Writer / Natalie Platt
Photography Provided
On Veterans Day, the nation comes together to honor and celebrate the unwavering dedication of those who have served in our Armed Forces. It’s a day to reflect on the profound impact these veterans have had on our country and our lives, each with a unique tale of service, sacrifice and the enduring strength of the veteran community.
Jason Rodarmel grew up south of Dayton, Indiana, and attended Tippecanoe County schools including Dayton Elementary School, Wainwright Middle School and McCutcheon High School. After graduating from high school, and working first at a lumber yard for several months and then TRW Automotive in Lafayette, Rodarmel decided to take a military leave of absence from TRW to enlist in the United States Air Force at the end of 1990.
He spent basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. After completing basic training, Rodarmel left for Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois, for training as an aerospace ground equipment mechanic. He learned to maintain and repair all of the support equipment of the aircraft, and spent his first duty assignment at Royal Air Force Upper Heyford located in Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom, where he also went on to meet his wife of 30 years, Toni.
Rodarmel headed to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas in 1993, where he completed his enlistment and was honorably discharged. He says serving in the Air Force taught him how to be a responsible adult while seeing different parts of the world, including experiencing English culture through his wife, a native of Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire.
After leaving the Air Force, Rodarmel returned to work at TRW, where he spent time as a production worker and completed an apprenticeship as a machine repairman. He also spent several years in supervision. In 2017 Rodarmel started working at Stellantis (then Chrysler). He initially worked at the Indiana Transmission Plant and transferred to the Kokomo Engine Plant, where he currently works as a machine repairman.
Today, the couple has three daughters, Fallon, Madison and Aidan. Additionally, in early 2023 he began working with Greg Ludlow at 1st Chair String Repair in Mulberry, Indiana. Jason Rodarmel spends about three hours every weekday morning with Ludlow learning how to repair, set up and maintain stringed orchestral instruments. He says Ludlow and his wife, Janet, are wonderful people, and he is forever grateful for the knowledge and experience from them.
