Attending Ponca Military Academy for his eighth, ninth and 10th grades proved to be a life changing experience for Dan Gentry, who has been a successful certified rolfer, owning his own business for 23 years. Rolfing is a highly specialized form of physical therapy.
Graduating from Putnam High School in 1973, Gentry went on to graduate from the University of Central Oklahoma and post graduate work at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Co., and became a certified golfer.
Gentry explained why he was sent to PMA.
"I did not get a good foundation in school. My parents divorced when I was four-years-old and afterwards we moved so much that I attended five different elementary schools in six years. Changing schools so often, coupled with emotional upset, caused me to behind. I was sent to PMA to get caught up in school."
He recalls that academics was difficult during his first year at PMA because he was so far behind.
"Every week I had to make a 78 grade point average. If I did not make the average, I would have study hall on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons instead of going to town or having a free afternoon on campus.
"Learning to study and making good grades was important for me. I always wanted to do well but did not have the tools to make it happen. My first year I spent a lot of time in study hall learning how to study, studying material that I needed to know in my present classes and learning past years of academics on my own. My second year I had to make an 85 weekly overall grade point average. I made the average and sometimes made the honor roll (90 weekly average).
"Being on the honor roll gave me the privilege of not having a required two-hour study hall on Sunday through Thursday evenings. I was very proud of making the honor roll list. It gave me confidence and self-respect. It was a goal that I wanted to achieve and I succeeded. My second goal was to make the rank of sergeant. This required a weekly grade point average of 85, a low demerit average and the faculty had to agree that you showed leadership ability. I made sergeant in the middle of my second year.
This gave me prestige along with more responsibility as I had to set examples and give orders to my fellow cadets. I was also given my own squad of cadets to march at the year-end commencement services, and we received a medal for the best marching squad."
Going to PMA made it possible for Gentry to achieve and exceed his goals. "It gave me confidence and ability to achieve my goals by being focused, disciplined and determined," he said.
While at PMA Gentry was a member of the rifle corps in the ninth and 10th grades.
He recalls they were in a parade in Tonkawa getting ready to do a rifle routine with a series of rifle maneuvers. The lieutenant would call the routine and say, "one," and we were to count to ourselves to 10. Only the first row of cadets would start the routine. At the count of 20 the second row would start and at 30 the third row started. When done well it really look great, but in Tonkawa there was a group of guys on the side of the street who started saying different numbers at the same time which caused the team to lose count and mess up the routine.
In addition to the rifle corps, Gentry played football. Playing football was one of his favorite activities. He played halfback, full-back and defensive end.
"I was the smallest player on the varsity team so I had to hit lower, faster and harder or I was gong to be hurt. I never got hurt and lettered all three years."
His favorite instructors were Major Cubbage, Capt. Moorehead, Capt. Self, and Capt. Moore, who was head of the table. "I sat at his dinner table all three years. When you sit at table with a bunch of guys for three years, it's like having meals with your family," Gentry said.
Gentry attributes his success at PMA to Capt. Jim Self, who played a major role in his success. "He was my history teacher and football coach. Looking back he was a father figure. He was both respectful and demanding. If he believed in you — he rode you hard. One time he said, 'when I quit riding you, it means I have given up on you.' I guess he never stopped believing in me because he never stopped riding me. I really cared about him. I saw him many years later and he told me I was always a hard worker and would never give up."
"I really liked Major Cubbage. He was a great teacher who was kind, strong, firm and demanded respect. His nickname was 'Grip'
because he had incredibly strong hands, and you did not want him to grab the tops of your shoulders. I believe he was responsible for initiating that I make sergeant," Gentry said. Some his buddies were Bruce Jones, Richard Duncan, John Wineblood, Darrell Lewis, Darrell Lloyd, Eddy McNiff, Charlie Rose, Jerry Caveness, Rod King, and Trey Robinson,. Jones and Gentry were friends before PMA and remained friends until his death in 1992. Their mothers are close friends.
And yes, Gentry did his share of marching around the flagpole, which was the typical punishment. One time he and some buddies were suspected of partaking in alcohol. They received 24 hours of marching, which was done in front of the dorms and around the flagpole. The 24 hours were spread out with two hours every night and four hours on Saturday and Sunday. "Looking back it wasn't so bad and it make us even better friends. We were like brothers. In retrospect, what impressed me is that the faculty treated us with respect before and after the punishment. Once we had served our time we were able to leave the campus again. No grudges held."
Dan and his wife Theresa have been married 18 years. She is a financial planner and takes care of the investments and accounting of the business. He has a stepson, Clark Deal, who owns a production studio Chaotic Production in Oklahoma City, where he produces films and edits TV commercials and music videos.
Dan Gentry