Aggies hold muster on Taji to commemorate fallen comrades

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Cupp | Soldiers from the the 1st Brigade Combat Team and 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, both of the 1st Cavalry Division, who are alumni from Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas, lit candles in remembrance of fellow "Aggies" who died over the past year during a 2007 Aggie Muster on Camp Taji, Iraq April 21.  

TAJI, IRAQ

04.23.2007

Story by Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp
1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- Although they are serving far from their beloved alma matter, Soldiers who are former students of Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas recently took the opportunity to commemorate the lives of fellow "Aggies," who have died in the service of their country.

Taking part in the traditional and annual Aggie Muster April 21 here, the Soldiers, Aggie alumni from brigades on the base camp to include the 1st Brigade Combat Team and 1st Air Cavalry Brigade both of the 1st Cavalry Division, shared a night of esprit de corps as well as a time for reflecting on their university brothers and sisters who have passed on since last year's muster.

"Aggies throughout the theater tonight and all over the world are doing this," said Capt. Nathan Reed, company commander, Company A, 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, who hails from Midland, Texas and coordinated Taji's 2007 Aggie Muster.

"This is a time honored tradition," said Dickinson, Texas native Capt. John Burrescia, company commander, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. "This is my second muster in theater since 2004 and doing this comes from a sense of duty and my responsibility as an Aggie to maintain this tradition. It let's me know that I'm not only a member of the military family but a separate family as well. If I wasn't here doing this, I would be doing this in the states, or regardless of where I was."

According to Burrescia, the Texas A & M tradition has strong military roots. The college which began as an all-male senior military academy in the 1800's eventually became a co-ed institution by the 1960's that also accepted students who were pursuing careers outside the military.

• Date Taken: 04.23.2007
• Date Posted: 04.23.2007 10:52
• Story ID: 10059
• Location: TAJI, IQ