Navy R.O.T.C. Building

Generations of navy and marine officers have passed through these doors of the Navy R.O.T.C. Building. They walked the same halls you see before you at Tulane University in New Orleans. The Navy R.O.T.C. Building is more than just bricks and mortar. It is a living testament to the dedication and sacrifice of countless individuals. Tulane University was selected to house a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit on June 1, 1938. The Tulane NROTC Unit has one main aim. It seeks to commission the best-trained ensigns and second lieutenants for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The unit has thrived for nearly 80 years. It stands as one of the oldest active NROTC programs in the nation. The Navy R.O.T.C. Building has seen its share of history. Established with the help of retired Vice Admiral Ernest L. Jahncke, a New Orleans native, the unit’s creation helped bolster Tulane’s enrollment during the World War II era. Imagine the repurposed basketball gymnasium, transformed into classrooms, a drill deck, and a training ground for midshipmen. That very building continues to serve today’s aspiring officers. Over 2,150 Navy and Marine Corps Officers have been commissioned from this very unit since 1938. Twenty-three of these brave individuals made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in service to their country. Their legacy is etched into the very foundation of the Navy R.O.T.C. Building. The unit has also produced a dozen flag and general officers, judges, an astronaut, and numerous successful figures in academia and business. Even during turbulent times, like the Vietnam War protests, the Navy R.O.T.C. Building stood firm. The cannon covered in anti-war graffiti serves as a reminder of that era. The Navy R.O.T.C. Building houses a plaque and portrait of General Robert H. Barrow, who served as a Marine Officer Instructor here from 1956 to 1959, later becoming Commandant of the Marine Corps. General David Berger, a Tulane NROTC graduate from the class of 1981, continued this legacy, becoming the 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps. The Navy R.O.T.C. Building continues to shape the future of naval leadership. It stands as a symbol of unwavering commitment to honor, courage, and service.