&M’s most hallowed tradition. Learn the origin of Muster and trace its roots all the way back to the war for Texas independence. Learn the true story behind the famous photo taken on the island of Corregidor, and honor the 20,000 Aggie heroes who served during World War II. Watch the modern Muster process come together in the celebration of the Aggie Spirit that we know and love today.

Aggie Muster is the third feature documentary film by The Association of Former Students. In Aggies: The True Story of Texas A&M, we told the history of “the school we think so grand.” In The Corps: Keepers of the Spirit, we went behind the scenes of the world-renowned Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets program to show how they build leaders from Freshman Orientation Week to Final Review.

All three movies, plus the 1943 classic We’ve Never Been Licked, are available for purchase at www.tamuvideo.com.

 

BOOK COMPILES CAMPUS MUSTER SPEECHES

A 2018 book compiles the speeches of 73 of the campus Muster keynote speakers from 1944 to 2017. “Here”: The Muster Speeches at Texas A&M University was edited by Jerry C. Cooper ’63, retired editor of Texas Aggie magazine, and published by the Texas A&M University Press as part of the Centennial Series of The Association of Former Students. The book is available on amazon.com and tamupress.com.

Audio resurfaced in 2019 of the 1964 campus Muster ceremony, including remarks from A&M’s president, Maj. Gen. Earl Rudder ’32, and Muster speaker E. King Gill, Class of 1924, on the 12th Man tradition. To hear Gill’s speech or the entire 1964 ceremony, visit tx.ag/12thManAudio.

 

DOWNLOAD MUSTER POEMS, SONGS, AUDIO AND VIDEO

A variety of A&M-related songs and videos are available for Muster chairs to download at tx.ag/MusterMedia. Also available are song lyrics and relevant poems, including “Roll Call for the Absent,” “In Memoriam” and “The Last Corps Trip.” In 2021, an audio recording of the Ross Volunteers firing a 21-gun rifle salute was added.

 

AGGIE MUSTER EXHIBIT AND CORREGIDOR AGGIE RING COLLECTION

The Association of Former Students maintains an exhibit on the Neely Mezzanine in the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center that explores the history and spirit of Muster. The exhibit periodically includes the A&M flag that Aggie servicemen made from bedsheets in 1946 to fly during the Victory Muster at Corregidor, as seen in the iconic photo (tx.ag/Corregidor).

The exhibit also includes the Corregidor Aggie Ring Collection, which features Aggie Rings that belonged to men who were at Corregidor from 1942 to 1946. So far, 35 such Aggie Rings have been donated to the Corregidor Aggie Ring Collection, which is on display on the Neely Mezzanine as part of The Association’s Muster exhibit.

The Corregidor Aggie Ring Collection is one of several collections of Aggie Rings maintained by The Association and housed at the Alumni Center. See tx.ag/RingCollections.

 

CORREGIDOR MUSTER MONUMENT

On Muster Day of 2015, a memorial was dedicated on the island of Corregidor in honor of the Aggies who Mustered there in 1942 and 1946, along with all Aggies who defended Corregidor and Bataan during World War II.

Using a series of four panels, the monument lists nearly 200 names. Simple in design, the monument represents the sacrifice, bravery and Spirit of those Aggies. Design and construction was overseen by The Association of Former Students. It was designed by Texas A&M architecture students and funded by donors to a dedicated fund established by The Association.

Learn more at tx.ag/corregidormemorial.

 

MUSTER SCULPTURE

The Class of 1995 presented a Muster Sculpture to the university as one of its Class gifts. Rodney Culver Hill, an A&M architecture professor, designed the monument, which was completed in 2000. Sometimes called the Muster Candle Sculpture, the piece portrays hands lighting candles in the Aggie Muster service. Two sides have stanzas from Muster poems, a third details the tradition’s history, and the fourth bears the Corps of Cadets emblem under the word “Muster.”

In April 2019, Texas A&M University dedicated Spirit Plaza, a project coordinated by the Class of 1969 in collaboration with the Classes of 1972, 1991, 1995 and 2019. Spirit Plaza highlights the two most solemn A&M traditions — Muster and Silver Taps — and features the Muster Sculpture, two other sculptures, and tributes to the Aggie Honor Code and the school’s Core Values of respect, excellence, loyalty, leadership, integrity and selfless service to others.

 

 

Section 11: Aggie Muster History

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• From the late 1870s through the 1890s, cadets celebrated San Jacinto Day (April 21) on campus, and it became a campus holiday.
• In the 1900s and 1910s, former students began using San Jacinto Day as a day to gather together off campus. This included gatherings during World War I by former students stationed in Europe.
• In 1922, The Association, A&M Clubs and A&M president William Bizzell all encouraged former student gatherings on April 21. Throughout the 1920s and ’30s, A&M Clubs and Aggie groups held “April 21 Parties” and San Jacinto Day “meetings.”
• On April 15, 1923, Texas Aggie magazine urged, “If there is an A&M man in one hundred miles of you, you are expected to get together, eat a little, sup a little, and live over the days you spent at the A&M College of Texas.”
• In the late 1920s, some San Jacinto Day gatherings on campus included a roll call of former students known to have passed away.
• In the 1930s, most "April 21 A&M Parties" are held off campus by former students, across Texas and the nation, with a few international meetings.
• In 1942, the famous Muster at Corregidor took place during World War II, in the form of a list of Aggies known to be alive on the island.
• In 1943, the April 21 gatherings were named "Muster" by Association head E.E. McQuillen, Class of 1920. He sent the first Muster packets to local chairmen, and more than 500 Musters were held worldwide. 
• In 1944, the first student Muster on campus took place, and former students worldwide held more than 600 Musters.
• In 1945, just eight weeks after Corregidor was recaptured, three Aggies conducted a Muster there. 
• In 1946, 128 Aggies visited Corregidor and Mustered in honor of the Aggies from the 1942 Muster.
• In 2018, The Association of Former Students produced the live Worldwide Muster Roll Call, the first occasion on which the entire annual Muster Roll (1,640 names) was read and answered in a single location. The live Roll Call is now an annual event.
• In 2020, a worldwide pandemic prevented most Musters from being held in person. The Assocation of Former Students worked with the university, the student-led Campus Muster Committee and local Muster organizers to create Muster Live, a web hub that hosted livestreamed Muster events from around the world, Reflections content honoring Aggies on the 2020 Roll, and a mechanism for loved ones to say "Here" virtually. The Muster Live was so popular that The Association decided to continue it evern after the pandemic ends.

 

CORREGIDOR MUSTER OF APRIL 21, 1942

As the small island of Corregidor in the Philippines was pummeled by artillery shells from Japanese planes, the only safe spot for American soldiers was the bombproof Malinta Tunnel. On April 21, Brig. Gen. George F. Moore, Texas A&M Class of 1908, asked another Aggie, Maj. Tom Dooley ’35, if they could get a list of the Aggies fighting at Corregidor.  "So, we had a roll call, and a muster is a roll call," Dooley was quoted as saying. The list they compiled named  24 Aggies, though it was later determined that at least  three other Aggies were also on Corregidor that day. 

Moore sent word to one of the news correspondents reporting from the island, and that reporter wired the story back to the states. The Aggies could not physically gather because of the shelling, but the article encouraged a war-weary nation. The story of Muster was told across the country, which solidified one of the most meaningful traditions we have. A couple of weeks later, the Aggies and all their comrades were killed or taken prisoner when Corregidor fell to the Japanese.

 

CORREGIDOR MUSTER OF APRIL 21, 1946

With the war won and the Philippines liberated in 1945, another duty remained: return to Corregidor to Muster in honor of the Aggies of 1942.

One hundred and twenty-eight Aggies gathered at the mouth of the Malinta Tunnel and used a bed sheet to improvise an Aggie flag that hung overhead while they Mustered. That flag is periodically on display at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. (See tx.ag/1946flag.) A photograph of the men in front of their homemade flag became iconic among Aggies everywhere. (See tx.ag/corregidor.)