Fred & Janet Rodriguez
 
Their Life Adventures
 
   

The Beginning

Federico Jesus Rodriguez (Fred), grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He attended Henley High School and in his senior year received a wrestling scholarship from Idaho State University. Fred was inducted into the ISU Hall of Fame, 2017. At ISU he majored in Physical Education, with a minor in Spanish. He also was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corp (ROTC) and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation.

Janet attended Gooding High School, Gooding, Idaho and the University of Idaho. At UofI, she majored in Spanish, with a minor in German and was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority. She transfered to Idaho State University her senior year to finish her degrees.

Janet

 


Marrage and Military Adentures

Janet and Fred met in a Spanish class their senior year at Idaho State University, they married, and soon after departed for Fort Benning, Georgia, to begin their first venture in the United States Army. As a commissioned Army Officer, Fred attended the Officers' Training Schhool, Airborne and Ranger School. His first assignment was as a Training Officer at Fort Ord, California, 1969. His first overseas assignment was Vietnam, 1970 - serving as a Combat Infanry Officer. In 1971 he was assigned to the Ranger Department. He separtated from active duty, 1972.

   



Prepping for a Civilian Career

Leaving the military and transitioning to a civilian career was challenging, to say the least.  As a military veteran one would expect assistance from a number of agencies, people. But no, the public, in general, were anti-Vietnam and veterans did not receive the welcome as did the WWII veterans. Fortunately, Fred received a Graduate Teaching Assistantship at Colorado State University. So, as they left the Army and headed to Fort Collins, Colorado to  join the Ram Family for two years – 1972-1974 – to earn a Master's degree and teach classes in the Physical Education Department.



While at CSU, the Rodriguez team volunteered to coach and support the wrestling program. What fun! It kept them busy, and combined with graduate studies, kept them from constantly thinking of the combat Vietnam experiences! No PTSD for Fred. Rather, they enjoyed working with the wrestling team and organizing and running the 1973 United States Wrestling Federation (USWF) Junior Freestyle and Greco-Roman National Championship tournament.
 

  A new Chapter - University Academia and Coaching  
 

Fred and Janet's professional career has taken them over a 30,000 mile journey. The following communities where they have lived and worked, include posts in the United States and Latin America.

 
  Fresno State University  
 

Fred's first civilian post was serving as Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Professor, Recreation and Physical Education, for two years - 1974-1975 - at Fresno State University, Fresno, California. Janet worked at the Department of .....

Taking this first step at FSU proved to be a smart decision. It placed them in the California State University system, opening the door to future opportunities in California. Moreover, Fresno State was strategic located, also opening doors throughout the northwest. The early 70s was also an interesting time in America, with various political and social shifts. At FSU, MEChA was very popular with the high Hispanic student-body, staff amd professors. There was constant pressure to join the movement, as Fred remembers. Fresno and the entire San Joaquin Valley opened Fred and Janet's eyes to a diverse, community. The VALLEY, as it is known, is the backbone of California.


  Long Beach State University  
 

At the end of 1975, Fred received a call from the Director of Athletics at Long Beach State University, Long Beach, California, He offered Fred the Head Wrestling position and Associate Professor post in the Department of Physical Education at Long Beach State. Janet accepted a secretarial spot in the Department of Comparative Literature.

The Athletic Director knew Fred and Janet from Colorado State University where he had been the Athletic Director at the time. He certainly recognized their volunteer service to the CSU wrestling team and dedicated contributions to the athletic department. This experience jump-started Fred and Janet’s career in college sports and academia in higher education.

The Athletic Director knew Fred and Janet from Colorado State University where he had been the Athletic Director at the time. He certainly recognized their volunteer service to the CSU wrestling team and dedicated contributions to the athletic department. This experience jump-started Fred and Janet’s career in college sports and academia in higher education.

In 1980, Fred also received his doctoral degree from the University of Utah. As a result of his dissertation, he received a quarter-million dollar grant from the United States Department of Education to share his work nation-wide and internationally. In 1995, he developed Collaborative Educational Programs for the Americas (CEPA), which serves as a model for educational restructuring for the 21st Century.

CEPA was developed and founded as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation of the United States Internal Revenue Code. As a charitable and educational organization it received tax exempt status. It was an innovative approach for developing future leaders. During the past decade, CEPA hosted leadership conferences nationally and internationally - from California to Mid-America, and all the way to Central and South America.

CEPA conferences are intended to provide aspiring leaders with a comprehensive experience including the opportunity to make scholarly presentations, as well as network with established educators and professionals from many disciplines. It provided a forum for leaders to learn to be visionary, become risk-takers, and break away from old paradigms to make positive changes. Through CEPA, qualities and skills are gained for a strong foundation of leadership:


a relentless drive to improve leadership, deep sense of integrity and inner strength, and the ability to initiate a dynamic interchange of ideas with others dedicated to a common mission and philosophy. Hence, aspiring leaders have an opportunity to enhance their professional development by actually practicing leadership.


   



United States Southern Command - Pentagon Appointment  
 

A decade later, in 1986, Fred and Janet's professional career would make another exciting and dramatic transition by moving into the international scene when they accepted the Pentagon's invitation to join the United State Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). The mission of the U.S.Southern Command was to conduct bilateral educational and military training programs throughout with Latin America. They were exclusively were assigned to the United States Army South (USSARSO) - Fuerzas Unidas - post. Panama City, Panama, Central America was their host country.



University of Southern California  

The first phase of this Pentagon appointment was to serve a two-year assignment with the University of Southern California (USC) ROTC program. That allowed Fred and Janet to continue to reside in their Long Beach residence, commuting the 25 miles to the USC campus. ROTC scholarships were offered to the top 10% of high school scholars throughout the nation. Scholarships included students for the Army, Navy/Marine and Air Force careers.

Go Trojans!

 

United States Army South  
 

Off to Panama - Central America! Heading to Latin America, Fred and Janet, looked forward to be part of an international initiative for conducting security cooperation operations and activities in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. It was part of integrated deterrence towards threats to the U.S.  

 

Fuerzs Unidas operated out of Fort Clayton, Army Command Headquarters in Panama City, Panama. Rather than living on base, Fred and Janet chose to live off-base, in Panama City. What a wondeful experience. High-rise living in Panama City offered a urban lifestyle and oceanfront living. More importantly, it allowed Fred and Janet to live among the Panamanians.

 

 
The historic Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was an unbelievable site and unforgetable time when invited to cross the canal on a warship.
 

 

 

  Operation Just Cause  
 
   
 

The evening was calm when Fred and the Fuerza Unidas delegation returned to Panama after completing an educational and military exchange program in South America. However, at precisely 12 mid-night, all hell broke loose, bombs were heard bursting all overPa nama City - the Invasion of Panama - Operation Just Cause had started. The United States invasion of Panama began in mid-December 1989 during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. The purpose of the invasion was to depose the de facto ruler of Panama, General Manuel Noriega, who was wanted by U.S. authorities for racketeering and drug trafficking.

Fred and Janet were there, not involved in the combat operations, but never-the-less, in the midst of battle and the sudden, and overwhelming collapse of the Noriega regime. Fred's immediate thoughts - "Oh God, I escaped death in Vietnam, don" let us die here, in bed. That would be embarrassing, " he imagined.

  US Invades Panama: Operation Just Cause 1989 ...  

 

 

 

NEXT STEP - CAREER PROGRESSION

Dean, Panama Canal College

At the end of their tour with U.S. Southern Command in Latin America, Fred was assigned as Direcror of National Guard Forces at Fort Benning, Georgia. Within ten months, however, Fred was offered the position of Dean at the Panama Canal College (PCC), Panama City, Panama. This placed Fred and Janet back into the world of academia and a diplomatic setting. PCC enrolled over 2000 students seeking an Associate Degree. The major effort of this appointment was to assist in passing the college to the Republic of Panama according to the Panama Canal Treaty.
   

 

PENTAGON REASSIGNMENT

  

 

CEO/Dean, Educational Services
Fort Riley University

Manhattan, Kansas - 2003 - 2008
City of Manhattan

U.S. Army Fort Riley - Home 1st Infantry Division

In August 2003, Dr. Rodríguez was selected to assume the position of Dean of Fort Riley University. As the chief educational leader within the Fort Riley community, he is entrusted with providing the leadership and directing educational opportunities for over 20,000 active duty soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, and family members. He envisions furthering the development of creative and innovative academic activities through collaborative arrangements within the Fort Riley University Consortium of Colleges and Universities.





Dr. Fred Rodríguez's professional career covered a wide range of experience, to include serving as a college President, twenty years as a university professor, leader of international programs, and as an Army officer with the Reserve and Active components. He holds a B.S. from Idaho State University, a M.Ed. from Colorado State University and a PhD. from the University of Utah.

 

 

For their retirement, Fred and Janet settled in Las Cruces, New Mexico in 2008. During the first two years Fred taught classes in education administration and leadership in the Graduate School of Education at New Mexico State University. He also developed the GoArmyEd program for the campus. In 2017, Fred and Janet decided to move to Boise, Idaho and live at the Crescent Rim Condominium - an all inclusive community. Going back home, in a sense, was the reason. However, after a few years they realized that communal living was not for them, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After six years in Boise, they relocated back to Las Cruces, NM.

 

 

  RETIREMENT - LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO  
  LAND OF ENCHANTMENT