By Spc. Andrea Merritt
1st Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs Office
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million people came to the United States through Ellis Island in pursuit of the American dream, hoping to find a better life in the land of opportunity.
Like the immigrants who passed through Ellis Island, Staff Sgt. Vincent Zokou, the items manager for the General Supply Branch of the 1st Sustainment Brigade, came to the U.S. in search of the same dream; but during his journey, he decided to serve the country that provided him a new way of life.
The 1st Sust. Bde., the unit that Zokou serves with, is currently serving a 15-month deployment in Iraq. It is a diverse organization in terms of the various missions it conducts as well as the Soldiers who carry them out.
There are Soldiers of different races and religions and some who come from about 20 different countries all over the world. Despite which ends of the earth they originated from, they all have sworn to defend the United States of America.
"In a unit, we all have different backgrounds. It's really important get to know about people's backgrounds just to better interact with each other," Zokou stated.
Zokou was born in Saioua, Côte d'Ivoire, a French-speaking country located in West Africa, which in English is known as the Ivory Coast.
He grew up in a relatively large family, with a total of 32 siblings. At the age of five, his parents divorced and he went to live with his father. Although his father made a living as a registered nurse, he did not make enough money to support his children and nine wives.
At the age of 13, Zokou left the rural area of Saioua and headed to Yamoussoukro, the capital of the Ivory Coast, to live with his uncle.
"My uncle took me in to put me in a better school. I only went home every summer vacation to work in the wood plant from age 13 to 20," Zokou said.
After graduating from high school in 1982, Zokou had trouble finding work. After four years of being unable to find a satisfactory job, he made the decision to leave his country and go to the U.S.
"When I left the Ivory Coast on Oct. 7, 1988, I knew no one. I didn't even know where to spend the first night, and at that time I only had $137 in my pocket when I left the airport," said Zokou.
Zokou landed in New York City on Oct. 8, 1988, and aside from being alone in a strange land with only $137 to his name and nowhere to go, he also faced another problem. He only spoke French.
Although some people may have started to question their decision to leave home, Zokou was determined. Fate also seemed to intervene that day because through the kindness of a stranger, he was able to begin his new life in America.
"I was standing at a Metro Pass station when all off a sudden I heard two people speaking French. I approached them and told them where I was coming from and that I was just coming to the United States. One of them took me in and helped me out to get back on my feet," Zokou recalled.
After a few months, Zokou found a job as a dishwasher at a nursing home. While working there, he taught himself how to speak English by conversing with his co-workers.
"What I learned from people by talking at work actually helped me when I went to school for English as a Second Language. It only took me one semester to master the college-level English," said Zokou.
After learning English, Zokou decided to continue his education and pursue a career as a registered nurse. During his first semester in college, he took a step in another direction and joined the Army. At the time, he was 33 years old.
In his 14-year career in the Army, Zokou received his citizenship and has earned a bachelor's degree in psychology. He plans to retire as an Master Sergeant and then pursue a career as a high school teacher or a psychologist.
In August, while on rest and recuperation leave from Iraq, he went home for the first time in 13 years. He took the long trip home in order to attend his mother's funeral.
He hadn't been to the Ivory Coast since 1995 when he went to find the woman who is now his wife. She joined him in the U.S. in 1996 and they got married. They have been together 13 years and have two sons together.
Although he went home to attend his mother's funeral, he was still grateful to go home because he had not been able to go back when his father died in 2004.
"The Ivory Coast used to be a pretty good country until the war broke out in 2002. Two years after that I lost my father and I still couldn't go. The country just wasn't safe for me to go home," Zokou explained.
While at home, Zokou was able to see family and friends he hadn't seen in more than a decade. He also visited his old schools, including his elementary school, high school and a couple of colleges he attended when he was younger.
"I went to my elementary school from when I was in first grade. I actually went and sat on the table and the table was so small," Zokou said with a laugh. "I was with my brother and he saw the happiness on my face. To be able to come back to my roots and see where I came from, there were tremendous feelings."
Looking back, Zokou is proud of where he came from and the direction that his life has taken. His family is also proud of the decision he made, he said.
"They don't just see me as a Soldier, but they see me as someone who has been successful. Being a U.S. Soldier in the Ivory Coast is like being VIP," Zokou stated.
Throughout his life, Zokou has known what it means to struggle and today he is reaping the benefits of all his hard work and perseverance.
"If you want something, you can have it. Looking at my story, I came to the U.S. with no money in my pocket and today I'm a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army," said Zokou.
"Coming in at 33 years old in the Army as a Private and today I'm a Staff Sergeant after 14 years, I think that's pretty good. I'm not quite where I need to be at, but I have come a long way," Zokou concluded.