--- title: "The ‘Prisoner Exchange’ is the coolest Army-Navy tradition no one talks about" description: "Imagine a Michigan student spending a semester at Ohio State. Or a UT student going to Oklahoma University. Getting sent to a rival school would be intense – and that's exactly what Army and Navy have been doing for decades." date: "2021-12-10" modified: "2022-08-18" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/the-prisoner-exchange-is-the-coolest-army-navy-tradition-no-one-talks-about/" categories: - "Army" - "History" - "Join the Military" - "Military Culture" --- # The ‘Prisoner Exchange’ is the coolest Army-Navy tradition no one talks about ![]() Imagine a Michigan student spending a semester at Ohio State. Or a UT student going to Oklahoma University. Getting sent to a rival school would be intense – and that's exactly what Army and Navy have been doing for decades. --- Every year, juniors at West Point and the Naval Academy switch places, spending an entire semester in enemy territory. Before they go back to their respective institutions, they go through the "prisoner exchange" at the annual Army-Navy Game, presented by [USAA.]() https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A48A4zUzezk *([The U.S. Army]() | YouTube)* The West Point Cadets [attend Navy classes with their midshipmen rivals](). They live in "berthings," probably call walls "bulkheads," call floors "decks," and ask permission to use the "head." Rivalries exist between all branches of the military – and college students are no different. The Army-Navy rivalry is so intense because it's so old, but like all those other rivalries, it's all in good fun. At the end of the day, the Cadets and Mids are still U.S. troops and we all fight on the same team. That doesn't mean they don't get to have fun. The "Prisoner Exchange" is a time-honored tradition – one of many. ![]() After the Cadets and Mids are marched across the field, they go back to being part of one of the biggest rivalries in football, in the military, and in America. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()