Yeoman 2nd Class Rodrigo Ruiz-Guzman is a Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) Sailor assigned to Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command (CNRFC), where he wears many hats. He is President of the CNRFC Junior Enlisted Association (JEA), a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Victim Advocate (VA), and the executive officer for his Sailor 360 boat team. In addition to his collateral duties, his primary job is administration clerk, in which he manages documents and correspondence for Navy Reserve Centers (NRCs) and Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Commands (REDCOMs).
Ruiz-Guzman was taught the value of hard work from a young age.
“When I was a boy living in Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit, Mexico I would help my grandfather sell food and drinks at a stand by the side of the road,” said Ruiz-Guzman. “My grandfather showed me why hard work was important, and I learned a lot of life lessons from him as well.”
Despite his hard-charging attitude, Ruiz-Guzman says he did not always have the positive outlook that he does now. He moved the U.S. when he was 13 years old. After school, he worked various manual-labor jobs to support himself. He moved from job to job, each one leaving him feeling unfulfilled.- At age 29, he was working in a grain processing facility with a weigh station. One day, a Coast Guardsman came into weigh his household goods for a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move. The Coast Guardsman was must younger than Ruiz-Guzman, be he had just been promoted to E4, and he was in his dress uniform. He told Ruiz-Guzman that he was on his way to California to his next duty station. Ruiz-Guzman was impressed by the sharp uniform and the sense of purpose and achievement the Coast Guardsman seemed to have. That same day, he told his boss he was quitting to join the military.
“After I saw that Coast Guardsman, I walked right up to my boss and told him, ‘In the next three months I’m going to lose a lot of weight, and I’m going to quit this job and join the military’,” said Ruiz-Guzman.
That’s exactly what he did. Ruiz-Guzman improved his nutrition and began running, lifting weights, and taking Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Over the course of the next few months, he lost 60 pounds, and with the help of Navy Aviation Machinist’s Mate Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) Paul Goins, whom he met at the jiu-jitsu class, he joined the Navy as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate (AD).
“It was not easy, but once I decided that’s what I wanted, nothing was going to stop me,” said Ruiz-Guzman.
Ruiz Guzman says he enjoyed his time as an AD but was drawn to the Yeoman (YN) rating because of the opportunities available to him.
“Being on the admin side of the Navy is very eye-opening,” said Ruiz Guzman. “There are a lot of processes you don’t see when you’re not admin, and I’ve enjoyed learning about those processes.”
Ruiz Guzman is happy to be thriving in his current role at CNRFC, but he is determined not to become complacent. He is currently taking college classes so that eventually he can earn an officer’s commission.
“My next big goal is to commission,” said Ruiz Guzman. “College classes can be challenging, but I can take inspiration from my grandfather. He had no formal education, but he needed to be able to do math to run his store, so he taught himself.”
Ruiz-Guzman is looking forward to his next tour of duty in 2023 at REDCOM Fort Worth.
Rear Adm. Richard S. Lofgren serves as the Acting Chief of Navy Reserve and Acting Commander, Navy Reserve Force. In this role, he provides strategic leadership and oversight for Navy Reserve personnel and operations worldwide, supporting the readiness and integration of Reserve forces across the fleet. A Surface Warfare Officer, Rear Adm. Lofgren brings extensive operational and command experience across maritime expeditionary, coastal riverine, and surface warfare missions, including service in senior leadership roles supporting U.S. naval operations in multiple geographic combatant commands. His career reflects a sustained commitment to operational excellence, leadership development, and the effective employment of Navy Reserve forces in support of national security objectives.
Rear Adm. Luke Frost is a Surface Warfare Officer with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across the fleet. He has served in senior command roles at sea and ashore, including command of major surface combatants and amphibious forces operating throughout the Central Command and Indo-Pacific areas of responsibility. As a Flag Officer, Rear Adm. Frost served as Director, Reserve Warfare (OPNAV N0959) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, where he provided oversight and strategic guidance for Reserve force integration and readiness. His career reflects a deep commitment to warfighting excellence, joint operations, and the effective employment of naval forces in support of U.S. national security objectives.
Rear Admiral John Saccomando is a Naval Aviator with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across both active and reserve components. He has served in multiple senior command and flag assignments supporting naval aviation, expeditionary operations, and installation readiness, including leadership roles within U.S. Fleet Forces and Naval Air Forces Atlantic. A combat-experienced aviator, Rear Adm. Saccomando brings deep expertise in joint operations, force integration, and operational readiness, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing naval capabilities and supporting U.S. national security objectives worldwide.
Rear Adm. Greg Emery is a Navy Reserve flag officer with extensive leadership experience across naval oceanography, intelligence, and information warfare. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he has served in a wide range of operational, command, and staff assignments supporting global naval and joint operations, including senior leadership roles within Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Rear Adm. Emery brings deep expertise in intelligence integration, operational support, and information warfare, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing decision advantage and mission readiness across the fleet.
Force Master Chief Nicole C. Rios serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Navy Reserve, advising on the readiness, welfare, and professional development of approximately 59,000 Reserve Component Sailors supporting Navy, Marine Corps, and joint operations worldwide. A seasoned Command Master Chief, she brings extensive experience across aviation, expeditionary, and information warfare communities, with senior enlisted leadership assignments at the unit, regional, and force levels. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to Sailor advocacy, operational readiness, and the effective integration of Navy Reserve forces in support of national defense objectives.
Command Master Chief Lyons brings extensive operational and shore-based leadership experience across aviation, logistics, manpower, and readiness organizations within the Navy Reserve enterprise. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2016, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at Navy Operational Support Center Pearl Harbor, Navy Personnel Command, Maritime Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command. An Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is recognized for sustained excellence in leadership and readiness, earning multiple personal, joint, and unit awards throughout his career.
Command Master Chief Louvier enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1997 and brings extensive aviation maintenance and readiness leadership experience across multiple Fleet Logistics, Strike Fighter, Helicopter, and Reserve aviation commands. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2015, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at VR-56, Commander, Tactical Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Reserve Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve. An Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy and multiple executive leadership programs and has earned numerous personal and unit awards for sustained excellence in leadership and mission readiness.
Master Chief Jerry E. Dotson was born in Garden Grove, California, and raised in Sacramento. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 29, 2002, and completed recruit training and Electrician’s Mate “A” School in Great Lakes, Illinois. His career spans operational, reserve, aviation, and senior enlisted leadership assignments, and he currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve.