Photo By Cpl. Jennifer E. Reyes | U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Juan Vazquez III, an aviation operations specialist with...... read more read more
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Why do people join the Marine Corps? Some would say they join for the experience, the challenge, or to pursue this organization for the educational benefits. Everyone’s story and purpose is unique and while those may be the reasons for some Marines, this month’s MCAS New River Go-Getter award recipient, Pfc. Juan Vazquez III, an aviation operations specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron (H&HS), Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, has his own hopes and dreams when it comes to his outcome for his service.
For the majority of his childhood, Vazquez, a native of Brooklyn, New York, grew up in an apartment with his mother, a nurse practitioner, and five siblings. His father, a Marine Corps veteran, and now a New York Police Department (NYPD) officer, remarried in Vazquez’s earlier childhood but resided in the same apartment building as him and his mother.
“It was a little hard,” recalled Vazquez. “We tried to see our dad as much as we could but my mom disliked him, so it was hard to see him.”
According to Vazquez, although they were physically as close as they possibly could be, his father mostly supported him financially while maintaining a distant relationship, given their circumstances.
At the young age of 14, the driven teenager started working in an afterschool neighborhood program that hosted various sports games for all ages. Vazquez expressed how his favorite sports day was when they played basketball since the older players would allow him to participate in a few games.
Following his first job, he began an office cleaning job and later on, at the age of 17, began working at Footlocker up until he joined the military.
In between his busy work and school schedule, Vazquez would make time to pursue his ultimate goal of becoming a NYPD officer, just like his father.
“I went into the NYPD Explorers Program, which is basically like a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps but for cops. It was a summer program and I was trying to learn as much as I could while there,” said Vazquez, thinking back on his experiences at the program.
While progressing through this program, where he was taught the basics of police duties and procedures, Vazquez would encounter his now fiancé, Kaitlyn, who also has similar dreams of joining the NYPD. He credits his high school sweetheart for giving him the push that he needed to make the life changing decision of joining the military.
After high school, Vazquez attended a semester at Borough of Manhattan Community College, which is ironically located across the street from the recruiting station, RSS Empire State, he would eventually walk in to join the Marine Corps. Realizing he struggled academically in school, Vazquez would encounter a fork in the road. Push his way through two years of college or gaining experience and qualities needed in the police force through enlisting in the Marine Corps.
“I realized that I valued work more than school, as well as spending time with [Kaitlyn],” explained Vazquez. “I was trying to juggle all three and it just came down to focusing on the main two, which was working and spending time with her.”
Following his decision of leaving school, Kaitlyn would urge Vazquez to find a different path if pursuing college was no longer an option for him. Recalling a previous conversation, she reminded him of the eager recruiter who had also suggested he not “sit around and waste time” but rather “start building a career.” This conversation would ultimately lead him to where he is today.
Although Vazquez recognizes he is fairly new to the Marine Corps and to his job, he appreciates his journey of gaining experience and learning from his peers. Additionally, he looks to obtain a higher billet in his Marine Occupational Specialty (MOS) in order to lead Marines.
“Since I am a clerk right now, my next step would be to become a dispatcher,” explains the young Marine. “My goal is to become a supervisor who is able to run the shop.”
Vazquez goes on to explain the various duties of a supervisor which include answering calls during an emergency, ensuring emails are accurate, being a quality control point for the junior Marines, establishing a smooth workflow in the section among other leadership tasks. Furthermore, he expresses the importance of being knowledgeable in his field stating, “if you’re on the airfield and you don’t know where you are at, then what are you even doing?”
His eagerness to learn and reach new heights does not go unrecognized by his peers.
“Vazquez has consistently demonstrated his unwavering commitment to embodying the Marine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment since day one,” proudly expresses Cpl. Starine Grant, an airfield operations supervisor, with H&HS, MCAS New River. “His impressive feat of completing all seven dispatcher qualification tests in under six weeks is a testament to his dedication to MCAS New River air field operations and his eagerness to expand his knowledge of the 7041 MOS.”
Grant continues to speak highly of Vazquez elaborating on his motivational attitude and his constant strive to improve himself and those around him in and out of the workplace.
While Vazquez credits his leadership for guiding him in his MOS and helping him progress in his career, he ultimately credits his upbringing with his mother for his overall hard working characteristics and attitude towards life.
“When I was little I thought I was just going to be some basic kid. I would see my friends hanging out in the streets and I thought it looked cool because they got to do whatever they wanted whereas my mom was always onto me telling me to come home,” said Vazquez reminiscing on his younger self.
In Vazquez’s point of view, he hasn’t seen much growth or progression from his friends back home when he visits, which makes him appreciate the strictness of his childhood just a little more. His mother’s discipline and care helped shape him into the optimistic, conscientious Marine he is today, reminding him to never settle for less.
No matter whether you are planning to stay in the Marine Corps for 20 years or simply want to use the organization as a stepping stone for a different career, Pfc. Vazquez is a shining example of what Marines should embody during their time in service and beyond.
When asked what message he would relay to the upcoming generation of Marines he simply stated, “Keep your head up and keep pushing because you aren’t the only one doing it. Everybody before you has done it and if you just put your mind to it, you can definitely do it.”
“Just keep going.”
| Date Taken: | 11.27.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.28.2023 11:34 |
| Story ID: | 458538 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 258 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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