U.S. Representative Greg Steube announced on May 9 the release of a new installment in his Veterans History Project Series, featuring an interview with Colonel Robert J.M. Gaddis, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer from Florida’s 17th District.
The project aims to honor the military service of local constituents and preserve their stories for future generations through recorded interviews. The latest interview highlights Colonel Gaddis’s more than 26 years of service in the United States Army and his continued support for U.S. Special Operations after retirement.
Gaddis was born and raised in Indian Hill, Ohio, and graduated from The Ohio State University in 1986 as a Distinguished Military Graduate through the ROTC program before being commissioned as an Infantry officer. He completed Airborne School, Ranger School, and Pathfinder training before serving with the 193d Infantry Brigade (Light) in Panama. His career included deployments throughout Central and South America—such as El Salvador, Peru, and Honduras—and leading infantry assaults during Operation Just Cause.
He later served with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and held leadership roles at U.S. Southern Command, at the U.S. Embassy in Senegal, and with U.S. Military Groups in Nicaragua and Ecuador overseeing security cooperation efforts across Latin America and the Caribbean region.
Colonel Gaddis received numerous honors including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, and Pathfinder Badge for his service to the country.
“I’m grateful to Colonel Robert Gaddis for his decades of service to our country in the United States Army,” said Rep. Greg Steube. “As a fellow Army veteran, I appreciate Colonel Gaddis’ leadership in combat operations and his continued commitment to protecting American interests abroad. His leadership and sacrifice should be an inspiring example for the future generations of Americans.”
The Office of Congressman Steube will submit this interview to the Veterans History Project—a Library of Congress initiative collecting oral histories from veterans—to help ensure these accounts are preserved as primary sources accessible by researchers or educators.
