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MILITARY LEGACY SPOTLIGHT: The Rhodes Family

Jeff Rhodes 1

U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs / Nov. 8, 2017

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Note: This week we are highlighting permanent party, cadets and family members whose families have served in the U.S. military for more than three generations.

Meet Jeff Rhodes, 10th Air Base Wing Communications Squadron

Jeffrey Rhodes was the top graduate in the Academy Class of 1987 and served on active duty until 1992. He returned to Civil Service in 2015 as a Senior IT Specialist here at the Academy. An interesting article was posted in the Los Angeles Times about him and his classmate Hoang Tran: http://articles.latimes.com/1987-06-10/news/vw-3530_1_u-s-air-force-academy

Wife: Sue A. Rhodes was in the Academy class of 1988. She served on active duty until 1996 including positions as the executive officer at the USAFA Prep School and chief of military personnel for the Academy. She returned to Civil Service in 2014 and currently works as a Human Resources Specialist for USAFA Civilian Personnel.

Rhodes Dad grandpa

Father: Brig. Gen. James M. Rhodes, Jr. His father was in the first class at the Academy, did two tours in Vietnam, was a test pilot (winning the David C. Schilling Trophy in 1970), and is buried in the USAFA cemetery. His biography can be read here: http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105813/brigadier-general-james-m-rhodes-jr/

Grandfather: Lt. Col. James M. Rhodes, III. grandfather served in the Army Air Corps and then the Air Force. He retired in the 1960’s. He was not a pilot, but fought in World War II.

Top Photos
(Left) Hal Rhodes (USAFA ’62), Jeff Rhodes (USAFA ’87), and Brig Gen James Rhodes (USAFA ’59).

(Center) Sue (Stallman) Rhodes (USAFA ’88) and Jeff Rhodes (USAFA ’87)

(Right) Jeff Rhodes (USAFA ’87) and Brigadier General James Rhodes (USAFA ’59) at the Class of 1987 graduation. Photo from a Gazette article.

Bottom Photos

(Left) Hal Rhodes (USAFA ’62) and James Rhodes (USAFA ’59)

(Center) Capt James Rhodes (USAFA ’59) flying NF-104 as a test pilot at Edwards AFB

(Right) Grandfather retired Lt. Col. James H. Rhodes and wife