Desert Rat Testament

U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground
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Desert Rat Testament is a monthly anthology that collects the stories and recollections of retired U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground employees of decades-long service.

  1. Jun 11

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 38

    Host Mark Schauer talks with Col. John Nelson, a tanker and former product manager for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle who served as commander of U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground from June 29, 2023 to June 11, 2026. Nelson followed his service at Yuma Proving Ground by assuming command of White Sands Missile Range, a fellow Army Test and Evaluation Command subordinate.

  2. 12/18/2025

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 37

    Host Mark Schauer talks with Jerry Mayer, who grew up as an Army brat but served in the Navy from 1965 to 1986. He worked as a civilian at Naval Air Facility El Centro for 13 years before working at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground from 2009 to 2021.

  3. 09/08/2025

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 36

    Host Mark Schauer talks with Lt. Col. (ret.) Robert Rutledge, a retired Marine who served in the infantry from 1968 to 1970 and as an officer from 1975 to 2002. A Vietnam Veteran and Purple Heart recipient, after retiring from active duty he was a civilian pilot at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground from 2002 to 2015. He has spent decades volunteering with local community groups such as the Caballeros de Yuma.

  4. 07/30/2025

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 35

    Host Mark Schauer talks with Chief Warrant Officer 4 (ret.) Jay Stokes, a Green Beret who served in uniform from 1974 to 1998 and was instrumental in relocating the U.S. Military Freefall School to Yuma Proving Ground in the 1990s. In retirement, he set the world record for most parachute jumps in 24 hours in 2006. A former president of the U.S. Parachute Association, he was inducted into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame in 2018.

  5. 07/02/2025

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 34

    Host Mark Schauer talks with Gary Magrino, who while on active duty served as transportation officer for U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground from 1982 to 1985. He and his wife loved the Yuma community so much they stayed in town, where he became prominent in the local business community. He founded the Greater Yuma Port Authority and today serves as Business Development Officer for the Cocopah Tribe.

  6. 06/04/2025

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 33

    Host Mark Schauer talks with Darin Meeks, who after retiring as an Army 1st Sgt. worked as a geodetics technician at Yuma Proving Ground from 2005 until his retirement in 2025. Raised in Yuma County and widely known in the community, for 13 years of his 22-year active-duty career he was an Army and Army National Guard recruiter in Yuma.

  7. 05/07/2025

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 32

    Host Mark Schauer talks with New York native Ron Basolet. After a 26-year active-duty career in the United States Marine Corps, Basolet brought his decades of experience in logistics to U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground's Combat Automotive Systems Division in 2006, at the height of the surge in Iraq. He retired in 2020 after a combined 40 years of service.

  8. 04/08/2025

    Desert Rat Testament, Episode 31

    Host Mark Schauer talks with Sgt. Maj. (ret.) Ronald Rodriguez, the son of a career Army veteran who served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. After a career as a Military Policeman, Rodriguez served for more than 20 years overseeing Yuma Proving Ground's Emergency Services and Emergency Management functions. He retired in March 2025 after a combined 46 years of service.

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About

Desert Rat Testament is a monthly anthology that collects the stories and recollections of retired U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground employees of decades-long service.

Information

  • Creator
    U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © DVIDSHub.net
  • Show Website
    Desert Rat Testament