PANEL 6
EXPERIENCE IN SERVICE
RELATIONSHIPS
Veterans met many people while in service – members of their unit, peers as well as superiors. They interacted with people from different walks of life. All these interactions impacted their day-to-day experiences, as well as their larger worldview. Relationships can be positive and negative, and Veterans experienced both. During service, there can be a varying ability to maintain contact with family and friends back home, adding to the sense of isolation.
Ralph DeJesus (third from right) and fellow soldiers during the Vietnam War
Hector Garcia (U.S. Marine Corps, served 2001-2013), “…Going to Okinawa, Japan changed my life. Because I met my wife, who I’m still married to, to this day, almost 19 years, and have four sons. So travelling and from there was a different experience because I had deployed before I met her with other marines. ...She opened my eyes a lot in regards to our travels because we deployed together on the same unit and we got to experience a lot of these travels together."
Vic Ortiz (U.S. Navy, served 1990-1995) had plans to do 20 years and then retire, however, he recalled his memories of his COB or Chief of the Boat, "[On] the submarine I was attached to…I don’t remember many names, but I remember his name. He was such a racist. He made life difficult for me. ...And I’m telling you, from the minute I stepped on board that submarine, he had it in for me. And I just, hate is a strong word, I don’t like to use that word, I don’t want to say that I hated him, but man, I had a severe dislike for that guy and he’s kind of what beat it out of me." Ultimately, this experience contributed to Vic ending his career in the military.
Catalino Ramos O’Neill (U.S. Army, served 1969-1971), recalled being told by his captain, “‘You’re the first guy I ever met, especially Puerto Rican, that went through the whole chain of command from your platoon sergeant all the way up to my office, asking or fighting for your rights as being a person that deserves a chance.’ …And within a month, I went up before the board and I did very well on the board and made sergeant.’ When asked how his Puerto Rican army friends felt about this achievement, Catalino replied, ‘Oh, they celebrated.’"
Ed Garza (U.S. Army, served 1967-1969) while deployed in Vietnam recalled the behavior of units while in and out of combat. When they returned to the Main Fire Base Camp, "everybody, believe it or not, everybody, all individually they would stick to their own corners. Mexicans here. Italians here. I don’t know why, but whites over here and Negroes over here. Why? But then, when it’s time to go back into combat again, we marinate real good. You got to, otherwise you wouldn’t make it. See you leave your own self thoughts behind. You don’t have time for that in combat. You either work as a unit or you’re not going to make it.”
Isabel Rivera Smith (U.S. Army and New York National Guard, served 1985-present) recalled telling her four children she was to deploy to Iraq, “It was tough. It was tough… And I’ll never forget the day that we told them together. My husband and I told them together and it was probably one of the hardest things I had to do… But, you know, it’s behind me. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to do it. But, deployment can be hard on families for sure.”
