Fueling a power for good: Standing collectively for Navy Appreciation Sport at Kyle Area – Texas A&M Tales

Texas A&M honors the selfless service of the nation’s veterans and the college’s lengthy navy historical past through the annual recreation.
Texas A&M honors the selfless service of the nation’s veterans and the college’s lengthy navy historical past through the annual recreation.
1000’s of Aggie followers got here out this previous weekend to not solely watch Texas A&M College defeat Samford College, but in addition to indicate their unwavering assist for the nation’s veterans on the annual Navy Appreciation Sport at Kyle Area, the place greater than 104,000 attendees crammed the stadium.
Amid the same old 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 unit Workforce (HFT) through the 2025 NASCAR Cup Collection season. One, pushed on the Coca-Cola 600 in Could, featured a military-inspired livery as a tribute to honor fallen service members and Aggie Capt. Ronald Forrester ’69, a Marine navigator whose stays have 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 Formulation SAE crew, the identical pupil group who loved a one-day track experience at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this 12 months, 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, dwelling to HFT’s headquarters. The interns utilized what they discovered of their Texas A&M lecture rooms to the fast-paced world of NASCAR.
On gameday, commemorative, Texas A&M-branded die-cast automobiles from final 12 months’s racing season meant guests may take a chunk of historical past dwelling with them, a significant memento to assist maintain the dialog going about Texas A&M’s dedication to enhancing workforce schooling amongst even the youngest Aggie followers.
Arguably some of the riveting experiences earlier than the beginning of every recreation, followers have 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 recreation, 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 one among 9 Aggies who’ve acquired the Medal of Honor for his or her valor in motion and one among solely 61 recipients nonetheless dwelling right now. 
The thrill of gameday could 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 pupil veterans.
Texas A&M serves greater than 1,270 pupil veterans via quite a lot of companies and packages, together with the Military Admissions Office, which affords transitional steering and admissions assist, and the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center, which offers scholarships, educational help and profession preparation.  
College students at Texas A&M even have many choices to take part in quite a lot 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 educational 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 struggle.   
Nov 25, 2025
By Amy Halbert ’95, Texas A&M College Division of Advertising 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 unit Workforce, 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 observe 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 modern, safer future for the residents of Texas and the world.

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