#734 Robert J Saunders Navy Veteran Interviewed by Dee Galvin; 9 Sep 2026

#734 Veteran Story — Robert J. Saunders | U.S. Navy Veteran | 9 Sep 2026 On this episode of The Lost Art Project: Veterans’ Voices, Historical Archivist Dee Galvin sits down with U.S. Navy Veteran Robert “Rob” J. Saunders to preserve the story of his military service and the life he built after leaving the Navy. Growing up in Ohio, Rob lived an active childhood and became heavily involved in Scouting, earning the rank of Eagle Scout at just 15 years old. After deciding college wasn't the right path for him at the time, he chose military service as an opportunity to gain training, experience, and potentially build a career. Rob entered the U.S. Navy in 1974, completing boot camp at Great Lakes, where an unexpected part of his experience was being selected for the Blue Jackets Choir. He originally enlisted under the Navy's nuclear power program and began electronics technician training before ultimately transitioning to the Operations Specialist rating, working with radar and radio navigation. His service took him aboard the USS Sylvania (AFS-2), homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, while the ship underwent overhaul in Newport News. Although Rob originally expected a six-year Navy career, circumstances surrounding his training resulted in an honorable discharge after approximately a year and seven or eight months of service. But Rob's story certainly didn't end with the Navy. He shares his transition back into civilian life, becoming an Emergency Medical Technician, working for private ambulance companies and serving on a fire department before moving into machining and eventually building a long career in quality control and quality management. That career ultimately took him around the world—including Japan, South Korea, China, and India—and eventually brought him to California. Throughout the conversation, Rob reflects on the lasting lessons he carried from military service: organization, preparation, punctuality, adaptability, and the importance of doing your research before signing on the dotted line. His advice to anyone considering military service is especially valuable: understand the job you're choosing, ask detailed questions, know the benefits available to you, and think about how the skills you gain will serve you when your military career eventually ends. And in Dee's rapid-fire questions, we learn a little more about Rob—including why he'd choose General George S. Patton as the military leader he'd want to be for a day and why a monkey might best describe part of his Navy experience. 🎙️ Historical Archivist: Dee Galvin 🇺🇸 Veteran: Robert J. Saunders ⚓ Branch: United States Navy 📅 Episode Date: 9 September 2026 🎧 Episode: #734 The Lost Art Project: Veterans’ Voices Collect • Preserve • Educate • Inspire Preserving Voices. Protecting Legacies.