Local Vets: Xavier Rodriguez

Veteran Marine Xavier Rodriguez is originally from New Haven, Connecticut.  He turned 25 years old on June 23, and spent the morning of his birthday with a fishing pole in hand at in Branford, where the of Branford’s Veteran Outreach Program was holding their “” event.

He confessed that he wasn’t exactly there for the fishing, but rather to meet people: others who, like him, have served in our nation’s defense, and to show his appreciation to those who work to support returning soldiers. It was his first time participating in the event, which is held often throughout the year.

“I’m not much of a fisherman,” he laughs.

He explains that he worked as a “heavy diesel mechanic” in the marines and has been deployed to Iraq twice.  His first tour of duty spanned from February 2006 until September of the same year; his second began the following September (2007) and ended in April of 2008.

As a mechanic, he mostly worked on automobiles with diesel engines: Trucks, Hum Vs, Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVRs), boats and basically any large vehicle that requires a diesel engine. Apart from being a soldier, the job primarily involved repairing and performing preventative maintenance on such vehicles, so as to keep them in optimal condition for use.

He had less to say about his deployments and more to say about his role as a mechanic, but certainly is proud to have served for our country. He currently lives in Meriden, Connecticut, and works as a Recruiter for the Marines up in Hartford.  Though nods in assent when I asked him if he likes his job, the look in his eye suggests that he wants to get back under the hood.