Whose school is the coolest?

Most of you may know that I went to West Point, receiving my nomination from Senator Kent Conrad. This weekend, exactly 6 years ago, I received my diploma from the Secretary of Defense at the time, Donald Rumsfeld. Some of you may also know that Jocelyn is a proud Texas Aggie, having graduated  7 years ago this month, when she received her diploma from the President of Texas A&M at the time (and our current Secretary of Defense), Dr. Robert Gates. Both schools are rooted in tradition and rich with history, and this week I'd like to take a lighthearted look at how they stack up:

Founded -  A&M: 1876     USMA: 1802   (Advantage USMA; we also were the first school in the country to institute class rings, which A&M tried to copy and claim!)

Class Size -  A&M: 8,200      USMA: ~1,000    (I guess this depends on your perspective. A&M definitely had a better male:female ratio)

Mascot -  A&M: Reveille the dog    USMA: Army Mule/ Black Knight  (This is also a toss-up. What is an Aggie anyways?)

Corps of Cadets - A&M commissioned more officers during WWII than both of the service academies combined. 55 of the 60 Civil War battles were fought between Generals from West Point on both sides. Today USMA has grown to 4,400 Cadets, about 80% of whom will commission. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets is less than 2,000, with less than half choosing to continue in military service. (Winner: West Point)

Rhodes Scholars since 1904 -  A&M: 5    USMA: 85   (West Point is actually 4th behind Harvard, Princeton, and Yale)

Presidents -  A&M: none, though it is former President George H.W. Bush's adopted school.    USMA: two (Generals/Presidents Grant and Eisenhower)

Sports -  A&M has the slight advantage here as it is better at conventional sports such as Football and Basketball. Army excels at Rugby, Boxing, Fencing, Judo, and Lacrosse!

Spirit -  A&M again wins, as their motivation is more genuine in my opinion while West Point's is somewhat forced due to mandatory participation and attendance.

Ranking from Forbes Best Colleges in America -  A&M: 191     West Point: #1 overall!
  

Overall: Well, some categories were close but of course I'm partial to my alma mater. Plus, these are words you don't often hear in football: WEST POINT WINS!

More than anything, I appreciate the role both schools played in our development, much more so than your average state school or elitist private school. Jocelyn enjoyed her experience immensely and A&M helped build a strong foundation for her professional career and also shaped much of her 'Howdy' personality. Who knows, I may be an Aggie myself someday soon. At Jocelyn's prompting, I attended the annual Aggie Muster here on Bagram which a small group of Soldiers and Civilians. This is a solemn ceremony, with a little singing, to honor the Aggies who have fallen and to reminisce about better times in Aggieland. Jocelyn also attended a Muster on the same day in Savannah so, in a way, it was one of the few things we could do 'together' from thousands of miles away.

West Point also holds an annual 'Founders Day' to celebrate the school's founding over 200 years ago. This was a much larger group, ranging from fresh Lieutenants to the 2-star General of Bagram. Good times!

***Disclaimer: Jocelyn is much smarter and prettier than myself. This comparison of schools is merely for fun. We are both equally proud of our respective schools.