Our class consisted of about thirty senior enlisted guys from E-6s to E-9s. We were instructed to use the college bulletin and select the classes and class schedules that we wanted. The Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station at Corpus Christi had appointed a young Ensign (pay grade O-1) to be the ADCOP Liaison Officer. He had approval authority of our class selection and class schedules. One of the facilities that Del Mar Junior College had was a Technical Campus where folks could take electronics, automotive, air conditioning, plumbing, etc. Basically, it was a trade school. I had already taken advanced electronics training and my real goal was to get an Associate Degree which would lead to a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. So the classes that I selected were subjects that would take me to a B.S. degree somewhere down the road, either while in the Navy or I could finish as soon as I retired from the Navy.
I went into the Ensign’s tiny office and gave him my class selection and class schedule. He read it over and said, “Chief, aren’t you an electronics technician?” I said, “Yes sir, an AT.” He said, “You can’t take these classes; you have to take classes over at the Tech Campus on electronics.”
I looked at him in disbelief. I beg your pardon was my instant reply. I have already taken advanced electronics classes courtesy of the Navy and I’m not looking for a two year technical degree; my goal is a bachelor’s degree.
He said that I had to comply with the guidelines that had been established and the tech campus was the only way. I calmly looked at him straight in the eye and said, “You pick up that phone and call the Bureau of Personnel and get me a set of orders out of here right now. I have turned down a Warrant appointment and come half way around the world from war to attend this school and it wasn’t to get a technical degree!”
I may have used a few four letter words in that statement. His mouth fell open and he became very pale. He nervously picked up the phone and called somebody, I have no idea who! He told the person what I said while never taking his eyes off of me. After I heard him say many yes sirs to the person on the other end of the line, he cradled the phone and said, “Chief, you can take any courses you want!” He signed my class schedule and I said, “Thank you SIR!” I did an about face and walked out. Nineteen months later I graduated with an Associate Degree in Applied Science which would lead me to a B.S. in engineering.