James Rodriguez, Honored by the Community

James Rodriguez, veteran of the Vietnam War, was recently recognized by his family and community with one of the most prestigious honors bestowed on a Coltonite; a military banner. On May 15th, he was surprised with a City of Colton Hometown Military Banner Installation Ceremony where a banner with his name and picture was hung in honor of his time served for this country. “I wasn’t even dressed for it,” Rodriguez said while laughing. “It was a very emotional and heart-warming day,” he shared. Rodriguez was drafted in 1968 and received an honorable discharge in 1970. He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He shares, "I was proud to have served. It was my obligation." After his training, Rodriguez volunteered to partake in jump school for training in Fort Benning, Georgia. Concluding his jump training, Rodriguez traveled to Vietnam and remained there for a year and thirteen days. During his time, he was rewarded with a Parachute Badge. “War is a terrible thing to go through, it’s not like the movies. It’s not fun. It’s scary,” he said. A banner honoring him and his service for this country was definitely something he deserved. The Vietnam War was very controversial. With so many protesters against the war, James, along with other troops, weren’t welcomed back with open arms. “There was no one there to give you a pat on the back, no thank you, nothing,” James said. Therefore, hanging this banner in his honor meant that much more to him. “It was absolutely heart-warming,” he said. James would like to extend his appreciation to the Colton Women's Club, who sent Rodriguez a care package during a time of need. James expressed that it was very uplifting to receive the package during one of his more struggling times. The banner hanging ceremony was a very special day for the Rodriguez family. James mentions, “It is because of God and the prayers of my parents that I am home today.” In addition to the planned festivities, James mentioned, “The Colton staff did a great job. They were awesome and did everything to accommodate us.”