|
Parents go above and beyond to ensure their children have better
opportunities and a brighter future than they had. For Capt.
Alejandro Magana's parents, this rang true as they illegally
migrated into the United States from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico
with six young children when he was only seven years old. Despite
the challenges they faced, they obtained their citizenship on
September 11, 2001.
|
U.S. Army Capt. Alejandro Magana and his wife Rita Magana pose after
a Folkloric Dance Performance during the 2014 Hispanic Heritage
Month event hosted by 1st MSC EO Program. The beautiful couple
delighted the audience with four dances. Two numbers from the state
of Tamaulipas and two from the state of Jalisco; each representing
their native origin from where they were born. (Courtesy photo
provided through U.S. Army)
|
Magana dedicated his high school years to the Junior ROTC
program at PSJA North High School. It was then that he
decided to join the military. “I enjoyed the camaraderie one
establishes as a young Soldier,” said Magana. “Even though
this was not the real Army, I learned how to be disciplined
and enjoyed being in leadership positions.”
During
his time in JROTC, Magana's experiences motivated him to
become an officer and join the U.S. Army. “A previous bad
experience I had from high school with a retired sergeant
first class made me pursue a commission to become an officer
in the United States Army,” expressed Maga�a. “I wanted to
prove him wrong about the way he viewed me and show him that
I could be someone in life that could help other people.”
Maga�a set out to earn a college degree and obtain his
citizenship before joining the Army. During his quest,
several events from the past and present propelled Maga�a to
join the U.S. Army earlier than expected. “I obtained my
citizenship on September 11, 2001, the same day New York was
attacked by terrorists,” said Magana. “This did not make me
change my mind about joining the Army, on the contrary, it
motivated me to enroll in the ROTC program at the University
of Texas Pan-American to achieve my goal of being a U.S.
Army officer.”
Maga�a joined the simultaneous
membership program (SMP) as a ROTC cadet in 2003 and
eventually earned his commission into the U.S. Army Reserve
in May of 2005. Magana was commissioned into the Adjutant
General Officer Corps and is currently serving as the
Assistant Human Resources Officer at the 1st Mission Support
Command on Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. He deployed in
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009-2010 as the
platoon leader for the 678th Human Resources Company
(Postal).
Having the support of friends and family is
paramount and sought after within the Hispanic culture. “My
parents have always supported me in my decisions,” explained
Magana. “When I joined the Army they were a little concerned
but very proud that I decided to pursue a new challenge.”
Magana also attributes his success and motivation to become
a better Soldier, friend, and husband to his wife, Rita
Magana. “I am happily married to a beautiful and fabulous
wife who supports me with my career and is always dedicated
to helping me feel better after a long day of work."
Becoming a leader in the Army is no easy feat and Maga�a has
been able to take that role by continuously learning from
his experiences and mentoring young Soldiers. “I have
learned that as a leader, one must always remain humble and
treat Soldiers with respect, despite the rank you hold,”
explained Maga�a. “I found out that as we progress in ranks,
we become role models to our younger Soldiers. Therefore we
must always do the right thing and set the example by living
the Army values.
Being a Soldier is not a job, but an
honor,” said Maga�a. “We serve the people of the United
States and defend our way of life. Also, the learning
experiences one attains from this profession are priceless
and forever.”
By U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Christian Ferrer Rivera
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
Comment on this article |
