operations center. However, during his deployment in Iraq, VanArsdall watched the Apache helicopters flying overhead and inquired about helicopter flight training.
Local Veteran Robert VanArsdall Reflects on Worldwide Military Experiences Writer / Kara Kavensky Photographer / Michael Durr Additional Photography Provided
lying Apache helicopters was not the first job Rob VanArsdall had in mind when he joined the US Army in 2004. VanArsdall was a special electronic device repairer and worked at his battalion level S6 shop. He maintained computer networking and automation throughout the battalion and supported the companies below it. His responsibilities included establishing radio communications, setting up mobile phones and maintaining the tactical
Transitioning from what was essentially an information technology (IT) department to becoming an aviator was an involved process, but kept him stateside for a while. Upon completion of his deployment to Iraq, VanArsdall and his family moved from Fort Durham, New York, to Alabama. VanArsdall attended Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker - often referred to as Mother Rucker. He graduated approximately a year and a half later. The next leg of the VanArsdall family adventures took them to South Korea for three years. “It was quite the whirlwind,” says VanArsdall, who was deployed to Iraq a mere two months after enlisting. “My wife Chrystal has been incredible along this journey.” While in Korea, the VanArsdall family took advantage of their location and went to Hong Kong Disneyland and Guam for vacations. They also visited various locations around South Korea, including an indoor theme park and the beaches of Busan. While in South Korea, VanArsdall spent much of his time in Apache helicopter training with the Republic of Korea Army, also known as ROK. VanArsdall and his copilot served as escorts, mainly to Black Hawk helicopters, in addition to joint training with the US Air Force and ROK. After the deployment to Korea, the VanArsdall family moved to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which was their final military destination. It was then time to move back home to Indianapolis, and VanArsdall and Chrystal weighed their options. “Even though I had over one thousand flight hours, a lot of aviation companies want at least twenty-five hundred,” VanArsdall says. “I had extensive IT experiences, so I looked around and was happy with an offer from Defenders.”
10 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / MAY 2020 / atBRip.com
