“You name it, we loaded everything from cooking oil, rice and wheat for Somalia, to the eight-wheeled armored Stryker attack vehicles meant for Europe,” so said USAF Master Sergeant Rodney Wood, a loadmaster for the C-130 E,H, and J Models. Based in the states at Little Rock and Biloxi AFBs with the 50th and 53rd Airlift Squadrons, Sgt. Wood often served on temporary duty in Europe, once a part of a Presidential Support Mission during the Clinton Administration. When asked about his medals earned during his service, he began with the Air Medal, Aerial Achievement and NATO Awards, then said, “I’ve got tons of them.” His military career stretched from 1990-2011. A member of the VFW since 2003, he currently (2025) serves as the Arkansas State Commander.