Amid the usual tailgating and revelry, visitors to the College Station campus also had the opportunity to see two Texas A&M-branded racecars driven by Cole Custer of Haas Factory Team (HFT) during the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. One, driven at the Coca-Cola 600 in May, featured a military-inspired livery as a tribute to honor fallen service members and Aggie Capt. Ronald Forrester ’69, a Marine navigator whose remains were returned from Vietnam. The other, driven at NASCAR’s Martinsville race in October, showcases the university’s Force For Good design. 

Also on hand was the Texas A&M Formula SAE team, the same student group who enjoyed a one-day track experience at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year, showcasing Aggie engineering, teamwork and innovation. This past summer, three engineering students took part in a once-in-a-lifetime internship opportunity in North Carolina, home to HFT’s headquarters. The interns applied what they learned in their Texas A&M classrooms to the fast-paced world of NASCAR.

On gameday, commemorative, Texas A&M-branded die-cast cars from last year’s racing season meant visitors could take a piece of history home with them, a meaningful souvenir to help keep the conversation going about Texas A&M’s commitment to enhancing workforce education among even the youngest Aggie fans.

Arguably one of the most riveting experiences before the start of each game, fans were treated to the return of the Force for Good Flyover, featuring the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade based out of Fort Hood, Texas. The flyover featured four helicopters and included three Aggie crew members: Keith Casey ’15, Ryan Lewis ’19 and Cody Ziober ’12.

During the game, Texas A&M took time to recognize veterans, including Master Sgt. (Ret.) Matt Williams ’25, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2019 for his courageous actions during a mission in Afghanistan. Williams is one of nine Aggies who have received the Medal of Honor for their valor in action and one of only 61 recipients still living today. 

Supporting students and veterans

The excitement of gameday may pass, but Texas A&M’s dedication to supporting the nation’s veterans remains steady. The university was voted the No. 1 most veteran-friendly college in Texas by College Factual in 2023 and is now a five-time Gold Recipient of the Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA) for outstanding service to student veterans.

Texas A&M serves more than 1,270 student veterans through a variety of services and programs, including the Military Admissions Office, which offers transitional guidance and admissions support, and the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center, which provides scholarships, academic assistance and career preparation.  

Students at Texas A&M also have many options to participate in a variety of leadership organizations, including the Corps of Cadets and three Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs: Army, Air Force and Naval. Each of these organizations offers scholarships and fosters a sense of community for veterans in their post-military academic careers.

Beyond the classroom, proceeds generated from the sales of Texas A&M-Operation Hat Trick co-branded merchandise are distributed to organizations to help service members and veterans heal from the visible and invisible wounds of war.