Rodney is born in Rowan County, NC.  He attended South Rowan High School and was All County and All Conference football,  state finalist in wrestling, and was state track champion in the sprints, being the first ever to run 100 yds in under 10 seconds(9.9) in Rowan County. He later attended college on a football and track scholarship and voted Most Valuable Track.  He entered into the Army in January 1970. After running a near perfect score on the Army’s physical endurance testing, he was recruited to attend the 12 week Army Infantry School Non-commissioned Officer Candidate Course at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Upon graduation from NCOC, he was assigned as a platoon sergeant with the 1st Cavalry Division and led a squad of 6 or 10 men on search and destroy missions in the deepest part of the South Vietnam jungle in war zone D.  During his first week in combat, Rodney earned the Combat Infantry Badge. He later earned the Army Commendation Medal, and two prestigious Bronze Stars, Valor and Meritorious. Most battles with the VC or NVA were within 25 yards in thick jungle and often outnumbered. He returned home in October, 1971

On request, he speaks to groups on behalf of all the veterans. He volunteers as a local and state veteran advocate and helps many veterans with their VA claims and provides guidance.  He and Millie are also involved in cat rescue and has personally trapped, spay or neutered 44 feral cats, at their own expense and returned them to the wild in an effort of decrease the cat population. He provides cat food to needy families and animal rescue non profits. A founding member of Faithful Friends No-Kill Animal Shelter, he raised the donation of 10 acres of land for the shelter. Rodney is a former Lt. with Rowan County Sheriff Dept and has been a sworn deputy with 50 years of full and reserve time service. He has been involved in numerous fundraisers for veterans

Rodney has an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and another in Business Administration. He is past Vice-Chairman of Rowan County Housing Authority. Past adviser to the Board of Faithful Friends No Kill Animal Shelter. He served 3 years on Rowan Cabarrus Community College Law Enforcement Advisory Committee.  Paul E. Harris Rotary Award,  Life Member of the DAV and past Senior Vice Commander Chapter 96 and a founding member.  Received the 2011 Governor's Award for Volunteer Service helping with veterans and animal welfare. Received the 2011 Humane Society Susan J. Gloeckler Memorial Award for animal welfare. Received 2011 Certificate of Recognition by Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.  Received 2011 Certificate of Appreciation by Soldier's Angels for military donations.  Received 2007 Certificate of Appreciation from North Carolina National Guard Family Readiness Program.  Received 2009 Certificate of Appreciation Non-Commissioned Officer Class Memorial placed on the Walk of Honor at National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning

Received 2011 Barringer Award of Excellence from the North Carolina Society of Historians

Received the 2012 Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award for community and veteran service

2016 Senator Richard Burr's 9 member Veteran Coalition Committee 

Received 2016 NC Order of the Long Leaf Pine (state highest civilian honor) for 31 years of veteran advocacy

2021 Inducted into NC Military Veterans Hall of Fame

 Millie has served as President and Treasurer of Rowan Rotary, recipient of Distinguished Rotarian Award, Service Above Self Award and Paul E. Harris Fellow,  Past Chair and Treasurer of Rowan Chapter of Salvation Army, Board member of Salvation Army. Vice President and Treasure of Altrusa, Past Vice Chairman of Rowan Tourism, Vice Chair of Rowan County Rescue Squad board,  Past United Way Account Manager and Company Chair, Graduate of Leadership Rowan, past Executive Board member of Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, serves on Board of Directors of Salisbury-Rowan Home Builders Association, committee member Sales & Marketing Executives, board member Capstone Recovery Center and Ambassador for Chamber of Commerce. Millie was entered into the Congressional Record and her retirement read on the floor of Congress by Rep. Richard Hudson

Rodney is retired and Millie, a bank Vice President retired with 50 years service and a graduate of the North Carolina School of Banking. They have 2 married children and two granddaughters