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Barnes said that regardless of the career path being pursued, today’ s students would benefit from considering ROTC.
“ I would highly recommend that students sign up,” Barnes said.“ The leadership skills and discipline that are instilled are invaluable and will separate them from their peers – no matter what they end up doing in their careers.”
Sights and Sounds of ROTC
It is hard to walk the campus without seeing how military culture and patriotism are woven into OSU. One of the prominent examples is the camouflage attire ROTC cadets wear while striding between classes, meetings or training. This year, there are 141 enrolled in Army ROTC and 153 in Air Force ROTC.
Thatcher Hall, a 100-year-old brick building on the east edge of campus that serves as ROTC headquarters, greets visitors with two eye-catching reminders of military might: an Air Force RF-84F Thunderflash fighter jet lofted on a pedestal, and two artillery cannons that were donated to OSU from Fort Sill to honor the university ' s students who served in World War I and World War II.
Each season, tens of thousands of visitors at football games are offered audible reminders that OSU has a role in preparing men and women for war. Often before kick-off, there is a booming, dramatic flyover of Air Force fighter jets – often piloted by graduates of the OSU Air Force ROTC. And a cadet fires a Howitzer cannon to help celebrate touchdowns and add fanfare.
At the football games, one of the most popular rituals – the“ Push-Up Board” – takes place in front of the student section on the northwest corner of the stadium. Introduced in the late 1990s, uniformed cadets celebrate each Cowboy score by having one of its members do push-ups equal to the new OSU point total. The push-ups are completed on a board lofted by a team of cadets, and when scores surpass 50 and beyond it challenges even the strongest cadets.
A script of OSU’ s relationship with the military is tucked away on a less-traveled fourth floor of the Student Union building. There, a mural gives a graphic, chronological history of military life on campus from 1890s to the present.
As the mural describes, federal law stipulated that“ land-grant colleges” like Oklahoma A & M would receive land only if it met three stipulations: It had to focus on agricultural and mechanical arts, it must provide outreach to rural communities and it must“ maintain military training for all students.” OSU was established in 1891, and the earliest known photo of its cadet corps is in 1892, showing uniformed men marching on Stillwater’ s main street. Military training took varying forms at OSU over the decades.
In 1916, OSU was one of the first 15 in the nation to host an Army ROTC. Because of its success in training a large number of high-achieving officers, some called it“ The West Point of the Prairie.” Today, Lt. Col. Kyle Ferguson is the department head and serves as a professor of military science.
In 1946, the Air Force ROTC arrived at OSU, signifying the growing importance of the skies – and eventually space – in the country’ s defense. Lt. Col. Christopher Stewart leads the program and serves as professor of aerospace studies.
Army ROTC student Marie Harris, places an American flag in the ground of Edmon Low Library Lawn Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 ahead of Veterans Day.( File Photo)
Staying Relevant in 2025 and Beyond
Spokesmen for Army and Air Force ROTC say that keeping the programs relevant and thriving in the 21st century requires maintaining their national reputation as elite units, building camaraderie in their programs, and integrating their cadets into the OSU experience.
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