A
lone figure can often be seen standing at attention in the parking lot next to the ROTC building on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater. He quietly stands vigil both morning and evening as the colors are presented and struck by the ROTC cadets. Rex Finnegan, a retired university counselor, says his journey with the ROTC began serendipitously. He started working on campus for counseling services in 1967, receiving his doctorate in 1970. He often rode his bike to work, except when it rained. On those occasions, he parked between Thatcher and Hanner Halls. One such day, he happened to hear the Army playing “Retreat” followed by “To The Colors.” Finnegan’s natural reaction was to stand at attention with the cadets. “I realized a short time into it that standing at attention here made me feel closer to my son who was away at Iowa State University and was involved in Air Force ROTC there,” Finnegan says. What began as happenstance became an almost daily ritual for Finnegan. He tried his best to arrive before the raising of the flag and during the striking of the colors at the end of each day. It was a simple sign of respect, and it was noticed. “My first meeting with Dr. Finnegan was during my freshman year. We noticed an older man who always stood outside during our detachment for retreat,” says Air Force ROTC Cadet Schuyler Trenary. “We asked some upperclassmen who he was and they told us about his contributions to the program.” Rex and his wife, Dee, who worked for OSU in the financial aid department, found themselves drawn to the ROTC cadets. Over the years, Finnegan says he
saw a change in university students. They seemed to be surrounded by more stress and accessed the university’s counseling services more often. Many students didn’t have a set direction in mind when coming to college. Finnegan says that wasn’t the case with the ROTC cadets. “It seemed like the cadets were more like the students we’d worked with when we initially came to campus,” Finnegan says. “They knew where they were headed; they had goals; they can tell you what they’re going to be doing when they graduate. That’s very different than the average student.” Finnegan quickly became a steadfast fixture at the flag ceremonies, and cadets took notice. They began inviting him and his wife to functions. In return, the Finnegans began hosting dinners at their house for groups of cadets. Dinners quickly gave way to enriching post-meal discussions. “These students tend to know about anything and everything,” Finnegan says. “We would discuss world affairs, their future plans and whatever came to mind.” Dinner menus often included grilled steaks (a treat for any college
student) or Dee’s authentic Italian meals. What the cadets may not have realized is how important these times together were to their hosts. Finnegan’s affinity for the cadets makes it clear that it has been the couple’s pleasure to be associated with the ROTC, and it has served as markers of times in their lives.
“These students tend to know about anything and everything. We would discuss world affairs, their future plans and whatever came to mind.” — Rex Finnegan 53