In 2006, Albert Moreno, an infantryman, left the military on a medical discharge after suffering serious injuries that required facial reconstruction and knee surgery.
That year his entire squad was killed in Iraq, and he alone survived.
Moreno has tattoos over his chest and arms that he uses to cover the scars he’s incurred throughout his lifetime.
A single father, Moreno works to balance his family responsibilities and his role as a student. On top of that, he is an active student senator and a part of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO).
On Tuesday, Nov. 1, Moreno and his fellow campus veterans read aloud the names of fallen service members in honor of Veterans Awareness Month. The SVO will be putting on a number of events for Veterans Awareness Month throughout November.
This first event, Roll Call, sought to bring awareness of the soldiers who perished in the line of duty. Moreno read the names of some of his roommates and friends.
“It was a little shaking to read my best friend’s names again. Those aren’t names you see on a daily basis,” said Moreno. “So, when you see their names and the significance of why their names are there, it’s difficult. You see their faces, hear their laugh. You remember all you’ve ever done with them. It’s a relationship that’s one of a kind.”
Moreno said that the feelings of guilt and memories of his service led him down a path of destruction. In 2009, Moreno plead guilty to a felony charge of child abuse and a misdemeanor of violating injunction against sexual battery.
He said that he was helping an underage friend get out of a bad situation and that his naivety got the best of him.
“I went to jail because I didn’t want to let go of the survivor’s guilt. Because I didn’t want the help,” Moreno said. “Prison saved my life. I didn’t die overseas, I didn’t die in prison. I realized I had to do something for myself.”
Moreno’s student activity has been incredibly beneficial to him. He said that at first, he was afraid to go to school and be around students nearly half his age. But now, fighting for those students in SG gives him a special sense of reward.
To raise money for Wounded Warriors, the SVO held a volleyball tournament where students, faculty and the community could compete for prizes and help bring awareness to an important cause.
“Being a veteran, I think the majority of us get a good feeling when we get to help someone else. That’s what we like to do,” Moreno said. “An event like [Veterans for Volleyball] is strictly entertainment, but we’re getting the community together to have a good time.”
Moreno and his brother started a team but were defeated in the semifinals.
Eight teams total competed in the tournament and students participating were invited to donate to the organization. Community members were required to donate.
Kaitlyn Mollo, who served with the Coast Guard as a fireman along the Texas-Mexico border, helped co-found SVO and is the Student Government Secretary of Veteran Affairs. She said that she was impressed with the popularity of the event.
“We had a really good turnout. Every team that signed up showed up. That’s really rare,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of new faces tonight and hopefully they’ll be willing to participate in our future events.”
By the end of November, Mollo hopes that student veterans will learn about what support systems and benefits the campus has to offer, but stresses that SVO accepts all students with open arms.
“Anyone can join SVO. It’s a normal student organization. We’re literally for anyone who supports the military,” said Mollo.
Elisa Duka, a junior in global business, helped Mollo plan the event. She is not a veteran but instead wanted to support them, especially considering that her father and other family members had served. She said that bringing younger students and student veterans is important.
“A veteran is not just going into a brand new environment, they are also sitting next to students half their age,” Duka said. “There is a lot both can learn from that interaction. Veterans add a lot to the college experience.”
It really does not sit right with me that this article glosses over the fact that this man assaulted a child? “I went to jail because I couldn’t let go of survivors guilt” ? Who allowed that quote?? This reads as redemptive of a rapist. An assault on a minor is not a bump in the road in someone’s life. This is a bad look for the Crown and the author should be ashamed.
My last comment should have said crowsnest, not crown. Autocorrect! Regardless, this article is garbage.