Marine veteran Ronda Hobbs to speak at Coshocton Veterans Day Ceremony

Ronda Hobbs knew as a little girl she wanted to serve in the Marines. On Tuesday, Nov. 11 during the annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Court Square, she will share how being around veterans encouraged her to follow her dream.

“When I was a little girl, I was lucky to spend time with my granddad, who was a World War II Army veteran and was in the Battle of the Bulge,” Hobbs said. “His brother was in the Navy in Japan then too, and they included me in so many things with them.”

There were always veterans stopping by her grandparents’ house.

“I was inspired by all of them,” Hobbs said. “I liked anything to do with military — movies, television, books, you name it. I thought it was great.”

In addition to her grandpa and his brother, Hobbs had an uncle who was in Vietnam in the Air Force. She figured her family had the main military branches covered except for the Marines.

“My mom’s friend’s son had been over in Vietnam and was a Marine,” Hobbs said. “At 10 years old, I decided our family needed a Marine, and it was going to be me. I was really lucky that back then my grandparents and parents didn’t discourage me from doing what I wanted to do. They were all very supportive.”

Hobbs was raised in Coshocton, and after graduating from Coshocton High School in 1975, she went to Ohio State University.

“I had the chance to go to OSU because of scholarships and then go to the Marines,” she said. “My granddad was big on education and encouraged me to do that first.”

Hobbs joined the Marines in 1979 but did a lot of prep work before leaving for the service.

“My recruiter had a group and would have you come in on Saturdays, and he would run you,” she said. “At that time I was his only female. I told him I wanted to do the same as the guys. I wanted to know I could do more when things were tough. I prepared as much as I could ahead of time. Some days it was tough, but my recruiter working with me made a big difference.”

Hobbs spent her time in the service state-side in Virginia. She taught Marines how to shoot M16s and worked with them on hand-to-hand combat.

“I was in for just a little over four years,” she said. “Unfortunately, I got cancer and couldn’t stay in.”

Today she is 68 and married to Fred Hobbs, a Vietnam veteran who served with the Green Berets. Together they are active in several veterans groups including the Coshocton County Honor Guard.

“It’s time we get to spend together and feel like we are helping a family plus honoring that veteran one last time,” Hobbs said. “When my grandfather passed, the honor guard was there. There was something comforting about them being there and knowing they were honoring him one last time. It really helped.”

Her husband joined the honor guard almost two years ago, and she has been a member a little over a year.

“I’m the only female in right now, but we are trying to get more interested,” Hobbs said. “This is a way veterans can honor their brothers and sisters that served and pay respect to them. You will also be such a comfort to the family as well. The camaraderie of being together with other veterans also is very helpful.”

Hobbs will share more of her story during the Veterans Day Ceremony scheduled Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in front of the courthouse on Main Street in Coshocton. The annual ceremony is organized by the Coshocton County Veterans Council, the Coshocton County Veterans Service Commission and its office staff. Hobbs is the featured speaker, and local Blue Star Mothers President Sharon Burns is the guest speaker. The Walhonding Rube Band will provide patriotic music, Sam Scott will sing the "Armed Forces Medley," and taps will be played by Tim Vance and Jim Brown.

“I was honored when they asked me to talk,” Hobbs said. “As a little girl, we never missed going to Veterans Day and Memorial Day events.”

One message she hopes to share during the ceremony is to encourage people to help veterans in need.

“So many of them, especially those who were in combat, gave up so much of their lives for us,” Hobbs said. “I would like to encourage people to reach out and find ways they can volunteer to help veterans or make donations to groups. Even small donations can make a big difference.”

For more information on the Veterans Day Ceremony or ways to help veterans, call the Veterans Service Office at 740-622-2313 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.