Brooklyn’s Aviation High School, returned to his old stomping grounds to
talk to high school students about Army career options during the school’s
annual Career Day Program. Photo T.M. Beller
In June of 1987, the national average monthly rent was $395.00, and the price of a new automobile was slightly over $10,500. The average high school graduate of Brooklyn’s Aviation High School, like Manuel Vasquez, could afford neither. A native of Long Island City in Queens, N.Y., Vasquez realized quickly that his options for his future were slipping through his fingers like air.
At 20, he decided to bring more purpose and direction into his life by pursuing the U.S. Army full time; he changed his part-time U.S. Army Reserve contract to a new, full-time commitment and was soon a fire support specialist in the active component. His intent was to complete three years of active duty, acquire both the technical skills and the real-life experience so upon returning home, he could secure employment with the New York Police Department as a veteran.
Twenty eight years later and now an Army chief warrant officer five assigned to the prestigious 101st Airborne Division located at Fort Campbell, Ky., Vasquez has traveled the world – Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Italy – and earned three college degrees for free, further underscoring the U.S. Army is a creditable partner in the education of today’s American Soldier.
In March, he returned to his high school alma mater to talk to the students about exploring military careers during the school’s annual career day.
“As a young Latino coming back to my roots, I recognize a lot of these kids are like me … I didn’t know what I didn’t know either at their age,” said Vasquez. “In other words, nobody was talking to me about my options, and I guarantee they don’t know all their options either. They will unintentionally close their own doors if someone doesn’t inform them of all their options.”
Vasquez explained to the students that he funded his undergraduate degree in criminal justice from Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Tenn., by using the Army’s Tuition Assistance Program valued at $4,500 annually. By doing so, he staved off using his Post 9-11 GI Bill – valued at $70,000 – to earn his masters; thus, alleviating him from student loan burdens.
So he earned two instead!
His first master’s degree came while studying at the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., a degree that the Army paid for entirely because he was a student in a military training environment. He earned his second master’s degree from Long Island University in N.Y., where he used a portion of his GI Bill, leaving $20,000 remaining for future educational pursuits, licensure fees, etc.
“I used the Army to move ahead,” he said. “So, when I was 20 and three years out of high school, and I was still living in the projects, I realized I didn’t have a future or a career. It was time for a change, and if I can save at least one of you guys here from making some of the mistakes I did, then I have been successful today.”
If someone you know is thinking about joining the Army, you should help them get informed about their decision. Visit www.goarmy.com for a variety of resources to help both parents and students make the best decisions.
By Tina M. Beller, Army Public Affairs Specialist