STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 30
A cadet with Oklahoma State Army ROTC does pushups after a score during an October 2016 football game between the Cowboys and West Virginia at Boone Pickens Stadium.( File Photo)
ROTC instills military culture on Oklahoma State campus
MATT BARNES IS THE ANSWER TO A GOOD TRIVIA QUESTION.
In the history of Oklahoma State University, who is the only person to serve at the same time as the iconic Pistol Pete mascot and as a cadet in the Army Reserve Officers ' Training Corps?
Barnes achieved the distinction in the 2008-09 school year when he took on the demanding dual roles.
It required hundreds of appearances as Pistol Pete, at sporting events, rallies, parties, and even baby showers and funerals.“ To a lot of people, Pistol Pete is more of a family member than a mascot,” Barnes said. Additionally, he was enrolled in ROTC classes in military history, operations, field tactics and rigorous physical training. Given the time-consuming commitments of being Pete and a cadet, it’ s not a surprise that only one person has pursued and endured the challenge.
“ It was juggling a lot,” Barnes said.“ The iPhone had not come out yet, so I had a pocket schedule and did everything manually.”
When it came to becoming the OSU mascot – and wearing its 45-pound head at countless events – fate did not give Barnes much choice. From an Anadarko ranching family, his grandfather was in the last graduating class of Oklahoma A & M before it was renamed Oklahoma State University in the late 1950s. His father and mother met while attending OSU. It is hard to count all of the uncles, aunts, cousins and other family members who earned a diploma there.
Lauren Williams of Stillwater, Barnes’ girlfriend at OSU, became his wife. Anyone taking odds on where their three children may attend college?
Now, Barnes, 41, lives in Edmond and fittingly works for the university. He stresses that his military training helped prepare him for his role as the Information Security Officer at OSU. A few years before enrolling at OSU, Barnes joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard, where he began a track of studying radio, digital communications and cybersecurity, a focus that continued in ROTC.
Barnes said that regardless of the career path being pursued, today’ s students would benefit from considering ROTC.
Matt Barnes figures prominently in the OSU ROTC story as the only person who was Pete and a cadet at the same time.( PHOTO Provided)
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 30