RICHMOND — Frank Rogers is the seventh generation of his family to live in Jefferson County.
The family has a strong military history, Rogers said, such as one grandfather who was a commissary officer under a general at the time. George Washington, Valley Forge.
“The sense of duty goes way back,” Rogers said.
Joining the Navy as a young man, Rogers upheld that legacy and sense of duty that he would pass on to his son, who would later join the Navy.
Rogers, who served during the Cold War, never set foot on a ship. Instead, he worked in construction, but could be quickly deployed from whichever Air Force base he was stationed at the time. Although Rogers was part of the Black Sea Fleet, his experience in the military was positive and full of different experiences.
Going back to Rogers’ military family history, Rogers’ father couldn’t join the Navy because he was blind in one eye, so he joined the National Guard. Rogers’ father had three brothers who served in the Navy.
That family example “inspired me to want to be in the Navy,” Rogers recalled, later adding, “I wanted to carry on that legacy.”
As the oldest of five siblings, Rogers was the first to join the military in 1983. He was 23 years old when he enlisted, had graduated from Wintersville High School a few years earlier and hadn’t gone to college. He was the owner of his own auto body shop until he closed the business due to the tough economy of the time.
Both of Rogers’ brothers joined the military and were on active duty at the same time.
When he joined, Rogers’ intention was to serve on active duty, but the military was somewhat quiet in terms of activity in the early 1980s. So, he says, the only way to join is to become a reservist.
Rogers then went to boot camp and attended A School, where employees learn the technical skills to perform their trades. In Rogers’ case, he learned to be an equipment operator. The recruiter told Rogers that good equipment operators are always wanted and that they may move to active duty.
Rogers graduated first in his class but was still unable to enter active duty, he recalled. He would remain in reserve until 2000 for a total of 17 years of service.
In the Reserves, Rogers had to travel extensively, from Guam and Japan to Hawaii and throughout the Eastern United States. He worked on construction projects at various naval bases, many of which required top-secret clearance for high-security bases. This work was “excellent education” that lasted from the deployment phase until the finished project was handed over to the base itself.
On his first visit to Guam, Rogers was sent to a rock quarry where he learned how to drill and set dynamite to blast material. He also learned how to operate machines that turn stones into slag used in concrete and asphalt.
One of the aspects Rogers valued most about being in the military was the camaraderie, which he says continues to this day. Now 64, Rogers has been out of the military for 24 years, but he still talks to about a dozen military buddies at least once a week. In late August, Rogers joined two different Navy veterans.
“The friendships that were formed 30-something years ago are still going strong,” Rogers said. “There’s no one I went to high school with, and I still hang out like that. All of them are my best friends in the military.”
While in the Reserves, Rogers held a civilian job. After 2000, he returned to Richmond and went back to work for himself, running Frank’s Body Shop, an auto restoration business.
Rogers added that “somewhere along the line the Lord called me into ministry” and he is now an ordained minister and pastor at the Global Methodist Church in Toronto. Rogers has 11 grandchildren with 12 on the way. Among all the grandchildren in the ministry, Rogers remains very active in her daily life.
Rogers’ son, Frank Rogers Jr., also joined the military. Like his father, Rogers Jr. had a father and many brothers who served in the military. Rogers Jr., an Eagle Scout like his father, served in Naval Intelligence and spent time in Afghanistan and Bahrain.
Mr. Rogers “feels very proud” to see his son serve.
“I’m fortunate enough to be a Cold War veteran,” Rogers said. “I never went to war, battle. This is a blessing. I have high hopes for my son and his offspring. They defended us when we didn’t need it and came forward. That duty, feeling of patriotism is a good thing.”
Rogers advises someone considering a career in the military: “Make sure you do enough research to make sure you like what you’re doing. If you love what you do, it’s a great experience. … I had a great experience that helped me the rest of my life outside of the military.”