Is there a parking lot in front of dorm 8 in the aerial picture?

A construction lot for the remodel.

I actually attended one of the meetings for this that Sergeant Majors of Major Units were required to attend. My best friend who was also my Sergeant Major asked me to go in his place so I did.

I got called upon to discuss the drainage issues, specifically those surrounding Dorm 5 for the General and also offered advice. My biggest thing I went on about in that meeting however, in front of the General, was grass surface and the lack of for Cadets.

I told them we needed a dedicated grass field for Cadets to do training on, play football on, and to leisure on. Simpson is too far, the removal of the elephant ears takes away that grass surface, and the park in between the Quad and Kyle is just one big canyon.

I believe the old band field is going to be turned into a track with grass within for this very purpose. They were discussing putting a rec center there, but it looks like that might not happen.

It was interesting meeting, got a lot of good points in that the General backed up and thought were good. But, I agree, we need more grass surfaces, not less. I think they're going to take care of that.

Drainage however is an issue. Thats why they are redoing the quad to fix this.

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Simpson is too far

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When I say too far, I mean, it's too far to get over there and see Nonregs covering it and have no room to do Corps activities. Closer means less travel, longer PT.

Use to run to west campus and PT around the botanical area then run back. Farther meant more running=more PT. That and it was away from the bulls.

That, I don't believe, would be possible anymore. Before I left, rules regulated that outfits needed to remain near the Quad where they can be supervised. A football sized field dedicated to Cadets immediately next to the quad available to all Cadets I think would be perfect.

The General, if I remember my time correctly during the meeting, agreed. He wanted areas dedicated to only the Corps, not nonregs, just Cadets.

One reason for us not having enough paved drill surfaces is the fact that they took away the area behind Dorm 9 & 10 for construction parking.

So many memories back there. Outfit BBQ, Platoon Comp events, "Drill" (Read "Smoking"), more smokings, transition training. You name it, that's where we did it. That was our home.

Then the construction companies come in, block it off, and park their POV's there. I can understand needing room to place materials, and large transport vehicles, but their POV's can get the **** out of there.

Field turf. You could even put a big corps stack logo in the middle of one and Texas Aggies on the other. Then you can play sports on the grass and do inspections on it. Doesn't ruin shoe or boot shines, drainage is built in, would be unique... Is there a down side? It's no hotter than paving it.

If it's good grass, will it be for sale by the square or strip? Same idea as Kyle Field turf. I'd buy a couple of strips--a sq/yd or so--and find a place for it in my yard.

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...believe the old band field is going to be turned into a track with grass within for this very purpose...

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Not a good idea...

the track or the grass in field?