Important Dates:

Information for Prospective Cadets

This page is intended to provide information and usefull links to current and prospective memebers of SQ-23. If any questions you have are not answered here or in the links given, please contact us at:

Brian Bowers (Commanding Officer)
calos176@neo.tamu.edu, 806-570-3935

Kathleen Mullen (Executive Officer)
kemm1987@tamu.edu 303-895-1559

Attention 2012 Blinn TEAM students: Your New Student Conference (NSC) is from August 12 - August 13. Please review the following website for more information: http://newaggie.tamu.edu/NSC_BlinnTeamprograms.htm

Important Information for Incoming Cadets:

Incoming Freshman Packing List(Male Cadets)
Incoming Freshman Packing List(Female Cadets)
Example Blinn Schedules
(Right click and "save as")

Links:

Texas A&M - http://www.tamu.edu/
Aggie Corps Website - http://www.aggiecorps.org/
Blinn Team - http://blinnteam.tamu.edu/

Prospective Cadet Information:

We promise two things to our incoming freshmen- that the road ahead is hard, and that it is worth it. With that said, there are many things which can be done beforehand to get ready:

At your New Student Conference (NSC):

You will receive a list of things to bring for fish year. Make sure you follow it, and don’t bring too much stuff- less is better, and chances are you’ll move at least once during your fish year. When being fitted for uniforms, make sure you take hair loss into account- covers that fit as a high school student probably won’t fit after your haircut. Let the employees in the Military Property Warehouse (MPW) fit you- they know how it works. You will be given a pair of black oxfords and a pair of combat boots. Wear them around to break them in, but don’t try to polish or tap them. Polishing shoes is traditionally taught to freshmen by juniors at the start of the year, and tapping will be taken care of during FOW. Make sure you order a meal plan. When registering for classes, we highly recommend that you get all classes except Leadership Lab between 8 AM and 4 PM if possible. Make sure you register for your military science class according to your brach preference. Keep in mind that though this is Squadron 23, you do not need to be in an air force (AERS) military science class. ENROLLMENT IN ROTC CLASSES IS REQUIRED FOR ALL FRESHMEN IN THE CORPS OF CADETS, BUT DOES NOT COMMIT YOU TO MILITARY SERVICE

Before Freshman Orientation Week (FOW):

FOW is extremely stressful- get lots of sleep and eat well during the time leading up to it.
Remember to bring the boots and shoes you were given to break in during your NSC. Arrive earlier rather than later on FOW Sunday- there’s a lot of in-processing to do before training starts. Clear up any financial/tuition issues before FOW starts. Check your fee statement at aggie-pay.tamu.edu to make sure you have made all required payments. We recommend based on prior experience that you arrive early in the day (before 9AM) to go to The Pavilion if you will need an emergency loan or to resolve any other issues. Dealing with this during FOW will be a pain in the neck. Some ROTC Scholarships will not pay tuition until about a month into school- take this into account. You will probably have to pay up front, and receive reimbursement later. ROTC uniform reimbursement (given to all freshmen and sophomore cadets) will usually not be paid until spring semester, so don’t be concerned when you see “Uniform Rental” on your fee statement. Make sure you order a meal plan before FOW (this can be taken care of at food.tamu.edu, or during your NSC when you register for classes).
Try to get used to a schedule of going to sleep around 11 PM and waking up at 6 AM. This will help you be better rested and be prepared when classes start. You MUST get the physical exam as required by the Corps before FOW. On the Friday before school starts, the FOW review takes place. Make sure your parents know, it’s their first opportunity to really see the Corps.

Physical Fitness:

Physical Fitness is important in the Corps of Cadets, and physical activity is an important part of what we do. It isn’t something to fear or try to avoid- it’s an opportunity to improve one’s self. Make sure that you are running. Freshmen sometimes develop shin splints as a result of suddenly transitioning from zero running to running regularly. This can be prevented by gradually easing into a running routine in the months before FOW. Bring a good pair of running shoes with you. Good running shoes are made by companies such as Saucony, Adidas, Aasics, New Balance, and some others. Cross-trainers, basketball shoes, or tennis shoes will not work as running shoes. K-Swiss is not a good supplier of running shoes. Running in non-running shoes or excessively worn running shoes will lead to injury. Drink lots of water. At least 12 glasses a day. This will ensure that your body is used to maintaining proper hydration for strenuous physical activity. Also, reducing the amount of soft drinks and junk foods in your diet will greatly enhance your physical well-being and ability to cope with the rigors of freshman year.

Advice on what to bring to FOW:

Everything on the list given out at your NSC
Bronze colored wire coat hangers, with and without the cardboard tubes- about 6 of each.
2 Sharpie markers
Sleeping bag
Several collared shirts long enough to tuck in (short sleeved knit shirts (i.e. polo shirts) are fine), jeans or other long pants, a belt, and a watch (should be something cheap enough that you wouldn’t mind it getting scratched up). When out of uniform and in the Corps of Cadets residence area, freshmen wear long pants, a white undershirt, a belt, a collared shirt tucked in, a watch, close-toed shoes or boots.
A small desk lamp- this helps your roommate sleep if you have to stay up late studying.
We advise against bringing speakers for your computers.