The Ancient Marriage Of Harvard and ROTC

When Congress established the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) in 1916. Harvard became the first university to host an Army detachment. In 1926, when the Defense Department created Navy ROTC, and in 1947, when Air Force ROTC was born, Harvard again applied for detachments immediately, and soon was one of the few schools to offer all three programs.

ROTC's original purpose was to provide a contingent of officers in reserve in case of war, but in the f1960s, its emphasis shifted to training a group of career military men. The Navy ROTC program was the most popular one at Harvard in the sixties, with an annual enrollment of about 130. The Army program also had more than 100 students, and the Air Force detachment contained about 30 cadets.

In 1966, the Army formalized its 50-year relationship with the University through a contract which served as a model for the other services as well. The army agreed to staff and equip a Department of Military Science at no cost to the University, and Harvard pledged in return to keep the department as an integral academic and administrative department of the institution," and to provide the necessary rooms, office equipment and storage space.

After frequent student protests against the Vietnam War and ROTC presence at Harvard in the spring of 1969, the Faculty voted at the beginning of the fall term to deny credit for ROTC instruction and to withdraw the use of Harvard buildings for ROTC. A few weeks later, the Defense Department decided to end its affiliation with Harvard.

I 1976, a cross-registration program at MIT was formed for Harvard students wishing to enroll in ROTC, and this system continues today. Last December, Harvard officials denied the request of an Army ROTC officer who asked to use a Harvard classroom for ROTC purposes.