1st CAB highlights Soldier during Hispanic Heritage Month

Photo By Staff Sgt. Takita Lawery | Pfc. Itzel Zamacona, a wheeled-vehicle mechanic, assigned to Headquarters and Service Company, 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, dances with another Soldier stationed on Illesheim, Germany during Salsa Night Oct. 8. The event was organized by the brigade’s unit ministry team in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.  

GERMANY

10.20.2021

Story by Sgt. Takita Lawery 

Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division

Illesheim, GERMANY—Pfc. Itzel Zamacona, a Buena Park, Calif. Native and wheeled-vehicle mechanic, assigned to Headquarters and Service Company, 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, is currently deployed to Germany in support of Atlantic Resolve.
As a wheeled-vehicle mechanic, Zamacona can be found in the motor pool maintaining the 1CAB fleet of Humvees and light-medium tactical vehicles. On top of performing her daily work duties, she enjoys reading books, listening to music, cleaning, exploring, shopping, and trying different ethnic foods. Zamacona has just reached her two year mark in the Army and gave credit her family for her decision to join.
“One reason I joined is because my foster parents,” Zamacona said, who proudly served in the Army [and] impacted my life so positively. Hearing their stories was inspiring and I wanted stories of my own”.
Zamacona tries to keep busy while stationed at Storck Barracks. This month she participated in running competitions on post and also attended Salsa Night, which was organized by the brigade’s Unit Ministry Team as part of the Demon brigades Hispanic Heritage recognition. She says she appreciates that the military recognizes an ethnicity that makes up about 16% of active-duty service members.
“I think it’s great that the Army is recognizing Hispanic Heritage. Recognizing different ethnic backgrounds within the Army shows inclusivity and great appreciation to my background.”
Zamacona also participated in the Army 10-miler Shadow Run this month, which she said was a great way to cope with her well-being.
“I ran in honor of people suffering from anxiety, depression and stress”, she said. “I used to suffer from really bad anxiety and with that came panic attacks and hyperventilation. I used to feel like I did not have control over my own body and I would suddenly feel like there was not enough air in the world.”
Zamacona said training up for this long distance run by especially controlling her breathing and calming herself really helped with anxiety.
“Being able to control my breathing and keep calm steady breaths the way I do now during a 10-mile run is amazing and a huge stepping stone for me,” she said. “I have no limits and neither does anyone else. We are all capable of whatever we put our minds to, we just have to put in the effort.”

• Date Taken: 10.20.2021
• Date Posted: 10.27.2021 09:06
• Story ID: 408095
• Location: DE