MAJ Roland McDonald

Army | Signal Officer

Dates of Service: Sep 1982 - Sep 2002

VETERAN

88% Complete

16 Endorsements

40 Contacts

Influence Score: 212,927
483 out of 866,659 Veterans

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Commissioning Source: ROTC, Jul 1982

Recent Activity -

Bio

Have been in 48 countries of which some do not exist anymore and some I wish I have never been too. Have also been to 47 states. Family service goes back to American Revolution according to family bible. And just like LT Dan we have served in every war. Recent was grandfather in WWI, Father in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Me Cold war and Desert Storm, Daughter war on terror and her husband also.

Military Experiences

Jan 1992 - Sep 1992

Asst S-4/special assistant to BN Cmdr

63rd Signal BN, 11th Signal Brigade | Fort Eisenhower, GA

Asst S-4/special Asst to Battalion Commander. In charge of BN Relocation from 3 different locations in FRG to Fort Gordon, GA. Did all investigations and reports of surveys to account for any and all missing items lost or miss placed during the move. Had decided to go off active duty and take the separation pay for the Voluntary Separation Pay for the Draw Down of the Army. Decision was made as I had been a kid when the peace dividend happened after Vietnam and saw what happened. I knew deployments would still be the same and we would have less personnel to man those deployments. Wife and I had our first child after Gulf war and wanted to be home. So left Active to IRR and IMA Did a 2 week IMA at CECOM HQ, Ft Monmouth, NJ.

Jun 1991 - Jan 1992

S-4 BSB, Pirmasens, FRG

Pirmasens Base Support Battalion | Pirmasens, Germany

In charge of 140 Civilians and 8 soldiers. Oversaw the facilities at Husterhoeh Kaserne, Pirmasens, FRG. Travel section, maintenance section that handled civilian vehicle inspections, 59th ORD BDE commander officers Bullet proof BMW and Mercedes. Was only loaned to be the S-4 till 63rd Signal Battalion relocated back from FRG to Fort Gordon.

May 1990 - Jun 1991

HHC Company Commander

HHB, 63rd Signal Bn, 7th Signal Bde, 5th Sig Command USAREUR | Massweiler, FRG

HHC Commander at a remote site in Massweiler, FRG. In charge of 218 personnel. Responsible for their health and welfare. Deployed to Desert Shield/Storm from FRG shipping all vehicles by ship and flying by tactical aircraft to Theater of Operations. Supporting CENTCOM with the secure Message Switch for Hard Copy of authorization orders from president to Centcom commander. Signal PLt was Attached out to support other locations. Maintained and support Company personnel spread out from Central Saudi to Western Saudi to Kuwait and Iraq. Redeployed without loss of life or injury to new location in FRG.

Sep 1989 - May 1990

Installation Coordinator

63rd Signal Battalion, 7th SIG BDE, 5th SIG Cmd, USAREUR | Massweiler, FRG (cave complex)

Coordinated support for HHC and A Company, 63rd Signal Battalion located in a remote site in Massweiler, FRG. Oversaw the lounge, library barber shop. and a 20k Unit fund. Raised unit funds to provide for low cost trips for Soldiers. Such as 9 buses to Paris for 24 hours with soldiers and family members at an 8 dollar cost. Week long ski trip to Garmisch for only 50 dollars. Numerous other MWR trips and events.

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