Photo By Billie Suttles | 1st Lt. Erica Ronquillo, former California district attorney and now 225th Officer...... read more read more
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – “I joined the JAG Corps because I was determined to be a judge advocate,” said 1st Lt. Erica Ronquillo. The Army received me with open arms, despite my age and old joints. The Marine Corps unfortunately has an age cut off.”
Ronquillo, current 225th Officer Basic Course student at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, self-deprecatingly joked about her qualifications for service. But the Mexico City native’s dedication to and sacrifices made for her adopted country are no laughing matter. “I joined the Marine Corps Reserves (USMC) when I was 19 years old … and served 13 and a half years,” said Ronquillo. “I volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan a few months before graduating from UCSC (University of California – Santa Cruz).
“I had to graduate a quarter early and did not get to attend my commencement ceremony because that same day I reported to Camp LeJeune to start my pre-deployment training.”
Ronquillo joined the USMC sort of on a dare from her co-worker at a café, but maybe it was fate. “Growing up I was not interested in college. I barely graduated high school. I started going to community college because I was interested in art and I didn’t have any other plans,” shared Ronquillo. “Once I joined the Marine Corps, I wanted to become a cop. I figured an associate’s degree could help me pursue that career.
“After years in community college, a college counselor convinced me to transfer to a four-year university to pursue a B.A. Although I didn’t believe I could get accepted into UCSC, I did and from there everything changed. My eyes were opened to endless opportunities, including law school.”
While working as a paralegal for the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Camp Pendleton, Ronquillo gained acceptance to Thomas Jefferson School of Law. “First year of criminal law was my favorite class. I didn’t do very well, but I enjoyed it. Criminal Procedure was my second favorite,” said Ronquillo. “My law school was in downtown San Diego, next to the Gaslamp District. It was an amazing location [making it] difficult to focus at times, but I definitely missed the better Mexican food from Northern California.”
Having found her calling, Ronquillo worked a couple of legal stints in Washington, D.C. before becoming a district attorney (DA) back home in California. “The most rewarding part of being a prosecutor was interacting with victims of crimes. Especially when victims provided positive feedback about their experience with the DA’s office and/or the legal system,” said Ronquillo. “Knowing that some victims were never going to be made whole by the criminal justice system, I felt that my work mattered and that I was making some type of difference.
“Normally, Spanish speaking victims communicate with victim advocates or DAs through an interpreter and do not have the opportunity to be heard by the person who is directly working on their case. For me, it was extremely rewarding to be able to explain the law and the course of the case to Spanish speaking victims because I could see how it impacted them to speak to someone that looked like them and that could understand them.”
After graduating from OBC, Ronquillo will pcs to Fort Huachuca. “I have no ties to Arizona. I will be finding a place with excellent AC and enjoying my AC after work,” joked Ronquillo. “I do have a Marine friend who lives about two hours away. On the weekends, I plan to go out and explore the area.”
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2024 11:19 |
| Story ID: | 484611 |
| Location: | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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