Meet Lt. Col. Koda Published Oct. 7, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Rachelle Elsea 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- From an amateur photographer, to a skilled tennis player, to a world class traveler, becoming a squadron commander was just another stepping stone upon his life path. Lieutenant Colonel Eric K. Koda, 325th Aeromedical Dental Squadron Commander was an only child, born at U.S. Army Garrison Mannheim, Germany. His father, an Army soldier, patrolled the stockades, while his mother was a middle school English teacher. His family, of Japanese descent, were born and raised in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. Colonel Koda said he lived in Hawaii a short while after his dad left the Army. When he was 3-years old, he moved with his parents to Corona, Calif., because of better job opportunities. However, he said he still visits family in Hawaii every couple of years. "My grandmother has lived in Pearl City for a million years," Colonel Koda said. "She saw Pearl Harbor as it happened; she could look out her window and see all the ships being bombed." He has since built a family of his own. He met his wife, Natalie, while stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. She served as an Aeromedical Evacuation Nurse and an Inspector General for 15 years on active duty, but has since become a stay-at-home mom. "When my kids start school, she will probably return to the nursing field," Lt. Col. Koda said. Colonel Koda and his wife have been married seven years and have two adopted children. Their two-year-old son, Nathaniel, was adopted from the United States, while their 4-year-old daughter, Alana, was adopted from Kazakhstan. "We were a little older when we got married," Lt. Col. Koda said. "My wife has always wanted to adopt." As a hobby, Colonel Koda enjoys spending time taking photographs. He said he began showing interest in photography at a young age. Growing up, his father had the back of his childhood-home garage set up as a dark room. He has taken pictures at weddings and even entered a couple competitions. "I won two USAFE (United States Air Force Europe) contests with my photography," Colonel Koda said. "They were both travel photos. One was of the Parthenon in Greece and the other was of the middle of nowhere in Thailand." In high school, Colonel Koda participated in many sports to include football, basketball and tennis, but tennis is what got him a scholarship to the Air Force Academy. "It's interesting how I ended up in the Air Force," Colonel Koda said. "The academy tennis coach called me up and said they were interested in me. I was unsure about the whole military thing." The coach offered him a free trip to Colorado to view the campus and he took it. It was this visit that convinced him to attend. He spent all four years on the tennis team, and eventually became team captain. After graduation, Colonel Koda spent four years in the reserve while in medical school; he specialized in family practice and aerospace medicine. He said he knew since high school that he wanted to be in the medical field. However, he originally wanted to be a veterinarian. "I chose family practice because I like knowing things on a broader scale versus in detail," Colonel Koda said. "The most rewarding part of being a family doctor is being able to not only take care of the patient, but also their whole family." He has currently served 15 years on active duty since graduating medical school and has traveled all over the globe. Tyndall is his first assignment serving as a commander. As the current 325th Aeromedical Dental Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Koda said he has one goal in mind -- He hopes for all his troops to reach their goals in life and find success. Prior to taking command at Tyndall, he was stationed at Travis AFB, Calif., Yakota Air Base, Japan, Ramstein AB, Germany, the Pentagon, and Brooks City Base, Texas. While serving at the Pentagon, Colonel Koda was a traveling doctor for the Department of Defense. Among the list of names he escorted are former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, former Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz, and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers. "Most of my extensive travels were from the Pentagon," Colonel Koda said. "I have probably seen more than 75 countries. Some of my most favorite travels were to Beijing and Prague, but Mongolia was probably the most exotic." Following his career in the Air Force, which he hopes will last another five to ten years, he said his life could take several directions. "I don't know exactly what the future will look like," Colonel Koda said. " ... I could work part time substituting for other doctors, I could open my own practice, or I could work for something big like HMO (Health Maintenance Organization.)" Upon his final retirement, he said he would like to settle somewhere on the lower half of the United States. "My wife and I prefer the warm weather," Colonel Koda. "Our top three picks are California, Texas or Florida." But wherever life takes him, Colonel Koda said he is glad he decided to become a member of the United States Air Force. "It has become useful in life," Colonel Koda said. "Joining forced me to do a lot of growing up." For a closer look at the 325th Aeromedical Dental Squadron click here.