Des Montes local named ‘Aircraft Commander of the Year’
An Arroyo Seco native and Taos High School graduate stationed in Japan has been named “18th Operations Group Aircraft Commander of the Year” at the Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa. Alejandro Rodriguez received the award earlier this month and was given a Japanese katana along with a plaque commemorating his achievement.
Grace Rodriguez, Alejandro’s mother, said she always knew her son would go on to do something great. “As a young boy, he participated in various sports, was a three-sport athlete at Taos High School and an honor student,” she said.
Alejandro grew up on the family farm in Des Montes, and his mother said he has fond memories of raising animals every summer with his grandfather, Telesfor Garcia.
She said that his experience with nonprofit group 4-H also “encouraged his growth as a young man.”
As he made his way through high school, he began thinking about attending the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs after going to a summer baseball camp there. After graduating from high school in 2011, he applied to the Academy with nominations in hand from thencongressman Ben Ray Luján and then-senator Jeff Bingaman. Still, he said he never imagined he’d get to where he is today.
“Growing up in Taos, I would’ve never thought I’d be a pilot for the Air Force, much less an Aircraft commander refueling all types of planes around the world and completing high-visibility air refueling missions such as refueling the Secretary of Defense and supporting counterintelligence missions globally,” Alejandro said.
Alejandro graduated five years later with a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Area Studies with an emphasis in Political Science and Portuguese. From there, he went on to the pilot training program at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, earning his pilot’s wings in 2018. He then went on to become a Stratotanker KC-135 pilot, and eventually — after training in Altus, Okla. — he was assigned to Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa.
While in Okinawa, Alejandro was promoted to first lieutenant, and later, to captain. He will stay in Okinawa for another year before being assigned elsewhere.
“I’m extremely proud of him,” said his sister Anita Rodriguez.
“Being his older sister, I always knew Alejandro would accomplish so much in this life. He has always been hardworking, tenacious and talented in everything he sets out to do.”
“He is such an inspiration to all of us,” she added in a Facebook post acknowledging her brother’s accomplishment. “He always overcomes every obstacle in front of him, and always ends up on top. Not too bad for a young man from Arroyo Seco, a graduate of the Taos Schools and a true product of Nuevo Mexico.”
Alejandro said he felt “honored
and humbled” to receive the award. “I hope I can be a positive role model for the young people in Taos to dream big and pursue careers and life that may seem impossible or improbable,” he said. “They will soon realize how special their upbringing and the community of Taos truly is.”
Captain Rodriguez is the son of Jose and Grace Rodriguez of Des Montes, and the grandson of the late Raymundo and Ruth Rodriguez of Llano Quemado, and the late Telesfor and Teddy Garcia of Des Montes.