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He joined the Navy in July 1968 and was commissioned an Ensign, USNR in Apr 1969 upon completion of Officer Candidate School. In July 1971, he was redesignated as a Training and Administration of Reserves (TAR) officer. Captain Roach's initial tour of duty was as a Tactical/Forward Air Controller with TACRON 12. He completed two deployments to Vietnam aboard USS VALLEY FORGE (LPH-8), USS NEW ORLEANS (LPH-11) and USS IWO JIMA (LPH-2) participating in amphibious operations in South Vietnam and Cambodia. Subsequent sea tours included Navigator, USS CALOOSAHATCHEE (AO-98); First Lieutenant, USS INDEPENDENCE (CV-62), where he participated in PLO evacuation operations in Beirut; and, Executive Officer, Special Boat Unit Eleven, where he led patrol and minesweeping forces in response to a terrorist threat to mine the Sacramento River deep draft ship channel. Shore duty assignments have all been in reserve management billets and include Assistant Director of Naval Reserve Manpower and Recruiting, THIRD Naval District, Brooklyn, NY, where he performed additional duties as an escort officer for returning Prisoners of War; Commanding Officer, Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Wheeling, WV and, concurrently, Officer in Charge, Naval Reserve Training Facility, Fairmont, WV; Director of Training, Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region FIVE, Ravenna, OH; Atlantic Representative, Commander, Naval Surface Reserve Force, Norfolk, VA; Commanding Officer, Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Readiness Center Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA; and Commanding Officer, Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Readiness Center, Norfolk, VA, the second largest reserve center in the nation with a drilling population in excess of 3,000 Naval Reservists. Captain Roach's final tour of duty was as Deputy Commander, Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region THIRTEEN, Great Lakes, IL. He retired from active duty on 1 September 1997. Captain Roach has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal, Navy "E" Ribbon, Navy Expeditionary Medal (with 1 bronze star), National Defense Service Medal (with 1 bronze star), Vietnam Service Medal (with 4 bronze stars), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with 1 bronze star), Naval Reserve Sea Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantly Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Expert Pistol Shot Medal. He has also been awarded the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross and New York State Conspicuous Service Star. Since retirement from active duty, Captain Roach has since retired
as an educational administrator at SUNY College of Brockport and the Gates
Chili Central School District. He was elected Town Supervisor for
the Town of Hamlin in 2005 and served until 2010 in that capacity.
Captain Roach resides in Fredonia, NY. He has two grown children,
Dianna and John. Dianna, a former Navy Lieutenant, resides with her
husband, retired Navy Commander David McDowell, and sons Benjamin and Thomas
in Virginia Beach, VA. John and his wife, Chrissy, reside with sons
Jack and Daniel in Macedon, NY.
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