Opinion: Cut The Army Costumes

I’ve been in the Corps of Cadets for three years now, and I wear my uniform with pride every day. I lace up my boots, tuck in my shirt exactly right and salute with sharpness that would make General Rudder shed a tear. The Corps has shaped me, built me, and become a part of who I am. That’s why one thing that boils my blood beyond belief is when I see people — non-regs — parading around in military uniforms as if they’ve just come out of a TikTok boot camp. 

Let’s be clear, my uniform isn’t a costume. It’s a symbol of sacrifice, commitment and long nights memorizing facts about obscure Texas heroes. The blood, sweat and tears that go into earning the right to wear this uniform? You wouldn’t understand if you haven’t woken up at 0500 for PT just to have a sergeant chew you out for forgetting to say “Howdy” with enough enthusiasm. My uniform represents a tradition, a legacy and, most importantly, 500 grams of dry-cleaned, starched polyester that deserves respect.

But every Halloween, without fail, some frat guy decides to throw on a surplus Army jacket and dog tags they found on Amazon, thinking they’re the second coming of Rambo. Or worse — a “sexy soldier” costume, complete with a camo crop top and booty shorts that would never pass regs. It’s not just disrespectful; it’s offensive to everyone who’s ever suffered through an early morning ass-chewing from a pissy cadet in a Sam Browne belt.

My culture is not your costume.

What people don’t understand is that wearing a uniform comes with a weight — a weight you can’t grasp by strolling into Spirit Halloween and grabbing a fake beret. When I see people casually donning military gear as a joke, I can’t help but feel a little outraged. These costumes aren’t a tribute; they’re a cheap knockoff of something meaningful. You wouldn’t put on a doctor’s coat and pretend to perform surgery, would you?

Before you accuse me of gatekeeping, let me clarify: I’m not against Halloween. Go ahead, be a ghost, a vampire, even one of those sexy nuns. Hell, I’ll laugh right along with you if your costume’s clever. But the moment you slap on a cheap pair of aviators and think you’re Maverick from Top Gun? That’s where I draw the line.

So this Halloween, let’s leave the uniforms to those of us who have earned them. Trust me, there are plenty of other costumes that don’t involve dishonoring my long-standing commitment to our Aggie traditions.Stay respectful, stay original, and for the love of all things Reveille, keep your Halloween spirit in check this year.

8:30 P.M. Yell is a Military Sciences senior and opinion columnist for The Mugdown.