Courtesy Photo | Nov. 11, 2009 was a good day for Chemical Equipment Repairer, Spc. Raul Aviles of...... read more read more
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CAMP TAJI, Iraq — Becoming a United States citizen is an honor and a privilege many have had the opportunity to experience; for some Soldiers deployed to Iraq, Nov. 11, 2009, that experience was fulfilled. Spc. Raul Aviles, with the 3666th Support Maintenance Company out of Phoenix, Ariz., received his citizenship along with 156 of his brothers and sisters in arms at Al Faw Palace in Baghdad.
Spc. Aviles was born in El Salvador and came to the United States when he was two years old. He lived in Miami, Fla., for a short while, and then moved to Manhattan, N.Y., at the age of three. As a teenager, Aviles spent his freshman and sophomore years of high school in Washington D.C. He spent his junior year in Los Angeles, Calif., and then moved to Arizona where he graduated from South Mountain High School in Phoenix, Ariz.
At 27 years old, Aviles joined the Arizona Army National Guard. He willingly deployed with the 3666th SMC as a quartermaster and chemical equipment repairer. While at Camp Atterbury, Ind., for his mobilization training, he submitted his application for citizenship and successfully accomplished one of his goals while on this deployment.
Spc. Aviles just started taking classes thru the University of Maryland aiming for his associate's degree in business management; his plan is to graduate by the summer of 2010. To add to his already growing list of accomplishments, he was promoted to Specialist on the same day he received his citizenship.
"I didn't think I could accomplish as much as I have, with this being my first deployment and with my work load, I am satisfied and feel blessed with everything I have done," Aviles said.
Though Aviles is a quartermaster and chemical equipment repairer, he is currently working as the safety initiative and fire suppression shop specialist. He assists his fellow 3rd platoon brothers on "Operation Phoenix" which is a Heavy Equipment Transporter rebuild mission; a high profile mission given to the 3666th SMC.
"All-in-all, Spc. Aviles has come a long way in a very short time and has "SET THE PACE" for others," said his platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Milek from Peoria, Ariz. His first sergeant expressed his pride in his Soldier, "We still have a while left here in Iraq and with his hard work, ethics, and willingness to learn and grow, there is no limit to what he can achieve," said 1st Sgt. Russell Richardson, a Chandler, Ariz., native.
| Date Taken: | 01.15.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.15.2010 13:43 |
| Story ID: | 43899 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 459 |
| Downloads: | 190 |
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