Photo By Sgt. Melissa Martens | Lance Cpl. Torffic Hassan (second from the right), an engineer with 6th Communications...... read more read more
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In 2009, Torffic Hassan was ready to take a leap of faith.
He packed up, said good-bye to his loved ones and left his home country of the Republic of Ghana, Western Africa, to start a new life in the United States.
Education was the driving force behind his big move.
“It didn’t scare me to come to the United States alone because I just viewed it as another assignment,” said Hassan, a calm young man with a serious demeanor. “Coming here was like winning the lottery.”
Through the Diversity Visa Lottery, a Department of State program that offers foreigners the opportunity to earn a legal permanent resident status without family or employment sponsorship, Hassan had the opportunity to begin his new life in New York City.
Hassan, now a naturalized citizen since 2013 and a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps, has a drive that allows him to overcome any obstacle to achieve his goals and reach success.
After two years of getting to know his new home and settling in, Hassan was ready for new challenges. In 2011, he applied and was accepted to Lehman City College of New York in the Bronx.
After attending a few semesters of college, Hassan was ready to take on yet another challenge and enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
“When I was in school, I had a friend tell me that the military will help you pay for your education,” said Hassan. “I looked at my country and saw that everyone joined the Navy and Army and I wanted to be different. I think that the Marines are the best and I wanted to be a part of them.”
After graduating from recruit training, Hassan continued to take college classes. Not only is he now a full-time student and a volunteer at a local soup kitchen, but he also works full time for the Long Island Railroad as a car maintenance specialist and is an electrician for 6th Communication Battalion, Force Headquarters Group.
“I work the overnight shift at the railroad so that during the day I can go to school and do my assignments,” said Hassan. “It’s a lot of work but that’s why the Marine Corps is perfect for me because I like to always be busy.”
It wasn’t just Hassan’s education that reaped the benefits of the Marine Corps, but it was also his ever-evolving character.
“Joining the Marine Corps helped to build my confidence and allowed me to become more vocal in my everyday life,” said Hassan. “It helped me find my voice.”
Now just two classes away from completing his bachelor’s degree, Hassan has hopes to commission as an officer in the Marine Corps. During the summer of 2015, he completed Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. Once his degree is complete in 2017, he plans to commission and attend The Basic School, also located in Quantico, to train as an officer.
Hassan’s endeavors started with a bold and courageous move into the unknown, which has developed into a string of accomplishments. With aspirations to complete his education and accept a commission, Hassan hopes that he can inspire others and help them create a success story of their own.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.30.2016 09:48 |
| Story ID: | 210198 |
| Location: | NEW YORK, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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