Rose is a third generation Southern Californian and has lived most of his life in that region. He served as a surgical technician in the United States Navy from 1965 - 1969, assigned to the Naval Support Activity hospital in Da Nang, Vietnam, during 1968. He holds an Associate of Arts in the German Language from Cerritos College in Norwalk, California, a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Anthropology from San Diego State University, and a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.