Aggie Muster Committee announces 2026 Campus Muster speaker
Col. Michael D. Reilly ‘94 will deliver the keynote address for the April 21 ceremony.
The Aggie Muster Committee has announced retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Michael D. Reilly ‘94, as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Campus Muster Ceremony that will take place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 7 p.m. in Reed Arena.
Aggie Muster is a Texas A&M University tradition in which Aggies worldwide gather to remember their time at Texas A&M together and honor those who died during the past year. Reilly will speak at the Campus Muster ceremony, the largest of more than 300 Muster ceremonies taking place across the nation and around the world.
Reilly earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Texas A&M University and commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps in 1994. During his time at Texas A&M, Reilly was a member of Squadrons 6 and 13, a proud member of the Fish Drill Team, and served as the Recon Company Commanding Officer. Reilly is married to Amy Reilly ’96, and they have three children: U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Joshua Reilly ’25, Connor ’28 and Anna.
Reilly is an associate professor of the practice in the Public Service and Administration (PSAA) Department of the Bush School of Government and Public Service. He serves as the PSAA undergraduate program director and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in homeland security, homeland defense, emergency management, defense intelligence and leadership.
Prior to his current position, Reilly served 29 years in United States Marine Corps in numerous leadership positions across all three Marine Expeditionary Forces and the national intelligence community. He additionally earned master’s degrees in ancient and classical history from American Military University and joint campaign planning and strategy from the National Defense University.
Reilly completed his military career by serving as the commanding officer and professor of naval science, NROTC Unit at Texas A&M University, where he had the privilege of developing and commissioning the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps officers. In addition to his current position at The Bush School, Reilly serves on the board of directors for Brazos Valley Cares and supports several student organizations including the MSC Student Conference on National Affairs (SCONA) and the Alexander Hamilton Society.
During every Muster ceremony, the keynote address is followed by the “Roll Call for the Absent,” which is a reading of the names of those from the local region who have died in the past year, along with those of other classmates or friends. As each name is called, a family member or friend will answer “Here,” and a candle will be lit in honor of their loved one.
In addition to the keynote address, the event will feature the Ross Volunteers and the Corps of Cadets buglers, along with remarks from the university and student body presidents, the chair of The Association of Former Students and the Muster Committee.
Doors will open to the public at 5 p.m., and the ceremony will begin promptly at 7 p.m. As a unifying moment for former and current students, the Muster Ceremony honors families to feel the embrace of the Aggie community and share memories of their time at Texas A&M
Additional information about Reilly and details on the Campus Muster ceremony and related events can found at muster.tamu.edu. For information about other Muster ceremonies, including the Worldwide Muster Roll Call, visit The Association of Former Students’ website.
