Lino Roldan and Pedro Serrano met three years ago at a neighbor’s home while sharing a meal of Puerto Rican food, a cuisine representing the place they both grew up. They learned they were both veterans and also had a shared love of Volkswagen Beetles.They each currently own 1966 models, with Roldan’s being red and Serrano’s being blue.
I spoke with them at a car show in Tulsa where their classic cars stood side by side, showing off the pride they care for them with to preserve their nostalgic status.
Prior to their first meeting Serrano had not attended a car show, however Roldan encouraged him to do so and at his first show he won his first award: The Top 2 in class!
Roldan and Serrano are both career veterans that were raised in Puerto Rico. They are also bilingual which they used during
their time in service. Roldan worked for the Red Cross at the Armed Forces Emergency Center at Fort Sill service members who had been injured or killed.
Serranno served ten years in Panama and half of his career in Latin America supporting military missions, including the take down of General Manuel Noriega during Operation Just Cause in 1989.
Roldan was drafted in 1969 serving one year in Vietnam with the 25th ID and 173rd Airborne. He left service in 1971 and then
re-enlisted in 1978. He spent time in Italy and Germany and served during Desert Storm, retiring in 1995 as a Sergeant First Class. His father served in the National Guard from his native Puerto Rico, however his inspiration to serve in the military came from an uncle who was a POW during the Korean conflict. After his retirement he worked as a Brigade Family Coordinator at Fort Sill. In addition to his love for VW’s, Roldan is a digital creator and has hosted a radio show since 1991. His bilingual show highlights Hispanic culture and his love of latin music.
On a quarterly basis, the show focuses on veterans issues with “veteran to veteran” talk for two hours, fielding questions related
to service and benefits.
Serrano retired from the Air Force as a Master Sergeant after serving from 1981 to 2001. He was the first person in his family to join the military. His son followed in his footsteps serving in the Army. In the military he worked in communications and transferred those skills into his civilian career working for defense contractors on VIP and executive fleets, including Air Force One. He ended up in Tulsa because of the oil and gas industry where he retired as a Chief Information Security Officer.
Serrano’s love of VW’s started in his youth. He learned how to drive in a 1964 four-on-the floor model and owned a 1969 in his college years.
Roldan’s love for them started before he deployed to Vietnam. His father had a 1967 which is how he learned to work on them. After leaving the Army in 1971, he attended school as a tool and die maker and then bought a VW van. He had his own welding shop at home and started working on them regularly.
While serving in Italy and Germany he bought and sold them as a hobby. He says working on VW’s is easy and has helped him with his PTSD. Serrano agrees that it is a form of therapy for both of them.
Because they are neighbors, they get together often to work on their VW’s and naturally talk about veteran issues.
Both gentlemen are regular volunteers at the Tulsa VA, greeting and directing veterans.
Serrano suggests if you have a friend that served in the military and is not registered with the VA, take them with you next time you go. He recalls doing this with a friend a number of years ago – someone who felt hopeless and had not registered. He was eventually approved for 100 percent service connection and went on to start Vet Chat, a veteran support network rooted in faith and fellowship that has helped and/or saved hundreds of veterans by providing support and resources. Roldan states the basis for what he does for veterans is rooted in following Christ; never saying no or impossible, recognizing there are no closed doors and helping others.
These two gentlemen stand side by side at car shows and in helping veterans, selflessly giving back in the name of brotherhood and service.
You can listen to Roldan’s radio show at www.brisatropical.com
•by Jill Stephenson, staff writer
