Class of '69 50th Anniversary Reunion

April 21-24, 2019
College Station, TX

Printable Registration Form

HOWDY
Yes, it really has been 50 years since we were roaming around the campus as seniors at Texas A&M University. We represented 2,448 of the mere 12,733 total student body present in the fall of 1968.  And as far as we know, 2,056 of us have survived the 50 years since. As small a Class as we were (speaking in relative terms-Class of ’19 has 19,000), we had the opportunity to develop friendships and a bond that have kept us together all this time.

But we now have an opportunity to renew that bond, to refresh our friendships, and to relive those things that made us Class of ’69 Aggies the best damn class that ever attended Texas A&M! Our 50-year Reunion is being held April 21-24 on the campus of Texas A&M University, and all the details are spelled out in this newsletter. We hope you have all heeded the early alerts to make your lodging arrangements and to block this time on your calendars, but there is certainly still time to do so. As you look through the schedule, you will find a number of events that you will no doubt want to attend.  But then you will also find ample free time when you can just hang out with your old buds, tell stories that have gotten better with age, and unfortunately, hear about everyone else’s ailments. Of course, you will also have an opportunity to talk about Classmates who are no longer with us, those for whom Silver Taps has been played, and whose deaths have left holes in our hearts. We will Muster to remember them.

That said, there are a few Reunion highlights you will want to note.  First, while we are special guests of the campus Muster on April 22, along with the family of President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush, we will be holding a separate Class of ’69 Muster on the evening of April 21 during which we will recognize those Classmates who have died since April 21, 2018.  That ceremony will include the skit currently conducted by Fish Camp Crew for all Fish Camp participants, which re-enacts Donald Coward ’72 writing his letter about attending his first Silver Taps in October 1968.  We’ve shared this story with you several times over the past few years, but it is something you will not want to miss.

Then, on Tuesday morning we will dedicate and present the Spirit Plaza to Texas A&M. This Class of ’69 project highlights and focuses on Silver Taps, Muster, and the Texas A&M core values and honor code. But it also introduces the Donald Coward ’72 story to all who visit. It will incorporate and provide a permanent home to sculptures previously provided by the Classes of ’91 and ’95. In this one setting, directly in front of Sully and the Academic Building, visitors and students will gain a clear sense of the core elements of what it means to be an Aggie. 

We will wrap up the Reunion on Wednesday morning with a panel of student leaders, sharing their thoughts on what student life is like these days. As much as things have changed in the past 50 years, and as much as we like to say that “old army is shot to hell,” you will find these students truly impressive.  Their values and the leadership they exhibit will restore your faith in the Aggies that Texas A&M is turning out these days. We will also conduct a brief Class business meeting on Wednesday morning before we say “Fifteen for Team, Farmers Fight, and call it a night,” and “Farewell and God Bless.”

So make your plans now and register for the Reunion. There is an overall registration fee, but most of the activities carry individual fees that you can select from. And, it allows you and your spouse/guests to set your own agendas for the Reunion. If it helps you decide about participating, you can view a list of those who have already registered at the top of the Reunion website, when logged into your AggieNetwork.com profile. But don’t wait—someone has to be first.

Signed,

Larry Lippke
Harvey Schulz
Bill Youngkin
Frank Farias

Bob Segner, Reunion Planning Committee Chair

WELCOME CLASS OF ’69
On behalf of the students of Texas A&M University, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you back to Aggieland! On April 21-24 your Class will meet for your 50th Anniversary Reunion. This year, I have the privilege of serving as your liaison to the Aggie Muster Committee and by extension to the current Student Body. I am incredibly excited to be working with your Class and your Class Agents to ensure that your Reunion is a truly memorable experience.

The Muster Committee is comprised of 30 dedicated students, working to plan every aspect of the campus Muster ceremony. From compiling the Roll Call of the absent, to planning the Camaraderie BBQ in honor of your Class, our committee works to preserve the traditions of Aggie Muster. This year we are fortunate to have Dr. Dwight A. Roblyer ’84, Ph.D. as our speaker for the ceremony. Dr. Roblyer is a retired colonel of the United States Air Force and currently serves as a lecturer at Texas A&M University. I hope you will all come back to Aggieland and enjoy your time here.

Over the past 50 years as Aggies you have spread the Aggie Spirit, and have represented the Aggie core values with honor and distinction. Now is your opportunity to return to Aggieland and remember where your Aggie story began. I look forward to celebrating your lives, your stories, and your return when you come back for the Reunion! I would like to personally extend to you an invitation to contact me, either by phone, email, or letter. I would love to get to know you, and perhaps even meet you when you return to Aggieland. One of my projects is the Class of 1969 display that you will see as a part of the Reflections Display in the Flag Room. I hope to hear your stories, and perhaps see some pictures you may want to share as I work to best represent your Class through this display.

One of my goals this year is to truly connect your Class to the current students, to ensure that the lessons you learned while you were at A&M are still being learned by current students. Muster is a great way to remember the past, and look to the future.  My hope is that current students can look to the Class of 1969 as an example, and we can together strive to carry the Texas A&M of the past into the future.

My contact information is below; please do not hesitate to get in touch!

Nick Richter ’19
Muster Committee, Reunion Liaison
muster.reunion@gmail.com or nwr12@tamu.edu
(903) 748-6646

Mailing Address:
Aggie Muster Committee – Nick Richter ’19
125 John J. Koldus Building
College Station, TX 77843

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

ACCOMODATIONS
A block of rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis for the Class of '69 50th Anniversary Reunion. Make your reservations by calling the College Station Hilton directly before March 30 at (979) 693-7500. Be sure to reference the Group Code: MUST19 to receive the rate of $139 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. Call and make your reservation today as many of the hotels fill up fast! 

College Station Hilton — Reunion Headquarters hotel
801 University Drive East — (979) 693-7500 
$139/night, plus tax 
Group Name: Class of '69 Muster Reunion
Code: MUST19
Deadline: March 30, 2019
Check-in time: 4 p.m. 
Check-out time: Noon

CHECK-IN & REGISTRATION
After securing your room reservation, you can register online  for the Reunion. If you have any questions, please contact the Class Programs office at The Association of Former Students at (800) 633-7514. 

Your nametags, an updated schedule of events and a list of pre-registered participants will be waiting for you at the Reunion Check-In Desk, which will open at the times listed on the schedule of events. To assure your admission, register before the April 11 deadline. The last day to register is April 11. Walk-up registrations will incur a $20 late fee. Late registrants are not guaranteed space at events.

CAMPUS MUSTER TICKETS
To attend the Campus Muster Ceremony, be sure to register for it on your Registration. Your Reunion nametag will be your admission into the area for the Campus Muster. 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 in the reserved section of Reed Arena. If you do not ride the bus or have guests meeting you at the ceremony, call Class Programs (800) 633-7514 to request nametags be made for your guests (at no additional charge), which will allow you access to the reserved section.

CLASS PICTURE
On April 22, your Class will have their picture taken in front of the Systems Administration Building, now called the Jack K. Williams Administration Building, just as you did when you were members of the Corps of Cadets. Buses will take you from the Hilton to the Administration Building that will be taken at 10 a.m. This picture is for Class of ’69 members only. Please remove caps and sunglasses 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 alternate location will be used in the case of inclement weather.

TRANSPORTATION
While the campus of Texas A&M may have changed a lot from when you were a student here, the Spirit of Aggieland remains the same. Click here for a current map of the Texas A&M campus. The map displays all current buildings on campus, and has a search bar where you can find where a particular building is located.

Parking is available at the Koldus Garage, West Campus Garage, and Cain Garage. For more information regarding parking on campus please visit transport.tamu.edu.

Bus transportation will be available to shuttle you to activities on both Monday and Tuesday. Monday activities will include the flag raising ceremony, Class photo and Muster BBQ with the students. Each bus is wheelchair accessible and will load on the west side of the Hilton. The cost of transportation is included in the event prices and registration fee.

CALL FOR CLASS PHOTOS
Howdy, Class of 1969! The 2019 Aggie Muster Committee has been diligently working on ways to honor your Class and your time here in Aggieland. If you would like to share any photographs that were taken during your years at Texas A&M (1965-1969) and possibly have them included in the Muster Program or the 50th Anniversary Reunion Display, please send them (along with a description of what is taking place in the picture and who is in it) to muster.reunion@gmail.com.

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:

Aggie Muster Committee
ATTN: Nick Richter ’19
P.O. Box 2894
College Station, TX 77841-2894

REFLECTIONS DISPLAY
In order to more fully recognize and honor the lives of our Student Campus Muster Roll Call honorees, 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 15 to Sunday, April 21 during the MSC operational hours. The final day of Muster Reflections Display will be held on Monday, April 22 from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Family members may coordinate a time to bring items to the Reflections Display Coordinators or send them by mail to the following address:

Reflections Display – Aggie Muster
Attn: Emma Brackett ’19 or Lauren Kraus ’19
1711 Todd Trail College Station, TX 77840
College Station, TX 77840

For more information, please contact Emma Brackett ’19 or Lauren Kraus ’19 at muster.reflections@gmail.com

CORPS SILENT FORMATION
On April 22, you will have the special opportunity to participate in the Corps of Cadets Muster Formation and Flag Raising Ceremony 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 with your registration. There will be bus transportation from the Hilton to Academic Plaza, so there is no need to worry about parking and walking across campus. Sign up to attend and don’t miss out on this special opportunity.

AGGIE RING
The Aggie Ring team will be available during the Class of ’69 50th Anniversary Reunion to assist you with your Aggie Ring. Get your Ring polished for an added shine or stop by if it needs to be resized, remade, or even add a diamond. They can also help you order a replacement Aggie Ring or Sweetheart Ring (a miniature replica of your Aggie Ring available to the wives of qualified former students, Class of ’72  and before).

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 help lead your Class supporting A&M. Elections are held in conjunction with your Reunions, so now is your chance!

Teams consist of two to five 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, websites and emails, planning Class events and providing annual fund information to former students.

Your current Class Agents, Larry, Harvey, and Bill, have agreed to serve another term if elected. Frank has decided to step down as a Class Agent. We thank Frank for serving the Class and the Aggie Network! They have asked fellow Classmate, Bob Segner, to join their team and take over for Frank.

Class Agent elections will be held at the Class Business Meeting during your Reunion. For more information go to tx.ag/ClassAgent, or e-mail Class@AggieNetwork.com or call (800) 633-7514 at least 7 days prior to your Reunion to get your name on the ballot!

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 Class Programs office (800) 633-7514 by Thursday, 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.

CENTURY CLUB DONATION
Your participation in the annual fund has a significant impact on the education experience of our students and provides the resources needed to support programs and activities for students and former students. We appreciate that you choose to participate and support Aggies and Texas A&M. Make a difference by donating now.

Levels of annual giving include:
Active - $50-$99
Bronze - $100-$249
Silver - $250-$499
Gold - $500-$999 
Diamond - $1,000+
Endowed - $25,000+