WING COMMANDER

Col Juan Rodríguez is the Commander of Puerto Rico Wing, Civil Air Patrol. He joined CAP as a Puerto Rico Wing Cadet in 1977, earning the General Carl A. Spaatz Award in December 1980. Following his transition to senior membership his assignments included Squadron Commander at Isla Grande Composite Squadron, AE Officer, ES Officer, Squadron PAO, Squadron Historian, Wing Finance Officer, Advisor to the Wing Commander, IG Augmentee, Wing Agency Representative, Region Asst DCS Professional Development, then Senior Training, Asst DCS Cadet Programs, SER Diversity Officer and National Diversity Officer. He completed the USAF Squadron Officer’s School (corr.) and CAP National Staff College.

Col Rodriguez completed Level V of the Professional Development program earning the Gil Robb Wilson Award in 1994. He holds Master Ratings in Finance and Cadet Programs, Senior Ratings in Command, Emergency Services and Aerospace Education and Technician ratings in IG, Public Affairs and Historian specialty tracks. He has served as an Instructor at Summer Encampments, SLS, CLC, TLC Basic and Advanced as well RSC. He has also served as Director of the Puerto Rico session of the Regional Staff College. He is a qualified Mission Scanner, Mission Observer, Ground Team member, Mission Staff Assistant, Air Operations Branch Director, Public Information Officer, Finance and Accounting Section Chief and Liaison Officer.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, a post graduate Diploma in Banking Operations from the School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Graduate School of Business, and a Master of Science in Professional Management from the University of Miami (FL), Graduate School of Business. He also holds a FAA Private Pilot-SEL and FAA Part 107 sUAS Pilot Certificates.

Professionally Col Rodriguez worked in the financial services and consulting businesses, both domestically and internationally, for over 25 years. During that time, he had the opportunity to live and work in several States as well as in foreign countries in the Americas and the Caribbean. He currently serves as COO and Lead Project Manager for a location intelligence and geographical information systems company based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and provides management consulting services, specializing on process improvement.

Col Rodriguez and his partner Vanessa Gonzalez La Luz, RPh, have four adult children. They welcomed their first grandchild, Victoria Isabel, in 2021.

Decorations: Exceptional Service Award, Meritorious Service Award with three bronze clasps, Commander’s Commendation Award, Wing level, with three bronze clasps, Achievement Award with one bronze clasp and other service awards.