Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Claudia Desantiago is presented with the Army Commendation Medal for being...... read more read more
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii - Army Sgt. Claudia Desantiago has accomplished more than she could have ever imagined at this point in her Army career. Her military journey has made the impossible possible, and it was all achieved through hard work, dedication and believing in herself.
Since volunteering to serve her nation eight years ago, Desantiago has reached many milestones. She has completed five military schools, has three duty stations under her belt, she has deployed twice to Afghanistan, and has received countless awards and merits. She was most recently awarded the U.S. Army Pacific Logistics Hero award for her outstanding work performance.
She is a native of El Progreso, Honduras. Desantiago grew up in a country where poverty is common, but you would never be able to tell that by the bubbly personality. Desantiago’s voice is filled with joy and excitement as she shares stories about her upbringing.
“Growing up in Honduras, I was a very active child. I played on the girls’ soccer team and I played the drums in the school band,” Desantiago said. “Although my parents struggled financially, they did a very good job in making sure that my siblings and I had the best childhood possible.”
Desantiago grew up in a loving household where her parents worked extremely hard to provide for their family. Desantiago, who is the second oldest of four children to her parents, Martha Sibrian and Hector Martinez, watched her parents work several different jobs and barely make ends meet.
“I prided myself on getting straight A’s in school. My parents told me from an early age how important education is and how it can affect your future, so I put every effort into ensuring that I was successful,” she said.
In August 2002, Desantiago’s parents made the decision to move their family from Honduras to the United States [New York] in hopes of achieving the American dream. The move and the American dream would not come without its challenges.
Desantiago said being uprooted from everything and everyone you know and love at 17 was not easy. Even the most positive person in the world would have trouble adjusting to the new life that awaits them. For Desantiago, her challenges would be in school; going from being a well-known athlete and band musician, to being the new kid that didn’t understand the primary language took its toll on 17-year-old Desantiago.
“That was a very difficult time for me, because I didn’t speak or understand the English language at that time, and it was really hard when I started school because I didn’t know anyone,” shared Desantiago.
Desantiago enrolled at Newton High School in Queens, New York, where at 17 years old she was enrolled in the ninth grade because the language barrier put her far behind her peers. What once came easy to the straight-A Honduras student was now a struggle.
“I remember crying when they told me I would be put back to the ninth grade due to the fact that I was so far behind. I had to take multiple English classes because of the language barrier; it was very difficult for me to communicate with my teachers and vice versa.”
The young, bright-eyed Desantiago maintained her positive attitude and looked for ways to overcome her challenges. She reached out to her peers who were bilingual in both English and Spanish and they helped her communicate what she did not understand.
“The friends I made that were bilingual really helped me. They would teach me the English language, and they would also correct me when I didn’t say something properly. I often had a very difficult time, but I always remained positive and looked at it like a great learning experience,” she explained.
Desantiago graduated from Newton High School in 2005. After graduation, she continued her studies at City University of New York in Manhattan, New York, where she majored in computer science. She attended college for two years until she realized that the cost of college was causing her parents a financial burden.
“I saw the financial struggle that my parents were having by putting me through college, and I didn’t feel it was their responsibility to take on the cost of that,” Desantiago said.
Desantiago worked various jobs to put herself through college as she was determined to make it through on her own. An afternoon knock on her door would change her life forever.
A recruiter came to her parents’ house to talk to her older brother about joining the Army. Desantiago was filled with excitement as she listened to the recruiter explain all the great opportunities the Army offered and how they could help pay for school. Like many other recruits who join, that sold Desantiago and she decided to enlist.
“I knew that I was going to join the Army after meeting with the recruiter. It was the perfect plan. I would be able to pay for school and travel the world!” Desantiago exclaimed.
Although going into the military seemed like the perfect plan for Desantiago, her parents had worries of their own.
Her father, Martinez explained, “When she first told me she wanted to join the military, I felt very proud because I knew the military would be a great opportunity for her to achieve the American dream of having a better future, but at the same time I was scared because of what was going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. I knew that she would have to deploy, and she did. I am so proud of her and all that she has accomplished during her military career thus far.”
Her mother, Sibrian, said, “It was terrifying, because I still see her as my little girl. I knew she could overcome everything that was thrown at her because of her strong character and her work ethic. I am very proud of everything she has accomplished and how she has become a strong independent woman.”
Desantiago has faced many obstacles in her life and she continues to overcome each hurdle with honor and humility.
Desantiago is stationed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, where she serves with Battery D, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Task Force Talon, 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. She has excelled as the unit supply sergeant during the deployment of Battery D, 2nd ADA Regiment to Guam.
She was also presented with an Army Commendation Medal for being selected as the USARPAC Logistics Hero of the Month, by Lt. Col. Jefferey Slown, commander, Task Force Talon.
“Desantiago is an excellent example of what a great noncommissioned officer looks like,” explains Slown.
Desantiago is appreciative for everything that she has accomplished.
“My military journey has been amazing,” she said. “I have grown both personally and professionally, but I know that it wouldn’t be possible without the help and support from all of my squad leaders, platoon sergeants, first sergeants and commanders. My job has become really easy because they are there to help me when I need them.”
When asked about her future, the driven noncommissioned officer simply states, “This is just the beginning.”
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2015 19:38 |
| Story ID: | 181059 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | EL PROGRESO, HN |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | QUEENS, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 134 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, A Sea Dragon’s story: From Honduras to the Army, by SFC Jaquetta Gooden, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
