Veterans Resource Center

Degree: B.S. in Dental Hygiene 

Transfer Plans: UC

Military Service: U.S. Army

As a retired Navy veteran, I have successfully conducted 9 combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya as an Intel analyst working with both the United States Army and the United States Marine Corp . Along with those tours I was also assigned to the Pentagon during the events that took place on September 11, 2001. Overall, I have completed 20 years of honorable service in the United States Navy 

The road to me transferring to San Jose State here in the fall since my retirement has been a tremendous one. In 2014 I was forced to retire from the military and went through some devastating challenges. I had to deal with a great many things such as mental disorders dealing with depression and severe PTSD along with substance abuse. I also was dealing with legal issues and homelessness for a period. However, these days I am in my children's daily lives, owning my own home, being completely sober and successfully continuing my education. 

My journey in achieving my associates degree from Foothill College has been very challenging. There were so many ups and downs through the last couple of years. When I started my journey here at Foothill College back in 2019, I did not know what to expect. There have been so many great people who has helped me through the process of getting through my classes and finally graduating in 2022. I would like to thank my two sons Maseus and Rome along with my girlfriend Yvette all have been the mainstay of my achievements, however professionals at Foothill College like Professor Eta Lin, Mrs. Mimi Overton, the veteran volunteers in the Veteran Resource Center and most importantly Miss Julie Brown were critical in my success at Foothill. Special thanks to Miss Julie Brown because in my eyes I could not have graduated and be as successful without her help and guidance. I feel so blessed to have met Miss Brown and I can’t say thank you enough. I hope to stay in contact with everyone that has helped me here at Foothill College and I look forward to my next challenge of attending a CSU.