For Veterans Day, LEDC spoke with board member Rubén Hidalgo about his experience as a veteran of the United States’ armed forces.
Tell us about your military service.
I enlisted back in 2011, when I was 19, as a light-wheel vehicle mechanic. I thought I was the worst mechanic in the entire Army, but somehow, I passed. I did my six months of basic training and then joined the Army Reserves. In basic training you get a lot of exposure to a wide range of activities, including shooting all types of weapons, throwing grenades, that kind of stuff. It was here -in basic training- that I saw how others adapted to the rigors of the Army. Some folks found out it wasn’t for them, some simply got through it, and, for a few, they turned into the stars of the program.
I then went to college and joined the ROTC program at the U of M, where I graduated as a 2nd lieutenant in military intelligence. The job of military intelligence is to predict what the threat or enemy might do next, how they might go about it, and what the threat environment is. I eventually did a nine-month tour in Baghdad, where I was the ISR collection manager -ISR is intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance-. Basically, I was in charge of the birds in the sky, helping them determine what to look for, what targets to be aware of, and to also be a safety for when we were out on a mission. I retired as a captain after eleven years of service.
Why did you decide to serve?
I grew up like most kids, playing sports and whatnot. My sport was wrestling, and when I left high school, and wrestled for a year in college. But I didn’t have my green card, and school was too expensive. At that time, I felt like I wanted to be part of something much bigger than just myself. I enlisted after receiving my green card in 2011. At that time the military had a policy that if the country was in a time of war, and if you passed basic training, you would receive -US- citizenship post-graduation.
US citizenship was a large motivator, but I stayed for the people. There is a camaraderie that you build with your brothers and sisters that is second to none. It’s funny, during basic training you make these deep connections as you “embrace the suck” together, and the sad part is that after building these bonds, you might not see your fellow soldiers again. But the memories and bonds remain forever.
As a Latino, how was your experience?
I made friends with a lot of Puerto Ricans, but the Army is one of the most diverse organizations in the world. You met people from all background and from all around the United States, each with their own unique story. It’s a true melting pot, and the US Army is where you get the most ingredients.
I also learned that you don’t have to like everyone you work with, but you do have to respect them, both the person and the rank. And it turns out to be a great way to work together.
How does your military experience shape your life today?
This is a great question, and one that is hard to answer. I do know that I’ve lived a life that is difficult to explain to others if they’re not veterans. That’s why vets find comfort when they hang out with each other, because there is a mutual understanding of the experience, even if you’re a generation or more apart in age. It’s nice to know that I’ve lived a unique experience that many others haven’t, and that I have people to share that with.
What would you like other Latinos to know about serving in the US military?
I’ve met and spoken with many folks about service in the military and one of the things I say is that it’s not for everybody. If it is for you, though, know that you’re capable of doing it. There is nothing you can’t accomplish, even as you rise through the ranks, you can rise to the occasion and meet the challenge. I hope people enjoy their experience. You should! You learn so many skills you otherwise wouldn’t. It’s a great experience.
What do you think about on Veterans Day?
I tend to think more deeply on Memorial Day, as that’s a little tougher for many people. You get the sense of sadness and feel more deeply how the veteran community has its struggles. One of the saddest things is that so many injuries aren’t necessarily visible. But putting traumatic experiences aside, I reflect on how easy it is to become institutionalized -in the service-. Somebody tells you where to live, when to eat, when to come to work, when to go home and when to go for a run. Then you come out in the world and have so many choices, and maybe you never learned how to get an apartment because the Army always told you how. You’ve always had a group of people that are there with and for you, and then all of a sudden, they’re not. It’s a small variable but it’s something that a lot of people miss if they haven’t been through it. So, I reflect on the entire experience.
Ruben is a finance partner at Philips in the Image Guided Therapy Devices business, delivering innovative technologies and therapies to patients with abnormal heart rhythms. He is also the treasurer of LEDC’s board of directors and is on the finance and executive committees.
