From Green Helmet to Academic Cap
Jorge Henriquez, United States Marine Corps
From Green Helmet to Academic Cap Coming from a Midwest town, feeling a sense of patriotism was natural. On the news or in school, updates were always provided on troops from my hometown who had joined the armed forces after high school. With my senior year coming to an end, and with everyone applying to college, I opted to stick to the course of action that I made in 5th grade. I was first introduced to the US Military by my elementary school principal who was in the Army National Guard; she decided it was necessary to talk about the military, given that the country was sending troops to combat in 2008. It was then that I, a 10-year-old boy, decided to join when the time came. Over the course of 7 years, my plan changed from joining the National Guard, to the Army, and to my final decision, enlisting in the US Marines. My decision was based on a sense of tradition, knowing that once I earned the title of being a Marine, I would forever be a part of an organization that recognizes and supports each other no matter how long they may have been apart from each other. My original plan was to enlist in the armed forces, finish my duty with an honorable discharge, and use my skills gained in the military to become successful in my future career.
My time in the Marine Corps brought a variety of struggles: being sent away from my family, enduring harsh work conditions, and developing myself into an Infantry Marine. In the Marine Infantry culture, I learned to adapt, persevere, and succeed through resiliency and mental fortitude which helps me through life to this day. While on deployments, I either worked out to stay in shape or worked on infantry tactics with my platoon, so there was little to no time for leisure. With this repetitive schedule, I began to question my decision to join the military and if I should re-enlist my contract for another term of service.
It wasn’t until a Marine Educational Officer informed us of the tuition assistance program for service members. Looking for an opportunity to break my cycle of repetition, I decided to sign up for College Algebra. We met up with the lecturing Officer on Tuesdays and Thursdays wherever we might find ourselves, whether that be inside of a hut or outside in the field. What I didn’t expect to happen in the military happened--the Marines gave me the confidence to tackle Higher Education. To continue to the next step of my plan, I enrolled in college and faced the transition back to the civilian sector with new goals and ambitions.
With this new mindset, I had to make a sacrifice of my own. I would not return to Nebraska, where I had grown up and made friends, where all my immediate family was. Instead, I choose to take a leap of faith and create a life for myself, starting at Irvine Valley College. Transitioning was a struggle of its own; however, as a veteran student, I can share my experiences with other veterans who go through the same struggles of transitioning out.
