Rod is part of an Air Force family, cementing his interest for flight: building models, sketching and painting, and flying radio-control aircraft. His 48 years in aviation include degrees at Purdue in Aviation Maintenance Technology, 20 years as a USAF Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and in retirement worked KC-135 upgrades and the B-52 Re-engine proposal, finishing as a B-52/B-1 Program Manager. His artwork includes covers for AIR MOBILITY FORUM magazine, and five admissions to the USAF Art Program. His recent SR-71A work, "Poking the Northern Bear at 85,000 Feet", garnered a first-place in ASAA's Science and Technology category at Savannah.
In "retirement" besides painting, Rod continues to "review edit" the ASAA Magazine, AEROBRUSH, for Don Malco, and write review articles for new models for the International Plastic Modeling Society. .