This is the only experience I've seen, just wondering if others have experienced similar things

My wife was at the Exchange and a lady saw her A&M shirt and said "is your husband in the Army?" She said "no, he's in the Navy." The lady then responded "well isn't that embarrassing with him being from A&M?"

This wasn't just friendly rivalry between branches, but the lady was legitimately concerned an Aggie was in the Navy.

Anyone ever experience similar situations?

The woman in the OP makes no sense to me. Why?

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The woman in the OP makes no sense to me. Why?

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I suppose the term "Old Army" might be taken too literally by some? <shrug>

As good a guess as any, though Aggies in the Navy have a long history. Jesse Easterwood in WWI and George Gay in WWII come to mind.

I assume she mean't it in the sense that "you come from an Army family, but you're the kid that decided to join the Navy." Was it an old lady? Texas A&M's NROTC is only around 40 years old.

When did it start? It was at least a year or two old when I showed up in 1973.

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When did it start? It was at least a year or two old when I showed up in 1973.

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I seem to recall a member of the class of '76 saying he was one of the first cadets to commission through NROTC at A&M. If it was already there in 1973, then 1972 would make sense if he come with the scholarship.

So if we have only had NROTC since the 70's could anyone shed some light on how you could commission into the Navy or Marines before that? Had several uncles who went into the Navy and Marines out of A&M in the 50's. Not sure how that worked.

I suspect the commissioning rules were more lax, and/or there was some sort of exchange program. For instance, maybe your Army obligation was waived if you went to a 90 day Navy OCS. Remember that a lot of the commissions were reserve, not regular army. IIRC, lots of Ags served just a few months in service, then went into the reserves. Or maybe they just waited until their Army obligation was over, and joined the Navy.

Even today, in the Service Academies, they allow cross-commissioning, Say you are going to USAFA and decided you really wanted to fly helicopters or drive tanks, instead of jets. All you have to do is find a West Point cadet in your class who is a closet Zoomie, and exchange with him one for one.

We had a regular Marine slot for commission in the 40s.

I was in the Navy as were considerable others ! Later in the AF from the Corps.

There were hundreds of Navy trainees in 40s - Dorm 8 .

Lady just not informed or misunderstood.

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Even today, in the Service Academies, they allow cross-commissioning, Say you are going to USAFA and decided you really wanted to fly helicopters or drive tanks, instead of jets. All you have to do is find a West Point cadet in your class who is a closet Zoomie, and exchange with him one for one.

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The one-for-one thing is inaccurate, but the academies do have a set number of spots per class they can cross-commission.

You are probably correct. I was just quoting the scuttlebutt I heard

I recall the Marine Corps Platoon Leader Course being on campus during the late '60s. I never knew the details because I never asked - I was Air Force. Cadets were D&C but wore a metal Marine insignia. There was summer training involved, but that's all I remember. I knew a few in my class and the one that followed that were in the PLC.

PLC was designed for colleges with no NROTC. They were D&C, because there was no contract, unless you took a stipend. No school year commitment, just two 6 week camps your last two summers of college, or one 8 week camp before your zip year.

Was still there in my day. I did one session, but decided not to pursue a commission

Just weird.

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PLC was designed for colleges with no NROTC. They were D&C, because there was no contract, unless you took a stipend. No school year commitment, just two 6 week camps your last two summers of college, or one 8 week camp before your zip year.

Was still there in my day. I did one session, but decided not to pursue a commission

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I know all that. My point is simply that the PLC was the road to a Marine Corps commission for A&M Cadets before NROTC came to town.

I was Class of 72...we had no NROTC program on campus at that time. I tested to qualify for Navy's AVROC (Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate) program. You weren't required to be in Corps but I was and was a D&C cadet. When I went to NAS Dallas for interview, I purchased a set of CPO collar devices...wore one above my left shirt pocket and one on my biter to show I was Naval Candidate.
The AVROC program didn't kick in until you graduated, then you went to AOCS in Pensacola for commissioning, then into flight training at Corpus.
So, no there was no NROTC on campus until after 1972. When I came back in circa 1976 after initial service, the NROTC was in place.
Earlier, if you wanted NROTC, you had to attend Texas Maritime in Galveston.
Regards,
Lee72
CAPT USN (Ret)

Maybe no NROTC, but there was a Marine Company and the fish Maritime Cadets were in that company before going to Galveston (1964-65).

I'm an AG and also in the Navy. never had an issue. None of my other Aggie Brethren have ever had a problem either. Sounds like an isolated event, but I have also only served south of the Mason Dixon line!

Never heard of it being embarrassing.

I have said the following before. While in the Marines anytime I mentioned I was from A&M the response was an immediate "Oh no, not another one!" Quickly followed by "Do you know such and such?" Always said with respect.

NROTC started the Spring semester, 1973. I was part of that class and got commissioned in August 1975.

A large herd of Aggies went to Newport, RI that summer for Naval Science Institute training -a program specifically for college students who wanted to "frog" in to NROTC. The Marine DI's didn't quite know what to do with all these guys who knew how to march, wear a uniform, shine shoes and employ proper military protocol.

As previously mentioned, A&M has had a rich history with the Naval services well before NROTC came to town.