The 1st Cavalry Division is steeped in rich history. Those who came before us have left their mark in different ways, whether it be the knowledge they’ve left behind or the stepping stones they laid for future generations. It is our duty to take what they have left, build on it, and continue their legacy.
The 1st Cavalry Division’s Office of the Staff Judge Advocate did just that when they dedicated their newly renovated courtroom to the memory of Col. Zane E. Finkelstein, during a ribbon cutting ceremony held here, May 6. Finkelstein was a former 1st Cav. Div. SJA who served with the division during the Vietnam War.
“Col. Finkelstein embodied everything that current Staff Judge Advocates aspire to be: expert and versatile,” said Col. Emily C. Schiffer, the 1st Cav. Div. SJA. “Dedications such as these remind us of the people who make up the history of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and the 1st Cav. Div. as a whole.”
Finkelstein was drafted into the Army in April of 1953 and eventually transferred to the JAG Corps where he later commissioned. While serving in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star with valor device for organizing an expedition to investigate, adjudicate, and pay foreign claims to a local Vietnamese village. During the mission, he continually exposed himself to enemy fire and joined the infantrymen to repel an attack by the Viet Cong.
He is the only judge advocate to be decorated for heroic action in Vietnam.
Finkelstein held many esteemed positions during his service to the nation and eventually retired after 30 years of service.
Mark Finkelstein, son of Col. Finkelstein, was present at the dedication ceremony and told several stories about his father.
“My dad loved the Army,” he said. “The Army makes America a better place, not just a safer place, but a better place. May this courtroom be a place of justice, and just know that the American people are proud of all of you and you are a part of an incredible tradition.”
The ceremony concluded with a traditional cake cutting, and a tour of the newly renovated judiciary center.
“Perhaps the most important thing about today’s dedication is that Col. Zane Finkelstein’s professional accomplishments and service to the nation, in some of the most trying times, will long be remembered,” said Schiffer.