In 1963, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree from Syracuse University.

He next assignment was the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army.

Since retirement, Vanderploog has served as the Director of Water Resource Services Hillsborough County, Florida.

[5] He holds a master's degree in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Quartermaster Officer Advanced Course, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.