Not Your Father’s Coast Guard is the name of the book dedicated to those Coast Guard members who took on difficult challenges and did unique things to counter the scourge of illegal drugs coming through the maritime domain. One key character in that book is Lt. Cmdr. Jose Luis “Joe” Rodriguez, U.S Coast Guard retired. Rodriguez was a pioneer in the tactical law enforcement field (now called Deployable Specialized Forces) of the United States Coast Guard.
Growing up in Long Island, New York, Rodriguez’s penchant for adventure destined him for a unique and distinguished career. He enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1980 and, in 1987, graduated from the Coast Guard’s rescue swimmer raining program. He was designated Rescue Swimmer #82. Consistently excelling, he eventually became a highly regarded instructor for future generations of maritime heroes.
Always desiring for challenges and patriotically seeking to continue to serve his great nation, Rodriguez attended Coast Guard Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an Ensign in 1990. His fluency in Spanish and aptitude for high risk-missions made him a perfect fit for the service’s Drug Interdiction Assist Team (DIAT). The DIAT operated on the front lines of the Coast Guard’s counter drug mission, with members often deployed to the most remote areas of South and Central America to discover, disrupt, and destroy illegal narcotics at the source.
In one remarkable case of many and in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Rodriguez led the tactical law enforcement specialists that comprised his DIAT through the rivers of Central America, resulting in one of the largest drug busts of its time. Throughout a particularly intense fire fight, he performed bravely under fire and, never forgetting the Coast Guard’s lifesaving ethos, provided critical aid to a wounded criminal ensuring his evacuation to medical care and eventually prison. He received a Meritorious Service Medal for this assignment and was recognized nationally on the television show, “Cops.”
Rodriguez’s unique skills and experiences led to an assignment with the United States Marine Corps during a period of joint cooperation with other branches of the military services. The Marine Corps had embarked on improving its riverine fighting capability and Joe was requested specifically for an assignment at the Riverine Training Unit, Special Operations Training Group (SOTG) that trained hundreds of war fighters. Again, displaying traits as a leader and warrior, as well as a top-notch performer, the U.S. Marine Corps bestowed upon him the honor of leading a United States Marine Corp unit within the schoolhouse. In doing so, Rodriguez became the first Coast Guardsman ever to command a Marine Corps unit. His work at the Marine Corps Riverine School remains a singular mark of distinction and further tied the two services together in their long-standing relationship.
Rodriguez’s professionalism and continued successes provided him unique and cutting-edge military training opportunities. Of note he graduated from Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance School, the Marine Corps Sniper School, and the U.S. Army’s Airborne Course. He was also a Black Belt in Shito Ryu karate, a Japanese fighting style developed in Okinawa.
Rodriguez’s “quiet warrior” personality became an invaluable commodity in the post-9/11 Coast Guard. His skills were quickly tapped to develop, commission, and command the East Coast’s first maritime anti-terrorism unit, Maritime Safety and Security Team 91102 in Chesapeake, Virginia. Rodriguez was the natural choice and became the “plank owner” commanding officer of Maritime Safety and Security Team 91102. His unit conducted over 35 missions, including deployments overseas, domestic port security, and hurricane relief.
His interagency, and intra-Coast Guard professionalism greatly enhanced the reputation of the Coast Guard as the premier maritime law enforcement agency in the Federal Government. He was a tireless proponent of Coast Guard tactical law enforcement and a subject matter expert on the Advanced Interdiction mission long before the service formally organized this capability.
During his distinguished career, in addition to being a “plank owner” of a specialized anti-terrorism unit, he also served as the assistant operations officer at Group Miami, assistant school chief at the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy and as a member of the staff at the Office of Counterterrorism at Coast Guard Headquarters. His operational commands included commanding officer of Tactical Law Enforcement Team South, and commanding officer of the Special Operations Training Group at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Rodriguez’s experience, skills, planning, and vision led to the transformation of MSST 91102 into the Special Response Team, eventually becoming the Maritime Security Response Team, the Coast Guard’s first counter-terrorism unit.
In 1996, he assumed command of TACLET South. In 1999, he became first Coast Guardsman of any kind to lead a U.S. Marine Corps unit, when he assumed command of the Riverine Training Center, Special Operations Training Group at Camp Lejeune. He earned the Gold Navy/Marine Corps jump wings and he was also the first ever commanding officer of MSST 91102, one of the first MSSTs commissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard.
In 2006, Rodriguez retired from the service as a lieutenant commander. Joe was an outstanding husband, father, and extraordinary citizen, serving his country as a member of the United States Coast Guard for over 20 years. He pioneered specialized operations and high-risk missions that continue to this day, bringing great credit to the service, rescuing those in peril, and protecting the Nation against the spectrum of domestic and foreign threats. To honor Rodriguez and his incredible contributions to the Coast Guard and the nation, in 2010 the Coast Guard’s Deployable Operations Group (DOG) named its Tactical Operator of the Year award after him.
After a courageous and inspiring battle with cancer, Joe Rodriguez passed away in 2010 and was interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. He is survived by a wife and two sons. Rodriguez left a legacy of excellence. His courageous and inspiring efforts made the Coast Guard better and our Nation safer. Semper Paratus-Semper Fidelis!
National Coast Guard Museum insider tip: Visitors to the National Coast Guard Museum will have the opportunity to learn more about the Coast Guard’s history of advanced counter narcotics operations in Deck 3’s Counter Drug Operations exhibit!