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Bob Terhune of Oklahoma City, a retired member of law enforcement, was a cadet at Ponca Military beginning in 1948 graduating in 1953.
Active in sports he played football, basketball and was on the rifle team, and "yes" he did some turns around the flagpole. This was a punishment, and all the cadets seemed to have put in their share of "guarding the flagpole."
Bob was a member of the Drum and Bugle Corps, and during his senior year had the rank of lieutenant and led the Corps.
Col. William Cox offered Bob the opportunity to work part of his tuition off because his mother was a widow.
His duties were in the quartermaster issuing clothing and receiving laundry and dry cleaning. Major Ross Cubbage, was the facility officer and also the rifle team coach, high school math and physics teacher.
Bob says, "This man was the father figure that was absent during my younger years. He was instrumental in getting the cadets in his classes to think outside the box. To take classroom problems and use them to solve questions that came up in real life."
Upon graduation Bob returned to Oklahoma City and began college at OCU while working for the Oklahoma Assessors office. In 1953, he and Billie Marie Price of Ponca City were married in Newkirk.
The couple lived in Ponca City and he was employed at Southwestern Stationary and Bank Supply. In 1958 they moved to Breaux Bridge, La., where he worked for Lafayette Office Equipment Co., and Hughes Tool Company.
With his wife Billie they had three children two born in Ponca City and one in Breaux Bridge. From the occupations of two of the children, it is obvious that Bob's later career in law enforcement was an influence.
The oldest son William Thomas, spent 35 years as an Oklahoma City Police Office. Next is Rose Teresa Burks, an Oklahoma City Police Dispatcher for 30 years and is married to a now retire Oklahoma City Police Officer. The youngest, Leo Timothy is employed at Tinker Field in Oklahoma City.
In 1964, the family returned to Oklahoma City where he was commissioned as a Police officer. He worked the patrol division for five years and was promoted to detective.
While a detective he was assigned to the Vice Squad, Stolen Goods Division ,Youth Bureau and the Organized Crime unit, where he spent the longest service. This unit was responsible for tracking and apprehension of traveling criminals.

It was during this time he investigated in the oil fields. During this assignment to the Detective Bureau Bob attended Central State University (now UCO) and obtained a bachelor of science degree in accounting.
In 1975, he and Billie Marie were divorced. Three years later he married Troivette Roesler, who had a seven year old son from a previous marriage.
In January 1985, he retired from the Police Department and was offered a position with Central Bank as an assistant vice president in commercial lending.
Three years later he resigned to accept a position with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). During this time he and Troivette purchased an airplane and made several trips to Ponca City to dine at the Airport and fly back to Oklahoma City.
After going through the OSBI, Bob was assigned to the Oil Field Theft unit and remained there until retiring in 2005. For a time he was pilot for the Bureau until he lost his medical because of health problems.
During this time the PMA buildings were cleared by the owner of the property and the subdivision of Academy Heights was developed.
He worked with Joe Bates, Jack Monsour, Leland Smith, Kenny Denton, Rex Morgan, Bob Radebaugh, Vic Wilkerson and other former cadets to approach the city fathers to start the park at the entrance of Academy Heights.
Bob says, "We were able to retrieve the original flag pole that had been in front to administration building and where many hours and pounds of shoe leather had been spent. We former cadets spent our weekends in refurbishing the flagpole and getting permission to build the brick wall."
He said, "I always considered Ponca City as a second "home town" and have attended all of the PMA reunions to the present."
Some of the former cadets and room mates Bob recalls are, Don and Glen Simpson, Perryton, Texas, Boyce Benton and Tom Howe, Oklahoma City, Lyle Wells and Bill Signar, Hot Springs, Ark., Gary Hesket, Arkansas City, Wayne Weaver, Pratt, Kan., and George McClain, Collinsville.
Bob said, "Troivette and I have a total of 10 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. We live in Oklahoma City and all four of the children live in the city also. It is the grandchildren that have started moving away."