Class of '66 50th Anniversary Reunion

April 19 - 22, 2016
College Station, TX

HOWDY
OK, Class of ’66, this is it: Now is the time for all of us to attend our 50th Anniversary Muster Reunion in Aggieland! This once-in-a-lifetime gathering will take place April 19-22 in College Station, with events scheduled at the Hilton College Station & Conference Center, the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, Reed Arena, and across the A&M campus.

Don’t forget, this is our final “stand alone” Reunion as an individual Class, because at our 55th Anniversary Reunion we will be inducted into the Sul Ross Group. This group, which includes all Classes that have been graduated from A&M for 55 years or more, meets annually in March, and we’ll be a part of that event in 2021. (Don’t worry, your Class Agents are also committed to continuing our Class of ’66 Mini Reunions into the foreseeable future!)

We hope you will join us at this incredible event. Bring your spouses or significant other, get your Aggie buddies to come, register immediately, and plan to be amazed at all the changes at Aggieland. Most of all, come and enjoy the fellowship while reconnecting with your buddies! If you have Reunion related questions please direct them to one of the Class Agents below or the Former Student Programs office at The Association of Former Students (800) 392-2096 or Class@AggieNetwork.com. 

Class Agents:
Kevin Andrews - kra.ranch@gmail.com
Mike Jackson - 10tja10@gmail.com
Larry Jerden - texjerden@verizon.net
Nardie Vine -  nvine66@gmail.com

WELCOME CLASS OF '66
On behalf of the students of Texas A&M University, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you back home to Texas A&M. On April 19-22 your Class will meet for your 50th Anniversary Year Reunion. I have the privilege this year of serving as your liaison to the Muster Committee. I am also excited to work with your Class to ensure that your Reunion is well organized and truly memorable.

Muster Committee is composed of 30 students dedicated to planning every aspect of the on-campus Muster ceremony. Everything from compiling the Roll Call for the absent, to planning your Muster Camaraderie BBQ is coordinated by our committee to ensure that this tradition is upheld in its best form. This year we are fortunate to welcome long-time, beloved Aggie football coach, R.C. Slocum, as our guest speaker for the ceremony. I hope you will all enjoy your stay here with us in Aggieland for this year’s Muster.

Fifty years of being Aggies—what an honor! I eagerly await celebrating this milestone with you. As your liaison, I would also like to extend an invitation to call, write, or email me personally. I encourage this so that I may have the chance to know you each individually and even meet you during the Reunion. One project we are working on is a display in the flag room during the week of Muster: all about the Class of ’66. I hope to hear your stories and perspectives as I believe they would be valuable in our efforts to honor your Class. My contact information is below; I look forward to hearing from you!

Bailey McCracken ’18
Muster Committee
Association of Former Students Liaison

Email: baileymccracken@tamu.edu
Phone: (210) 452-6520
Mailing Address: 
Aggie Muster Committee- Bailey McCracken ’18
125 John J. Koldus Building
College Station, Texas 77843-1236

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

MUST ATTEND EVENTS
- Corps silent Muster formation & flag raising ceremony (April 21)
- Camaraderie Muster BBQ with students (April 21)
- Reflections display in the MSC Flag Room (April 18 - April 21 at 2 p.m.)
- Muster ceremony on campus at Reed Arena (April 21)

Tuesday, April 19

Wednesday, April 20

Thursday, April 21

Friday, April 22

REUNION ACCOMMODATIONS
A block of rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, for the Class of '66 50th Reunion. Make your reservations by calling the College Station Hilton directly before March 28, 2016 at 979-693-7500. Be sure to reference the Group Code: MUST16 to receive the rate of $145 per night, plus tax. If you prefer to stay at another hotel in the area, please call the Accommodations Hotline at 979-260-9898 to check on hotel availability in the area. You may also go to the Bryan-College Station Accommodations website to book a room. Hotels in close proximity to the Hilton are Hyatt Place, Hawthorne Suites, Comfort Suites and Holiday Inn Express. Call today!

*College Station Hilton — Reunion Headquarters Hotel
801 University Drive East — (979) 693-7500 
$145/night, plus tax 
Group Name: Class of '66 Muster Reunion
Code: MUST16
Deadline: March 28, 2016
Check-in time: 4:00 p.m. 
Check-out time: Noon

*The Hilton sold out quickly last year so make your reservation now!

CAMPUS MUSTER TICKETS
If you will not be riding the bus to Muster, we suggest you arrive at Reed Arena very early to find parking. We encourage you to ride the bus because guests on the bus will enter on the ground level and walk directly to seats on the floor or in the reserved section of Reed Arena. If you do not ride the bus or have guests meeting you at the ceremony, call Former Student Programs (800-392-2096) to request tickets (at no additional charge), which will allow you access to the floor. Please note that space is limited on the floor of Reed Arena. Classmate/Reunion registrants will be limited to having one guest sit with them on the floor. All other guests will be placed in a reserved section on the lower level of the arena.

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CLASS AGENT ELECTIONS
Class Agents serve as a liaison between their Class and The Association. This is the perfect opportunity to get involved as a former student, stay connected to the university and gain some volunteer service. Elections are held in conjunction with your Reunions, so now is your chance! Teams consist of three to four members of your Class and serve a five-year term. As a Class Agent you will serve on The Association of Former Students’ Leadership Council, which meets twice a year. The Association of Former Students provides orientation and resources to aid you in this role. Class Agents are responsible for keeping the Class informed through Newsletters, web sites and emails, planning Class events and providing annual fund information to former students. You will be electing new Class Agents at this Reunion. The current Class Agents, Kevin Andrews, Mike Jackson, Larry Jerden, and Nardie Vine are willing to run again if the Class supports their nomination.  If you would like to nominate a team or individual send an email to Class@AggieNetwork.com or call Class Programs at 800-633-7514 prior to the Reunion.

CLASS PICTURE
On April 21, our Class will have our picture taken in front of the Systems Administration Building, now called the Jack K. Williams Administration Building, just as we did when we were members of the Corps of Cadets.  Buses will take you from the Hilton to the Administration Building for the photo that will be taken at 10 a.m. This picture is for Class of ’66 members only. Please remove caps and sun glasses for the picture. There will be picture order forms available at the Reunion registration desk, so you may order your Class picture on site, via the photographer’s website, or mail the form in at a later time. An example photo is available here.

MAP, PARKING & TRANSPORTATION
The Aggie spirit remains the same, but campus has changed significantly and always under construction. To help guide you around the campus click here for an electronic or printable map.

Transportation will be on your own except for on April 21. Bus transportation will be available to shuttle you to Academic Plaza for the flag raising ceremony in the morning, the Class picture and Muster BBQ on campus, and the campus Muster Ceremony that evening. The buses will load at the west side of the Hilton and the cost of transportation is included in the event prices and registration fee. Each bus is wheelchair accessible. Please inform The Association of Former Students in your registration form that you are handicapped, so we can plan accordingly.

Parking is available at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni center on Wednesday, April 20. Other parking options include the Koldus Parking Garage across from the MSC and the West Campus Garage. For more information regarding parking on campus please visit transport.tamu.edu.

OUTFIT GATHERINGS
Outfits are encouraged to gather following the Tuesday night reception and buffet at the Hilton. Popular gathering locations include: local Classmate residences, the Dixie Chicken on Northgate, and sports pubs in College Station. Please update your AggieNetwork profile to ensure that your correct outfit is ​in the database. This will assist us and your Classmates with outfit communications and finding your outfit buddies.

If you were a member of the Ross Volunteers during your time at A&M, please contact Jerry Lummus at lummus.jerry@gmail.com, cell: 713-854-5981, or home: 713-952-2017.

KYLE FIELD TOUR
For those that have not seen the redeveloped Kyle Field, you have the opportunity to attend a walking tour of the stadium following the breakfast on Wednesday, April 20. You can walk from the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center to the South East Ticket Tower where a tour guide will usher you through the south end zone into the Hall of Champions. You will be able to see the coaches' booths, TV broadcast booths, suites, and field box. The entire tour is accessible by elevator, but there is walking involved during the tour so please be prepared to walk from site to site. If you are interested in this tour please register for this event. 

The morning tour at 10:30 am is SOLD OUT, but a second tour will be offered during the afternoon at 2 p.m. All registrations received after Mar 25 will be automatically placed in the afternoon tour until this tour is full. The afternoon tour will meet at the Hall of Champions located inside the main gate of the west side of Kyle Field. Parking is available at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center and the Koldus building next to the MSC. Click here for a map with directions.

MEMORABILIA
Wanted Your Memorabilia: We will have tables set up in the Hospitality Room throughout the weekend for you to display memorabilia from your days in Aggieland. Please remember to bring photo albums, scrap-books, etc., so that we may display them in the secured room for all of your Classmates to see and reminisce over!

MUSTER COMMITTEE CALL FOR CLASS PHOTOS
Howdy, Class of 1966! The 2015-16 Aggie Muster Committee has been working on ways to honor your Class' time and memories here in Aggieland. If you would like to share any photographs that were taken during your years at Texas A&M (1962-1966) and possibly have them included in the Muster Program or the 50th Anniversary Reunion Display, please send them (along with a description of that is taking place in the picture and who is in it) to baileymccracken@tamu.edu. Please have your photos submitted by April 1. If an electronic version is not available, you may send copies (what is sent cannot be returned) to:

ATTN: Aggie Muster Committee
125 John J. Koldus Building
College Station, Texas 77843-1236

Thanks and Gig ‘em!
Bailey McCracken ’18, Muster Committee

AGGIE MUSTER: REFLECTIONS
In order to more fully recognize and honor the lives of our Student Campus Muster Roll Call honorees (Class of '66 members who passed away since April 2015), personal items will be displayed as a living memorial in the Muster Reflections Display. Family members of campus honorees submit photographs, letters, stories, Aggie Rings, or other personal items that reflect on their loved one’s life and what mattered most to them. It is our hope that we, as Aggies, can create an opportunity for these families to display their favorite things about their honoree and celebrate them by using these items to exhibit who their loved one was, what they did, and how they touched the lives of those around them.

These items will be displayed in the Memorial Student Center Flag Room from Monday, April 18 to Wednesday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Thursday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Family members may coordinate a time to bring items to the Reflections Display Chairs or send them by mailing to the following address:

Attn: Hannah Bezet ’17 and Lauren Evans ’18
Reflections Display – Aggie Muster
P.O. Box 2894
College Station, TX 77841
For more information, please contact Hannah Bezet ’17 and Lauren Evans ’18 at Muster.Reflections@gmail.com

CORPS SILENT FORMATION
On April 21 you will have the special opportunity to participate in the Corps of Cadets Muster formation and flag raising in Academic Plaza. It is well worth rising early to watch the entire Corps march into and out of Academic Plaza while they conduct a silent flag raising formation. Please make sure and sign up for this event on the registration form. There will be bus transportation from the Hilton to Academic Plaza and back, so there is no need to worry about parking and walking across campus.  Don’t miss out on this special opportunity.

CANCELLATION POLICY
The Association of Former Students has a fairly flexible cancellation policy. If you cannot attend your Reunion or an event for which you have registered, please call the Former Student Programs office (800-392-2096) by noon on Monday, April 11. Your payment will be refunded with the exception of the registration fee. Registration changes after this deadline cannot be refunded as food orders will have been guaranteed.