Michael “Rod” Rodriguez is the President and CEO of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation. A passionate advocate for veterans, Rod served in the US Army Special Forces for over twenty years and deployed overseas ten times. Rod recently sat down with Mason Smith of the Learning from Leaders podcast to discuss his leadership journey from the battlefield to Capitol Hill.
Recognizing Those Who Serve
In his current role, Rod overseas the creation of a national memorial to those who have served in the Global War on Terrorism. Defined as a military campaign led by the United States to combat terrorism following the September 11th attacks, the conflict has occurred across multiple theaters in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It is also the first American war to span more than a single generation. This aspect of the conflict is especially personal for Rod: his eldest son completed a deployment in the Helman Province of Afghanistan, a place both Rod and his former wife Kelly served years earlier.
The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation works to build a space that both provides education about the war and recognizes the service of veterans in the ongoing conflict. Despite the organization’s noble mission, making the memorial a reality has been a challenge. Firstly, the foundation needed an exemption from a federal law that prevents the construction of a national war memorial until ten years after the conflict has ended. After securing this exemption, the foundation required approval to build the memorial on the National Mall, which was closed to new projects in 2003. Rod became President and CEO of the foundation in 2018 and dedicated himself to crafting and securing support for a bill that would allow the memorial to be built on the Mall. Though he was told by many that this was an impossible goal, Rod persisted because veterans believed the Mall was the right location for the memorial. After two-and-a-half years of conversations and advocacy on Capitol Hill, the foundation was granted authorization to build on the Mall when President Biden signed the bill into law. Currently, the project is scheduled to break ground in 2026 and finish in 2028.
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Lessons in Leadership from Michael Rodriguez
Michael Rodriguez learned his first major lesson in leadership in 1993 while in Somalia on his first deployment. At the time, the country was suffering a famine, and as a member of the 10th Mountain Division, he helped transport rice to food distribution sites. During one mission, Rod and his team drew enemy fire. Looking to his team leader for direction, Rod spotted him hiding under their vehicle and immediately felt fearful. This experience led him to conclude that “leadership is contagious.”
As he continued to serve, he learned about something else that is contagious: humor. In combat situations, humor helps to refocus attention and diffuse tension. To Rod, humor also serves as a reminder of one’s humanity. It is a strategy that he continues to employ through his work at the foundation.
Rod notes how his leadership style “has become more empathetic and kind.” Coming from a combat environment, he was used to communicating loudly and directly and viewed situations through a black-and-white lens. As he states, “I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t always the nicest guy.” With time, Rod has embraced a “less is more” approach that relies on more effective communication. Further, he has learned to be vulnerable to better understand those he’s leading.
Embracing Mental Health
Following his time in the Army, Rod sought treatment for brain injuries at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. While there, he received several diagnoses stemming from combat and training injuries. Rod recounts how he took these many diagnoses in stride until a doctor told him he had severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. At the time, Rod believed he was too strong to suffer from mental illness. However, with the encouragement of a former boss, he enrolled in an inpatient treatment center in Denton, Texas, to address his alcohol dependency and mental health.
Today, Rod is open about his mental health journey and no longer feels ashamed. As he states, “mental health isn’t…just a veteran issue, it’s a human issue.” When it comes to the memorial, his “goal is to make this entire nation take a knee for a minute” in recognition of those who have served in the Global War on Terrorism. He hopes that the memorial will convey to veterans just how valued they are, especially given high suicide rates among vets. With increasing societal openness around mental health, Rod hopes to see this statistic decrease drastically over time.
“Just do more.”
Michael Rodriguez
Doing ‘More’
One piece of advice that has guided Rod for years came from his father, a Vietnam veteran. When Rod joined the military at 17, his father told him, “Mijo, you’re going to be asked to do things…just do more.” Though it took him ten years to understand his father’s words, they have defined his leadership style to this day. To him, “doing more” means connecting with individuals as people, and operating with empathy and kindness. It has inspired him to work not for himself, but on behalf of all veterans. As he states, “I always say, ‘I know who I work for.’ It’s not my memorial. I’m just the gentleman trying to take it forward.”
