Rommel George Meza

CWO4 (Ret) Rommel George Meza, 65, of North Prince George, VA, died December 17, 2023. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, CA. He was a loving husband and father who also devoted many hours volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America - where he was chosen for Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow. He also served as a member of the Parents Council at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) where his son Glen is a current Cadet. He earned a BS in Liberal Arts from Excelsior College and was most recently named CEO of Golden West Humanitarian Foundation.

Mr. Meza was a career Navy man, serving our country for 29 years. He enlisted in 1980 and attended recruit training in San Diego. Following basic and apprenticeship training, he was stationed onboard the USS HOLLAND (AS-32) in Holy Loch, Scotland and then cross-decked onboard the USS HUNLEY (AS-31). He qualified as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Assistant in 1984 at the EODGROUP ONE Detachment - Yokosuka, Japan - where he conducted multiple deployments aboard the USS MIDWAY (CV-41). In 1987, he qualified as an EOD Technician (Class 5B-87) and was stationed at EODMU THREE NAB Coronado, CA. He served on the Mine Counter Measures (MCM) Detachment 51 and deployed to the Persian Gulf where he provided MCM support to ASU Bahrain. Upon return, he was assigned to the Operations Department. In 1991, he transferred to EODMU TWO Detachment Yorktown as Leading Petty Officer. In 1994, he was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, D.C. as the Enlisted Community Manager where he successfully pushed through vital career support programs that impacted the careers and lives of every EOD, SEAL, Diver, and Special Warfare Combat Crewman in the United States Navy. In 1996, he was assigned to EODMU EIGHT Sigonella, Italy where he served as the Leading Chief Petty Officer of Detachment TWO. There he took his team through numerous European and NATO exercises as well as deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation JOINT GUARD. Due to his performance and leadership, Mr. Meza was selected for the Navy EOD community's Chief Warrant Officer Program. In 1998, he went back to EODMU THREE NAB Coronado, first serving as the Office In Charge of MCM Detachment ELEVEN that deployed to the Adriatic Sea onboard the USS INCHON (MCS-12). His team conducted Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection missions through Albania in support of Operation SHINING HOPE. Upon return, he was assigned as the command Training Officer. He reported back to EODMU EIGHT Sigonella, home of the "THUNDERSTEALERS" in 2000 where he served as the Readiness & Training Officer. He was responsible for the preparedness of Detachments including Rota and Bahrain while preparing teams to deploy to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany, Afghanistan, and Iraq in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. Next, he reported to EODMU EIGHT Detachment Rota, Spain where he served as the Officer In Charge. His team conducted EOD and Force Protection Missions in support of COMSIXTHFLT and Naval Station Rota. In 2005, he transferred to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico where he served as both the Explosive Test Safety Officer and the Branch Chief to the Counter WMD Test and Technology Division. He was responsible for the safety during a variety of unique large and small scale explosive tests throughout White Sands Missile Range, Kirtland AFB and Nevada Test Site. In 2008, he reported to his last active duty station, U. S. Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD), at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where he served as the Curriculum Instructional Standards Office (CISO) Department Head.

Some of his personal decorations include 1991 Sailor of the Year for U. S. Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, VA, Joint Service Meritorious Medal (2), Defense Meritorious Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (7), Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (4), Good Conduct Medal (4) and numerous unit and campaign medals to include 5 Battle "E's" (Efficiency) Awards.

After retirement from the Navy in July 2009, he worked as the U. S. Army EOD Directorate Strategic Planner Advisor then the Humanitarian Demining Training Center (HDTC) EOD Physical Security Stockpile Management (PSSM) Program Analyst before being named CEO of Golden West Humanitarian Foundation in 2023.

One of the things Mr. Meza enjoyed most was spending time with his wonderful family. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, the former Kimberly Lynn Langley, of Lucama, North Carolina; and his two sons, Rommel Glen, and Kevin Langley; mother, Maria Macias, and siblings, Rudy Baca (Dolores), of Temecula, CA, Roland Meza, of Bellflower, CA, and Debbie Meza, of Menifee, CA; as well as several cousins, nieces, and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father, George Meza.

Visitation will be on Friday, January 5, 2024, from 6 pm until 8 pm, at J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home, 103 S Adams Street, Petersburg, VA. A funeral service will be conducted on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at 11 am, at Christ & Grace Episcopal Church, 1545 S Sycamore Street, Petersburg, VA. Interment will be held at later date, at Arlington National Cemetery.

If you are interested in the funeral service, but unable to attend - it will be live streamed. You can click into the Church's YouTube channel a few minutes before 11 am, on Saturday, January 6, 2023, and you can watch the service as it happens.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ChristGraceEpiscopalChurchPetersburgVA

The family kindly requests no flowers. Donations may be made in memory of Mr. Meza to The Boulder Crest Foundation - the home of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG), who offers life changing programs free of charge to members of the military, veterans and first responder communities, and their families. A direct link is below.
https://support.bouldercrest.org/Rommel_G_Meza_Memorial_Donation

Or to the EOD Warrior Foundation. The EOD Warrior Foundation (EODWF) serves the EOD community by providing financial assistance and support to Active-Duty, Reserve and National Guard, Retired and Veteran EOD technicians and their families. Their direct link is below.
http://weblink.donorperfect.com/Meza