To try and pin down where Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Rogers is from is a difficult task. He was born in Durant, Oklahoma and lived there until he was in the fourth grade. At that time his family moved to Bridgeport, Texas where he graduated high school.
“Throughout my life, I have been back and forth between Bridgeport and Calera, Ok. to visit my dad’s side of my family. I’ve been back in Calera since I graduated high school and started attending Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant. Several people who have known me my entire life, completely forget that I didn’t graduate from Calera High School based on the pure fact that I have spent most of my life here,” said SSG Rogers.
He enlisted into active duty service with the U.S. Army in August of 2010 and spent the majority of his time with the 173rd Airborne in Vicenza, Italy.
“I transferred to the Texas Army National Guard in January of 2015 and then my final destination of the Oklahoma National Guard (OKNG) in November of 2016,” said SSG Rogers.
His original MOS (Military Occupational Specialties) was 13F or Fire Support Specialist also known as a Forward Observer.
“I came into recruiting around November of 2018 after my deployment with the 1-180th Squadron of the Oklahoma National Guard to Afghanistan from 2017-18,” said SSG Rogers.
For SSG Rogers, the most enjoyable aspect of being a recruiter is spreading the word about the Oklahoma National Guard and what serving with the Guard can do for you.
“Growing up I didn’t know anything about the National Guard. I only knew about the Marines, Army, and Air Force solely based off radio and TV ads as well as my grandfather’s stories of being in the Air Force. After being in two different components of the Army, I now have a better knowledge base. So being able to inform people that you can wear a uniform as a respectable member of the Guard as part-time service all while attending in-person college courses, attending family events, and living your life 27 out of the 30 days in a month is something several people don’t know about,” said SSG Rogers.
As SSG Rogers points out, there is no reason to wait for graduation before you enlist or start the conversation with your recruiter.
“A high school junior, and senior, is able to join the Guard while still attending high school. There are some eligibility issues with that such as being on course to graduate at the end of your senior year. When you join, you typically sign up for six years of service. I know what you’re thinking, that sounds like a long time, but you must remember the Guard is only part time service, plus, as a junior in high school you have approximately two years of school left. The student graduates, goes to college with the Guard’s 100 percent paid college tuition waiver for minimum of four years all while serving their six-year obligation. Now they graduated college debt free,” said SSG Rogers.
SSG Rogers currently covers Achille, Antlers, Atoka, Bennington, Boswell, Caddo, Caney, Colbert, Durant, Kingston, Rock Creek, Silo, Soper, and Tushka high schools in Southern Oklahoma. His office is located at 99 Waldron Road, Durant, OK. You can reach him by phone at 940-626-9616.
