Fueling a power for good: Standing collectively for Army Appreciation Recreation at Kyle Discipline – Texas A&M Tales

Texas A&M honors the selfless service of the nation’s veterans and the college’s lengthy navy historical past in the course of the annual sport.
Texas A&M honors the selfless service of the nation’s veterans and the college’s lengthy navy historical past in the course of the annual sport.
Hundreds of Aggie followers got here out this previous weekend to not solely watch Texas A&M College defeat Samford College, but additionally to point out their unwavering help for the nation’s veterans on the annual Army Appreciation Recreation at Kyle Discipline, the place greater than 104,000 attendees stuffed the stadium.
Amid the standard tailgating and revelry, guests to the Faculty Station campus additionally had the chance to see two Texas A&M-branded racecars pushed by Cole Custer of Haas Manufacturing facility Crew (HFT) in the course of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Sequence season. One, pushed on the Coca-Cola 600 in Might, featured a military-inspired livery as a tribute to honor fallen service members and Aggie Capt. Ronald Forrester ’69, a Marine navigator whose stays had been returned from Vietnam. The opposite, pushed at NASCAR’s Martinsville race in October, showcases the college’s Drive For Good design. 
Additionally available was the Texas A&M Components SAE group, the identical scholar group who loved a one-day track experience at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this yr, showcasing Aggie engineering, teamwork and innovation. This previous summer season, three engineering college students took half in a once-in-a-lifetime internship opportunity in North Carolina, residence to HFT’s headquarters. The interns utilized what they realized of their Texas A&M lecture rooms to the fast-paced world of NASCAR.
On gameday, commemorative, Texas A&M-branded die-cast vehicles from final yr’s racing season meant guests may take a bit of historical past residence with them, a significant memento to assist hold the dialog going about Texas A&M’s dedication to enhancing workforce schooling amongst even the youngest Aggie followers.
Arguably one of the vital riveting experiences earlier than the beginning of every sport, followers had been handled to the return of the Force for Good Flyover, that includes the first Air Cavalry Brigade based mostly out of Fort Hood, Texas. The flyover featured 4 helicopters and included three Aggie crew members: Keith Casey ’15, Ryan Lewis ’19 and Cody Ziober ’12.
In the course of the sport, Texas A&M took time to acknowledge veterans, together with Grasp Sgt. (Ret.) Matt Williams ’25, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2019 for his brave actions throughout a mission in Afghanistan. Williams is certainly one of 9 Aggies who’ve obtained the Medal of Honor for his or her valor in motion and certainly one of solely 61 recipients nonetheless residing immediately. 
The thrill of gameday might go, however Texas A&M’s dedication to supporting the nation’s veterans stays regular. The college was voted the No. 1 most veteran-friendly faculty in Texas by Faculty Factual in 2023 and is now a five-time Gold Recipient of the Veteran Training Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA) for excellent service to scholar veterans.
Texas A&M serves greater than 1,270 scholar veterans by a wide range of providers and packages, together with the Military Admissions Office, which affords transitional steerage and admissions help, and the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center, which gives scholarships, tutorial help and profession preparation.  
College students at Texas A&M even have many choices to take part in a wide range of management organizations, together with the Corps of Cadets and three Reserve Officers’ Coaching Corps (ROTC) packages: Military, Air Drive and Naval. Every of those organizations affords scholarships and fosters a way of neighborhood for veterans of their post-military tutorial careers.
Past the classroom, proceeds generated from the gross sales of Texas A&M-Operation Hat Trick co-branded merchandise are distributed to organizations to assist service members and veterans heal from the seen and invisible wounds of conflict.   
Nov 25, 2025
By Amy Halbert ’95, Texas A&M College Division of Advertising and marketing and Communications
Acknowledged for his valor in Afghanistan, Matt Williams ’25 has devoted his life to serving others and demonstrating what it means to be a power for good.
Three engineering college students spent the summer season interning with Haas Manufacturing facility Crew, gaining invaluable, hands-on expertise and incomes excessive reward from prime execs.
Aggies went behind the scenes to see how real-time information and pit cease precision drive efficiency on the monitor throughout one of many nation’s most fast-paced sports activities.
Learn articles, watch movies and uncover how Texas A&M College is shaping an progressive, safer future for the residents of Texas and the world.

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