Raised in a military family, Texas A&M football standout Marcus Ratcliffe knew about the sacrifices of our nation’s veterans from a young age.
When he came to the Aggies two years ago, the talented safety decided to give back to veterans by starting “Mission 3:12,” an initiative designed to give World War II veterans a chance to return to Normandy, France, site of the D-Day invasion in 1944, according to Aggies Wire.
For every turnover produced by the Aggie defense, Ratcliffe chips in $312 to a charity called Walk Among Heroes. The organization sets up trips to take WWII veterans back to Europe, a place where some have not returned since the war ended in 1945.
“Mission 3:12” is also a way for Ratcliffe to honor the university’s proud military legacy, which includes many alumni who served, and pay tribute to his father and grandfather, both veterans. What’s behind the name 3:12? It’s Ratcliffe’s jersey number, combined with Texas A&M’s 12th Man, an ode to its loyal fans.
“I am proud to be part of a program that honors the sacrifices of our veterans. With Mission 3:12, I hope to inspire my teammates and fans to rally behind our defense while making a meaningful contribution to those who have given so much for our country,” Ratcliffe said.
Raising Big Bucks for Veterans
For the past two years, Ratcliffe has hosted a Mission 3:12 dinner to honor the veterans he helped and spread awareness of his initiative. This year’s event included 98-year-old WWII veteran Jack Hugman, who was given $27,563 to support his trip back to Normandy. Hugman’s amount surpassed last year’s fundraising goal by almost 5 times.
Last season, the Aggies’ defense had three interceptions and seven fumble recoveries. In 2024, the defense produced 16 interceptions and four fumble recoveries. The Aggies will have to revert to a more ball-hawking defense to get back on track and force more turnovers in 2026.
During last Friday’s dinner, Hugman talked about his service time, thanking Ratcliffe for his kindness and support of veterans.
“I realized some of the guys were in pretty bad shape, but they knew they were old and they wanted to go,” Hugman said on X, talking about his war experience. “But then I also realized that when you see a field of crosses and all those guys … they fought, they gave their lives for our country. It’s hard to get over that. Every one of those crosses is a man. A good man. Here I am, 98 years old, and I lived through all that. I don’t know why I’m still here. I’ve done all I can do.”
Ratcliffe began his career with San Diego State, starting 11 of 12 games his true freshman season. In his first season with Texas A&M, Ratcliffe notched 48 tackles. He followed up a solid sophomore campaign with 66 total tackles as a junior, while pacing the Aggie defense with three pass breakups and three tackles for loss. Texas A&M finished 11-2 last season, losing in the first round of the College Football Playoff to Miami.
Ratcliffe will head into his senior season as one of Texas A&M’s leading defensive stoppers with the goal of snatching interceptions and forcing fumbles to help a WWII veteran realize their dream.
