THE 3-MINUTE INTERVIEW: Tyler Torres, a veteran of the Iraq War
November 11, 2009 by ANNA-CORLEY SHEDD
Filed under News
Tyler Torres, a 25-year-old senior majoring in sociology from Ellijay, is a veteran of the Iraq War. To honor Veterans Day, The Red & Black spoke with the cadet, who served as part of the 82nd Airborne Division and was stationed at Forward Operating Base Speicher from 2007 to 2008.
Do you have family members who served in the military and influenced your decision to serve?
Yes. My mother and father served for four years in the 1980s. My great grandfather had been a rear admiral in the Coast Guard.
My grandfather had been a commander in the Coast Guard, and my uncle is a retired commander in the Coast Guard. It was something I had always wanted to do.
How did you get involved with the military?
I was a college student at UGA and was supposed to graduate in 2003, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. My best friend was joining the Army, and I had always wanted to join the military.
I learned that the Army would pay off my student loans, and the best officers had prior enlisted experience. So I chose to join the Army, and the Green to Gold program got me to where I am now.
What is the Green to Gold program?
This program gives enlisted people a chance to be released early from duty. You are discharged honorably to join a ROTC program to become an officer. So that’s what I am doing now at UGA.
Why did you choose to enlist in the Army with so many family members in the Coast Guard?
I talked with recruitment officers of every military division. I felt I could be a better leader no matter what branch I was in.
My best friend and Noah Harris, one of the first UGA cadet officers killed in Iraq in 2005, were the two that influenced me the most. [Harris] was from Ellijay, and he went into the Army. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Army is the backbone of the military, so I went Army.
What was the one thing you missed most while in Iraq?
I missed my wife the most. At the time we weren’t married, but I missed her being there. It’s amazing how modernized the bases are now. The Morale Welfare and Recreation program provided areas that we could easily access Internet and telephone. I was even able to watch the Sugar Bowl when UGA defeated Hawaii. As for food, I missed real meat. There were Taco Bells and other such places, but the real meat was hard to find.
Did you learn any Arabic?
I picked up some key phrases, but we had an interpreter with us at all times. I am jealous of my best friend who became fluent while serving.
One of the things that many people don’t know about is the foreign language stipend. The military will pay you for learning Arabic, Farsi and Pashto while enlisted.
What was it like to come back after serving?
For the most part, the transition wasn’t too difficult. The Family Readiness Program made this transition fairly easy.
This is a group that helps family and friends during deployment and transitioning the military personal back home.
What was the main thing you brought back with you?
A great self-discipline. Prior to enlisting I lacked self-discipline and motivation with the grades I should have been getting.
Now, I am a better student, all-around person. I improved my grades thanks to the training and self-discipline I gained from the experience in Iraq.
