Corps of Cadets Institutes Casual Fridays

The Commandant’s Office released a bold statement Wednesday regarding uniform policy for the Corps of Cadets. After many years of deliberation, Brigadier General Joe E. Ramirez, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets, has instituted “Casual Fridays,” a policy that allows cadets to wear clothing of their choice to Friday classes.

“There have been reports of low cadet morale, so the uniform change will hopefully boost satisfaction and provide a more dynamic atmosphere for our Corps,” said Ramirez. “We will test it out this semester and see how many cadets we retain through the next fiscal year.”

The uniform change is historic: the Corps of Cadets has donned uniforms to class since the University was founded in 1876. Although cadets have expressed mixed emotions at the idea of Casual Fridays, one group on campus is decidedly frustrated with the uniform change. Bootchasers, the self-proclaimed Corps fan club, has begun planning a protest against the Commandant’s decision.

“I have this senior in my Friday 8 a.m., and the only thing that gets me out of bed is the thought of seeing that khaki uniform with those brown boots,” said sophomore Beth Neil. “How am I supposed to distinguish between him and the rest of the male student body without the uniform? There’s no point in even going to class.”

While the cadet enrollment is currently around 2,600, The Office of the Commandant announced in 2015 that it is pushing for a 3,000-person Corps in the next five years. Research conducted by The Corps of Cadets Association shows that if prospective students were given the option of joining the Corps without having to wear the uniform, 65% were more likely to join the military organization. If successful in boosting Corps numbers, Casual Fridays may result in the Corps of Cadets ditching the Bravos uniform altogether, allowing cadets to better blend in with the rest of the student population.

 

— Buffalo Wild Wags