October 9, 2015

Ray Dilworth joined the Army in 2009 as an 18 year old high school graduate and became a combat medic. Dilworth was seriously injured in Afghanistan from an exploded grenade but has recovered after several surgeries and intense therapy. He is now a student at Texas A&M University and a member of the Corps of Cadets.

Cadet Ray Dilworth is a member of D Company (the Combat Veterans Outfit) in the Corps of Cadets and is a veteran of the United States Army. He joined the Army in 2009 as an 18 year old high school graduate, and became a Combat Medic. He served in Afghanistan with the 1st Infantry Division and was severely wounded when an enemy grenade exploded near his feet, peppering his body with shrapnel, puncturing his left lung and damaging his heart. In addition, he lost control of his left arm, suffered damage to his eye, shattered his jaw and lost some teeth. He was evacuated back to the United States and underwent several months of surgeries and intense therapy.

Upon his recovery from his wounds, he completed the US Army Airborne School and then attended the Special Forces Qualification Course (SF Q-Course) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After successfully completing the SF Q-Course, he attended several additional schools and became a Special Forces Communications Sergeant, earning his Green Beret in October 2013. He served with the 1st Special Forces Group at Fort Lewis, Washington, and eventually completed the US Army Ranger School in December 2014.

He was honorably discharged from the Army as an E-6 Staff Sergeant in August 2015, and became a student at Texas A&M University as a US Army Green-to-Gold Scholarship recipient. He is one of five Army Green-to-Gold cadets currently pursuing a commission in the US Army with the Army ROTC Program.  Several of these Green-to-Gold cadets are decorated combat veterans, like Ray Dilworth.

Texas A&M is nationally renowned for its service to student veterans and attracts a high percentage of veterans who pursue a wide variety of careers, including the US military. SSG (R) Ray Dilworth is a decorated combat veteran who represents the very best that our country has to offer. He has served our country honorably, and with great distinction, and has suffered wounds in defense of our country. He is an honorable combat veteran who has served his country with honor and distinction and has earned all the respect that he deserves as a wounded combat veteran. We are honored to have Ray Dilworth as a member of the Corps of Cadets and are extremely proud of his military service. 

God Bless our veterans, and all those - including many Aggies —who continue to serve our great nation today in our country's military—just as they have for over 130 years. We are “The Land of the Free” because we have always been “The Home of the Brave.”

This feature was originally published by the Corps of Cadets.

Texas A&M Foundation 
The Texas A&M Foundation is a nonprofit organization that solicits and manages investments in academics and leadership programs to enhance Texas A&M’s capability to be among the best universities. 

You can support the Corps of Cadets with a gift of an endowment to the Texas A&M Foundation. For additional information about how to benefit the corps, contact Matt Jennings ’95 with the Foundation at (800) 392-3310, (979) 845-7604 or mjennings@txamfoundation.com.