Soldier Fulfilling Dream
(July 21, 2010) |
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| | FORWARD OPERATING BASE GRIFFIN, Afghanistan (July 16, 2010)
– The Grand Canyon, a mile deep chasm twisting for more than
270 miles through the state of Arizona, attracts millions of
visitors from around the world to every year. |
Spc. Mashal Sanchez, a linguist with 3rd Battalion, 6th
Field Artillery from the 10th Mountain Division's 1st
Brigade Combat Team, dreamed about his visit from the day he
first learned of the canyon in his 8th grade English book.
“Since then, I have always wanted go there,” he said. “I
finally got to take my family when we drove from Virginia to
California.”
Born in Kabul, Sanchez's mother is a high school history
teacher and his father is a colonel in the Afghan National
Army.
“I didn't grow up in a traditional Afghan family,” he said.
“My parents always encouraged us to learn more.”
After graduating from high school, |
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Spc. Moshal Sanchez, right, a linguist with 3rd Battalion,
6th Field Artillery from the 10th Mountain Division's 1st
Brigade Combat Team, translates as Alhaj Shahreza Munshi
Zada, the minister of culture and information for the Faryab
province, explains how the cast metal type pieces used in
their printing press works to Lt. Col. Kyle Marsh, the
commander of 3-6, in Maimaneh, Afghanistan, June 26, 2010. |
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Sanchez attended the Kabul Polytechnic University while also
working full-time as an interpreter at Camp Alamo. |
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“I worked with the military police for a little bit, and
then I worked with the U.S. military intelligence,” he
explained.
For nearly five years he worked with the several U.S. Army
units before finally receiving a special immigration visa to
the United States with the help of the many American
officers he worked with. In June 2008, Sanchez packed up his
family and moved to Alexandria, Va.
“We lived with my cousin,” Sanchez said. “He knew the way. I
didn't have a credit card or credit history, so he co-signed
for our first apartment.”
Over the next year, Sanchez taught English classes and
worked as a role-player at the National Training Center
located at Fort Irwin, Calif.
Neither of these satisfied his need to re-pay the Army for
the great gift he was given.
“I had to pay back the Army for what I was given,” he said
of the immigration visa he was granted.
After taking a month off from work to spend time with his
family, Sanchez found himself doing countless push-ups,
carrying an M16 rifle everywhere, and going with little
sleep in basic combat training and advanced individual
training at Fort Jackson, S.C.
While moving his family to his permanent duty station at
Fort Irwin, Calif., Sanchez finally had his chance to
experience the wonder of the Grand Canyon.
“It was exactly what I saw in the pictures,” he said. “It
was so amazing. I didn't even realize how far we had walked.
I would love to go back someday.”
He spent only a few months in California before reporting in
to Fort Drum, N.Y. on a brisk North Country day in March.
Now with 3-6 FA, Sanchez said he feels as though he is a
member in the centaur family.
“My job as an interpreter at KMTC, and my job now is pretty
much the same, but now I feel like I'm part of a team,” he
said. “I have much more confidence in what I'm doing now and
that I have a purpose. Having this uniform on give me so
much pride.”
Sanchez is one of several Soldiers in the 1st BCT that can
speak the Afghan language fluently.
Currently, he serves as the “eyes and ears” for Lt. Col.
Kyle Marsh, commander of 3-6 FA.
“Translating now is more important to my now than as a
civilian,” Sanchez said. “I enjoy going out with the
commander.”
Like many young Soldiers, Sanchez says he's not sure of what
the future holds, but hopes it involves the Army.
“My ultimate goal is to become an officer in intelligence,”
he said. “I think my language could really help me as an
intel officer.”
Before receiving his commission however, he has many other
personal goals to achieve such as learning to swim.
“I want to go to all the Army schools I can – like Ranger,
Airborne and Air Assault school,” he said. “It's personal.
Of course everyone wants all those badges on their uniform,
but I want to prove to myself I can do it. I love the
challenge.”
With a long term goal to one day move the rest of his family
to the states, he currently is focused on contributing to
the 3-6 FA mission in the Faryab province and the U.S.
Army's mission in Afghanistan |
Article and photo by Army Spc. Blair Neelands
1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs
Copyright 2010 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
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