About Otto Vehle
NRLO Consultant/Guest Editor
Director of RLOAA

Otto Vehle served as the National Director of "Reserve Law Officers Association of America" from 1972, until November 10, 2002 (when RLOAA ceased operations).   Prior to 1972:  Vehle began his Law Enforcement career as a member of the Auxiliary Police in Sherman, Texas; and he served there for seven years, the last two as Chief of the Unit.  Click here for  great photographs and information on Vehle's pre-war aviation history and on his impressive  "War Years" as a pilot in the Air Force.

He served 27 years in the Support Division, Bexar County Sheriff's Office, San Antonio, Texas.  In 1985, he began keeping all hourly records of the Support Division.  His primary assignment was as Chaplain.  For ten years he published their monthly Newsletter.  For several years, he was in charge of up to 80 Deputies assigned to the annual Fiesta Week celebrations.

During the last 13 years with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, he donated almost 14,000 hours, an average of about 94 hours per month.  He is currently a Deputy Constable, Bexar County Precinct 3.  Vehle holds a Texas Peace Officer license with Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Master Peace Officer Proficiency certificates.

In 1972, Otto and his wife Mary moved to San Antonio, Texas.  For a while, he was Vice President of a TV production company.  In 1975, his Pastor, Dr. George Harris of Castle Hills First Baptist Church in San Antonio, put Otto's experience to use.  He was employed as Media Minister by the 14,000-member Church to produce its television programs, which were aired to millions of homes via satellite. (In 2002, Bruce Coe was called as Paster of the Church.) He was later given additional duties when the Pastor asked him to organize and supervise a group of Peace Officers who volunteered to serve the Church in the Protective Services Division.  In 2000, he was issued three licenses by the Texas Commission on Private Security: "Qualified Manager, Commissioned Security Officer, and Personal Protection Officer."  Typical of his duties was an assignment to provide protection for former Special Counsel Kenneth Starr (upper right) during a visit to celebrate the anniversary of Castle Hills First Baptist School. 

   Photograph of Otto and Mary Vehle
March 16, 2002

Pre-War Aviation History 
1939 - 1942

Even before he graduated from high school, Otto Vehle earned his private pilot's license in 1939.  He earned his commercial license in 1940.  In March, 1941, he flew this Piper Cub Coupe (photograph on right) owned by T.J. Hogle (2nd from left) to the Miami Air Races with passenger O.E. Ritchie (left).  At Otto's right is his mother, Katie Lou.

In the photograph on the left, he is shown with the second airplane he owned, a Culver Cadet.  He became Sales Manager for Gulf Aeronautics of Dallas and Beaumont, Texas, distributing Culver and Navion airplanes.  Gulf Aeronautics received paid orders for 77 new Navion airplanes even before the first one came off of the assembly lines in California.  At right he is demonstrating a Navion to a Dallas lawyer prospect. 

As war threatened, he began flying patrol on the Gulf coast.  On Pearl Harbor Day, he was flying in an air show (The Texas Air Fair).  Soon after he began Civil Service flying for the Air Force Ferry Command.

The War Years
1942 - 1946

In 1942, the President of the United States awarded Otto Vehle a Direct Commission as a Second Lieutenant.  From 1942 to 1946, his Air Force service spanned five Theaters of Operation; and he earned seven Citations, including the Air Medal.  He rose through the ranks to First Lieutenant, Captain, and Major.  He was a Senior Pilot, and obtained single and multi-engine, land and sea, and instrument ratings.

The photo at right was taken in the Persian Desert near Abadan, Iran, where he was stationed as a First Lieutenant and flying C-46 transport planes down the Persian Gulf between Abadan and Karachi, India. 

Vehle was stationed in three North African Air Force Bases:  Cairo, Egypt; Tripoli, Libya; and Casablanca, Morocco.  While in Casablanca, he was flying C-54s across the South Atlantic.  After returning to the United States, he was promoted to Major (photograph left).