Photo By Maj. Joe Legros | U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Abdelkader Hosni, senior maritime operations advisor...... read more read more
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TUNIS, Tunisia – If one were to ask Soldiers at any Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) what they hope to achieve by joining the Army, there would likely be several recurring answers. Maybe they want to secure a more stable future. Maybe they want to see the world. Perhaps they signed up to chase a dream and see how far it would take them. It could be for comradery, adventure, or pride. As wide-ranging as these responses may be, they are all common answers to that question.
If a new Soldier needs reassurance they made the right choice, they need look no further than U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Abdelkader Hosni. His career embodies them all.
Hosni, a senior maritime operations advisor for the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), returned to his home country of Tunisia, supporting African Lion 23. After 21 years of service, returning home gave him the chance to reflect on what his Army career has done for his life.
“I traveled the world and I visited every continent; there is absolutely no place like America,” said Hosni. “The United States of America allowed this young ‘lost’ Tunisian to join the strongest and the most trusted organization. Not only did I join, but I was also given the opportunity to reach the pinnacle of my profession.”
Hosni had a modest, but very happy childhood, growing up in the small Tunisian town of Teboursouk. As the oldest of five children, Hosni developed a strong sense of responsibility by the time he went to college in Tunis. At age 21, Hosni’s responsibility extended to his own young family at home and he wanted a different life for them.
His dreams and ambitions led him to take a massive leap of faith, leaving behind everything he knew. After much persuasion, Hosni secured the blessing and financial backing of his parents, and he was able to afford the voyage. He departed to a land he only recognized from movies and MTV, the United States of America. In 1999, Hosni boarded a plane for the first time in his life and headed to New York City.
He was determined to chase the American Dream.
“I was completely impressed and totally overwhelmed,” said Hosni. “New York City continues to impress people from all over the world, let alone a kid from a small town in Tunisia. I was too young and too naïve to realize the magnitude of the situation, which in retrospect helped me navigate the unknown. It was a ‘Coming to America’ moment.”
Hosni’s initial experience in the United States was nothing like the movies. With no job, no long-term housing and limited command of the English language, Hosni’s culture shock was severe. Even simple day-to-day actions that Americans take for granted proved extremely challenging at first. But he persevered and, as weeks went by, Hosni found ways to make this strange new world a little more familiar. He sought the aid of other Tunisian and Arab Americans to help him adjust and find employment.
“It was hard to leave everyone and everything you know. I had bigger goals in life,” he said. “I endured the lonely holidays and the deprivation from all family moments (good or bad) to provide my family a better future.”
Hosni had been in America for about two and half years when his life drastically changed once again. He was always fascinated with the military and held a tremendous amount of respect for those who served. It was the attacks on Sep. 11, 2001 that convinced him to join. Hosni shipped out to basic training at Fort Moore, Georgia, three weeks after the attacks. He was 24 years old.
Hosni took to his new environment naturally. He loved the discipline, the comradery, the teamwork and the sense of purpose the Army provided. But as grueling as basic training is for every Soldier, it’s even harder for Soldiers who have not mastered the English language yet. Hosni persevered and eventually was promoted while still in basic training.
That moment served as an intense source of pride and motivation for Hosni.
In 2005, Hosni was accepted as an Army’s warrant officer, a moment Hosni lists among the greatest highlights of his career. This new role would take Hosni around the world as he ascended the ranks.
Starting his career in Fort Eustis, Virginia, Hosni eventually traveled to Kuwait, proudly commanding the very vessel he served on years earlier as a private first class. He spent time in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokohama, Japan; various locations around Australia; even the Caribbean to serve in Haiti. Over the years, Hosni’s career became brochure-material that recruiters could reference.
His family could not have been prouder of his achievements.
“My family is extremely supportive of my military service.” Hosni said. “My father carried a picture of us while I was wearing my dress uniform. He carried that photo on him and shared it with everyone he met. My parents had a photo of me in military uniform hung in their living room in Tunisia. ‘Proud’ does not truly describe how my family felt about my service.”
Upon returning to Tunisia for African Lion, Hosni expressed gratitude for the reception he received from the Tunisian military. Opportunities like these serve as a temptation to continue an already long career, but ultimately Hosni has his eyes set on a well-deserved retirement.
As Hosni prepares to wind down his long and fulfilling career to spend more time with his family, he recommends every eligible American sign up for service, even if only for a short time.
“Military service is such an honor,” said Hosni. “It’s an institution and a way of life like no other. I highly encourage young Americans to find a way to serve or interact with the military.”
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2023 09:10 |
| Story ID: | 446584 |
| Location: | TUNIS, TN |
| Web Views: | 706 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Coming full circle: Tunisian-born warrant officer returns home, by SGT Zachary Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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