Rod "Roach" Jones
Yearbook Photo
Rod and Pam Today
Pam and I got married in San Francisco a week after pilot training. 73-01 was well represented at our wedding with the following guys in the wedding party: Andy Johansen, Cliff Call, John Krummel, Blair Fennell, Jim Craig, and Dave Bartell. We returned to Vance where I was a FAIP in the T-37. We left Vance in 1976 for a one year assignment at the Pentagon. That was enough for me to decide that I didn’t want to ever go back there!
I then went through Fighter Lead In at Holloman AFB and then stayed there in the F-15. We made the decision to leave active duty in ’81 and I was hired at Air Florida. We lived just west of Ft Lauderdale. That job lasted for just over a year and a half until I was furloughed. I did some light remodeling jobs and ended up selling new cars for about six months. Thank God Southwest Airlines hired me!
We started with SWA in ’83 in Dallas, TX and moved to Scottsdale/Phoenix in ’87. That’s where we are now and plan to retire in two years. We have a second home in Prescott, AZ where we spend the summers to get out of the awful heat! I have been very active in SWA and have been a union rep, asst Chief Pilot, pilot interviewer, and Check Airman during my tenure. It has been a great company to work for but I’ll be ready to retire in a couple of years. I was an Academy Liaison Officer in the Reserves for 16 years and really enjoyed that, plus the check of the month after age 60.
We have three grown boys who are happily married, gainfully employed, and well educated. Pam’s a pretty good drill sergeant! We have six granddaughters and one grandson who we spend as much time with as possible. We’re hoping that’s our retirement job!
Rod Jones
p.s. Pam thought I needed a more dignified name as an airline pilot than Roach!