Major Rogelio Rodriguez, Jr. is a Senior Flight Nurse who has logged over 1600 flying hours with 150 combat missions and almost 700 combat flying hours transporting over 2000 wounded to needed medical care.
He joined the United States Navy immediately after graduating from high school to become a hospital corpsman and met his future wife Seaman Carina O’Neill while attending Hospital Corps School.
When his active duty was over in 1990, he and his wife moved to Delaware where they both reported to the Naval Reserve Center in Wilmington. In 1991, his wife was called to active duty to support Operation Desert Storm.
When Roger visited the 142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at the 166th Airlift Wing he knew that this was his destiny. He was honorably discharged from the United States Navy and went from Petty Officer Rodriguez to Senior Airman Rodriguez to continue his training as an Aeromedical Evacuation Technician (earning his medical aircrew wings). While training, he graduated from Delaware Technical and Community College with a degree in Nursing and immediately applied for a commission in the Guard.
Major Rodriguez has done 7 tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as 2 tours in support of Hurricane relief. He earned the Senior Nurse Flight Badge and was awarded the Air Medal three times, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Combat Medal, the Air Force Reserve Meritorious Service Medal 4 times, the Iraqi Campaign Medal 3 times, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal 3 times, The Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal of the United States Military, the Delaware National Guard Medal for Military Merit, the Delaware National Guard Medal for Service in Aid to Civilian Authority and the Louisiana Emergency Service Medal.
