Rod began his career in the United States Marine Corps in the Artillery but couldn’t resist the siren’s call of Recruiting. After dedicating 20 years to the Corps, he retired as a Master Sergeant. In 2005, he started HatnPatch and worked at VA Hospitals as a vendor. Years later, with some family help, he was able to reach many more customers by uploading the company's items on popular ecommerce marketplaces including Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and Walmart. Hat n' Patch has gone through many transitions over the years and is now strictly an online business providing items that help its customers promote their military units, express themselves, and support notable causes.