Photo By Maj. Alun Thomas | Manuel Nevarez (left), stands with Staff Sgt. Michael Sorum (right), recruiter, Tempe...... read more read more
PHOENIX – Growing up as a young Hispanic child in Phoenix was often turbulent for Manuel Nevarez.
With a father he’d never met being absent, Nevarez struggled in poverty, as his mother worked relentlessly to provide for him.
It was a situation Nevarez swore he would overcome as an adult, determined to overcome the burden of his humble origins and prove he could succeed in life.
At the age of 23 Nevarez is well on his way to achieving his goals, having earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in 2016, to be followed by his master’s degree in May 2018.
With academic successes under his belt, Nevarez decided to follow in the footsteps of some of his family members and join the military, signing up for the U.S. Army and a slot at Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia.
Nevarez, who appeared before the OCS board, Jan. 5, at the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion Headquarters, said the journey to this point wasn’t easy, with his humble beginnings keeping him grounded.
“I was born and raised in a single parent household … I’ve never met my father,” Nevarez said. “It’s always been just myself and my mother Maria. She did everything for me. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see her a lot because she was always working.”
This meant her working up to two or three jobs at a time to make ends meet, Nevarez said, something which was complicated by his Mexican mother’s undocumented status.
“Two years ago she became a citizen, but back then it was always hard for her to find jobs,” he explained. “Everything I’ve achieved so far was to show her that everything she fought for and instilled in me, didn’t go to waste.”
“I wanted to pay back the favor, for everything she struggled to provide me,” Nevarez said with sincerity.
Nevarez dedicated himself to school and becoming the best student he could be, resulting in being top of his class at high school and receiving his degree in 2016.
It was around this time the notion of joining the military entered his mind, having seen several of his cousins joining various branches and becoming successful.
“Some of my cousins – who are also first generation Americans – joined the military,” he said. “One is in the Marines, two are in the Army and another joined the Navy. So the military wasn’t completely new to my family, but I had decided to concentrate on school.”
The thought lingered in the back of Nevarez’s mind however, he said, having considered enlisting straight after completing high school.
“I did JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps), so I was ready to go. But I decided to continue my academics at university instead,” Nevarez continued. “But even as I was finishing up my master’s, I was still thinking about it. I’m still young, so why not?”
Nevarez went to the Tempe Recruiting Station, where he sat down with recruiter Staff Sgt. Michael Sorum and discussed the opportunities available to him, receiving exceptional help.
“He’s been wonderful. He’s guided me through the whole process, told me what to expect, what to do and made sure I have everything I need,” Nevarez said of Sorum. “He’s made the process stress free and taken a lot of the weight off my shoulders.”
Sorum said he was immediately impressed by Nevarez and expects him to perform well upon joining the Army.
“He’s extremely motivated and focused – he’s ready to become an officer,” Sorum said. “He came in the office, we discussed opportunities and he told me he wanted to be an officer. From then on I was committed to getting him there.”
Sorum said Nevarez possesses all the necessary traits to become an officer, something not easily found in people who apply to become one.
“Being an officer means having a sense of responsibility and you can always tell who has it and who doesn’t,” Sorum said. “From talking to Manuel for 20 minutes I knew he had what it takes.”
“He’s going to make a fine officer and I’ll be proud to welcome him to the Armor branch,” Sorum, a tanker, joked.
Nevarez’s Army journey isn’t slated to begin until after he completes his master’s degree in May, but he’s already mentally adjusting to the demands of basic training and OCS.
“I’m excited for the challenge of basic training because I’ve never gone through anything like it,” he said. “Recently I’ve really begun taking care of myself, my fitness and health. Since October I’ve dropped from 235 pounds to 195 and I’m working on losing more.”
Nevarez said he chose Ordnance, Infantry and Armor as his top picks for a branch, looking for something new to experience.
“Those types of jobs put you on the front lines and it’s something I want to experience,” Nevarez continued. “You’re more involved with your Soldiers and get to lead, encourage and influence them.”
Nevarez said he’s already thought about making the Army a career.
“It’s definitely tempting ... I could easily walk away and say ‘thank you for letting me serve' after three years,” Nevarez said. “But right now I’m excited to start and I don’t see myself checking out anytime soon.”
| Date Taken: | 01.05.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 01.05.2018 15:18 |
| Story ID: | 261416 |
| Location: | PHOENIX, AZ, US |
| Hometown: | PHOENIX, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 192 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Hispanic Phoenix native rises from poverty to OCS applicant, by MAJ Alun Thomas, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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