Ross Volunteers

The Ross Volunteer Company (commonly known as the Ross Volunteers or the RVs) is the military escort of the governor of Texas and a unit of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.

Ross Volunteers
The Ross Volunteers personnel pictured in 2018.
Active1887 - present
Country United States
AllegianceTexas Governor of Texas
TypeCadets
RolePublic duties
Part ofTexas A&M University Corps of Cadets
Garrison/HQCollege Station, Texas
Motto(s)"Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman"

History
The Ross Volunteer Company pictured in 1920

Establishment and early history

The Ross Volunteers were established as a military drill team at the A&M College of Texas in 1887 under the name Scott Volunteers, honoring Col. Thomas M. Scott, the college's business manager.[1][2] In 1891 the name of the unit was changed to the Ross Volunteers in honor of the college president at the time, Lawrence Sullivan Ross, and later changed to the Foster Guards under the presidency of L. L. Foster, and then the Houston Rifles under the presidency of David F. Houston.[2][3] In 1905 the name was permanently set as the Ross Volunteers, when Henry Harrington, the son-in-law of Ross, was president.[2][3]

Later history

The unit was dormant during World War II but was reactivated in 1948.[2] Among its first public engagements following its reconstitution was to escort Governor of Texas Beauford Jester and General Jonathan Wainwright to that year's Texas A&M vs University of Texas football game; the bearing and discipline of the unit was remarked upon by Wainwright.[4] In 1950 the unit was named military escort to the governor of Texas, a role it continues to perform.[5][6][7] In 1985, the Ross Volunteers were opened to female participation following a federal court order.[8]

During the state funeral of George H. W. Bush, the Ross Volunteers formed the guard of honor during the removal of the casket from Bush's funeral train upon its arrival in College Station, Texas.[9] The Ross Volunteers are the oldest cadet organization in existence at Texas A&M University, though the now defunct Stephen F. Austin Literary Society and the Calliopean Literary Society were founded earlier.[10]

Uniforms

Since inception, the uniform of the Ross Volunteers has consisted of white trousers and blouses with gold trim, worn with peaked hats.[11][lower-alpha 1] Officers wear a distinctive, crimson waist sash.[11]

Organization

The unit is broken into three of the following platoons based on height:

  • Tree Platoon
  • Meatball Platoon
  • Squat Platoon

Each platoon is further subdivided into four squads.

Notable personnel

Ross Volunteer Association

Due to the efforts of RV alumni such as General Jake Betty and Colonel Byron Stebbins, the Ross Volunteer Association (RVA) was established in 2009 to support the RVs.[16]

See also

Notes
  1. From 1907-1908 an alternate uniform was worn, and the unit briefly used tin helmets as cover in lieu of peaked hats.[2]

References
  1. Ivey, Darren (2017). The Ranger Ideal Volume 1: Texas Rangers in the Hall of Fame, 1823-1861. University of North Texas Press. p. 393. ISBN 978-1574417012.
  2. Adams, John (2001). Keepers of the Spirit: The Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, 1876-2001. Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 1585441260.
  3. "Special Units within the Corps of Cadets". My Aggie Nation. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  4. "Ross Volunteers Given Praise by Gen. Wainwright". The Eagle. newspapers.com. December 13, 1948. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  5. "Selfless Service". The Battalion. November 26, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  6. Knight, Paul (January 23, 2008). "Rotten to the Corps: A Question of Justice at Texas A&M". Houston Press. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  7. "Students killed in bonfire timbers will be remembered in Aggie traditions". CNN. November 19, 1999. Retrieved July 3, 2019. All students proceed silently to the mall, where the Ross Volunteers, a group of junior and senior cadets who serve as the honor guard to the governor of Texas, fire a 21 gun salute to the fallen students.
  8. Nauman, Brett (September 10, 2004). "Women Joined Corps 30 Years Ago". The Bryan-College Station Eagle. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 22, 2007.
  9. "President Bush arrives in College Station for burial". Austin American Statesman. December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  10. Thomas, Dave (April 25, 2018). "10 things this Aggie didn't know about Texas A&M". Austin American Statesman. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  11. "Special Units". tamu.edu. Texas A&M University. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  12. "Dr. Henry G. Cisneros '68". corps.tamu.edu. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  13. Woodall, James (2015). Twelve Texas Aggie War Heroes: From World War I to Vietnam. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-1623493196.
  14. "Who was CE Olson?" (PDF). Texags.com. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  15. "About the President | Texas A&M Foundation".
  16. "History". www.rvassociation.org. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
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