Veteran Spotlight – Eric Vogelbacher

By Roger Glenn (Colonel, United States Army - retired)

his is the lake issue of the Laurel, so I thought it would be appropriate to feature a veteran who spent his career focused on the maritime domain, that being Captain (retired) Eric Vogelbacher. Many know him as the GOAL tax credit scholarship coordinator and Philanthropy Officer of our beloved Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, but prior to that he served for 26 years as a commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard (USCG), plus four as a cadet. He retired in 2015.

‘The call’ as we often refer to it came to him while he was a student in high school in Southern California. There was something attractive to him about the Coast Guard and the many important missions it conducts everyday, so he was thrilled to be accepted into the USCG Academy in New London, Connecticut, where he graduated in the Class of 1989. The USCG is a branch of the United States Armed Forces, albeit reporting to the Department of Homeland Security (previous to the Homeland Security Act of 2002 it was the Department of Transportation) rather than the Department of Defense. Just a quick aside- in the course of my own career I have sometimes heard people speak of members of the USCG as a ‘lesser’ branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, but let me tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. They have a diverse and challenging mission set, and are every bit as vital to the defense of our nation as any of the other five branches and deserve every bit of credit imaginable. If you’re not familiar with its mission as a branch of the military, first responder, law enforcement agency, and maritime regulator, I strongly encourage you to do some basic research on how integral the USCG is to our national security.

Capt. Vogelbacher began his career in Panama City, Florida, as a deck watch officer working on the bridge of a ship and then was Commanding Officer of a navigation station in Japan. Next, Eric’s career literally took flight when he graduated from Naval Flight Training as a helicopter pilot. He flew the H-65 Dolphin, a short range rotary-wing aircraft which could land on ships. His aviation assignments after flight school included Savannah,

Georgia; Kodiak, Alaska; and Port Angeles, Washington. When he wasn’t flying, he completed his Masters in Business Administration from Purdue University, which helped him manage national and regional programs in Washington DC and Cleveland, Ohio.

When reflecting on his career, he readily refers to it as an honor in the service of the American people, “wearing the cloth of our nation” and fondly remembers first responder operations like flying in hurricanes, search & rescue missions, drug interdiction, and arresting violators of American sovereignty in our territorial waters. During his time at US Southern Command, he helped with operations throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean, including the US military response to the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

After completing his service at his last duty station in the Great Lakes, he attended a homecoming at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School with his wife, Lynne (also an Army Veteran), who had boarded there for high school, and their four children. They were all amazed by the school’s excellent programs and diverse enrollment (students from nearly 60 countries), so they prayed about moving to Rabun County. He liked the idea of working at Rabun Gap and being part of the school’s mission of creating opportunities in education for youth. When the children (Max, Dominic, Stella & Lucy) were accepted into the school, a job there opened up, they found a house nearby, and figured it must be God’s will. He gives effusive praise to his wife and children for their resiliency and support during his career. Eric’s story is a legacy of service. He sees his mission for youth at RGNS as a continuation of his service to others. He is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol (the US Air Force Auxiliary) and commands the local squadron, which meets in Mountain City. In addition to helping cadets develop into leaders and train for search and rescue, he is working to stand up a color guard and honor guard to support local events (pending some fund-raising). You would be hard pressed to find a better man, or one more intent on giving back to the community. So unassuming and humble, yet so utterly reflective of the spirit that is Rabun County.