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DEPART FROM IHQ
 Commissioners Robert and Carol Saunders
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After many years of distinguished service, Commissioners Robert and Carol Saunders recently entered honored retirement.
Born in Melbourne, Australia to officer parents, Commissioner Robert Saunders is the great-grandson of pioneering officers of the Army in Australia. He entered the School for Officer Training in New York in 1960 and was commissioned and appointed in 1962 as the divisional youth officer for Jamaica, West Indies (Caribbean Territory). In 1965 he returned to the USA Eastern Territory to various appointments.
Captain Saunders married Lieutenant Carol Rudd, assistant officer of the Long Beach Temple Corps, California, in 1967. Carol, the daughter of officer parents, entered the training college from the Seattle Citadel Corps, Washington, in 1964.
After their marriage, the couple served as corps officers in the USA Eastern and Western Territories before being appointed in 1972 to the Philippines, where Rob served as territorial youth officer and as training officer (principal). While there, he researched the history of the Army in the Philippines, which became the first published record of that history.
Divisional and territorial assignments followed, plus various appointments to the School for Officer Training, including assistant principal. While at SFOT, Major Rob Saunders earned a certificate of graduate studies in Theology and Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary.
In 1991 the Saunders were appointed to International Headquarters, with a promotion to Lt. Colonel. In 1995 they were assigned to the Korea Territory, Rob as assistant chief secretary and then as chief secretary, and Carol as assistant territorial Home League secretary and then as territorial secretary for Women’s Organizations and territorial Home League secretary.
In 1997 the Saunders were appointed as leaders of the Philippine Territory. In 2000, with promotion to commissioner, they returned to International Headquarters–Rob as international secretary for the South Pacific and East Asia Zone, and Carol as zonal secretary for Women’s Ministries.
Commissioners Saunders have two children, Ken and Rhonda, and two grandchildren, Mackenzie and Matthew. Ken is employed as the assistant property secretary at Western THQ. Captain Rhonda is corps officer of the Mat-Su Valley Corps, Alaska.
Celebrations of service were held at International Headquarters and at Crestmont College.
In retirement, the Saunders will reside at 4130 Tahoe Vista Drive, Rocklin, CA 95765.
