Where did you serve and what did you do?

I enlisted in January 2010 with the New Jersey Army National Guard. I was assigned to a unit in Westfield, New Jersey: 250th BSB Delta Company and my MOS was 88M a motor transport operator. In 2014-2015, I deployed to Qatar under Operation Enduring Freedom with the 1-114th Infantry Regiment, Charlie Company. Our mission during the deployment was to provide security for the installation’s access points.

How are you #StillServing?

Today, I am still serving in many capacities. For one example, I volunteer at my local library (Ocean County Library-Brick Branch) as the facilitator of an English conversation group. This group allows people of all cultural backgrounds throughout the community to come together in order to practice speaking and learning the English language. I have helped participants from China, Thailand, Vietnam, Ukraine, Colombia, Ecuador, and Persia, just to name a few.

Why do you do it?

I volunteer because I have a penchant for learning about other people’s cultures and backgrounds. I also enjoy teaching and giving my time to help others in my community. During my time of service in the military, I had the opportunity of seeing new countries and cultures and befriending fellow military comrades from diverse backgrounds different from mine. My exposure to this in the service has taught me the value of learning about and understanding other people’s cultures and lifestyles. Volunteering for the library gives me a chance to expose people to the very thing that I enjoyed experiencing by connecting with others who have different backgrounds and cultures.