This first time author is a native of Westfield, Massachusetts. He was educated in local schools and graduated from Westfield State College in 1966, the same year he joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Medical Service Corps, in 1969. From 1969-1983, he served in several company level command and battalion staff positions.
Mr. Roeder’s professional career included fifteen years as a Connecticut State Probation Officer and program manager in that state’s Judicial Department.
In 1983, as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR), he went on active duty and served in a number of medical battalion and brigade staff positions which included a tour in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm-1990-91. He went on to serve as a staff officer in the United States Army Reserve Command (USARC) in Atlanta, GA and then with the Army Surgeon General’s office in Falls Church, VA. He retired from active duty in 1997 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Mr . Roeder the served ten years in the Connecticut Department of Corrections as a program manager in charge of inmate transition services for the Unified School District #1. His last position before full retirement was with the Berkshire County Sheriff’s office (Pittsfield, MA) as an employment counselor. He presently serves as a volunteer/trustee with several non-profit civilian and veteran’s organizations in the local community.
Mr. Roeder is married to Catherine, and has three children and five grandchildren. We and his wife reside in his hometown of Westfield.