Future Soldier Alberto Feliciano

Feliciano, Alberto a photo by Official Army Future Soldier Center on Flickr.

Hi my name is Alberto L. Feliciano and I’m very proud to say I’m a Future Soldier. My story began when I saw my father put on his uniform and work in something he loved. My father was an Airborne Ranger. I always wanted to be a Soldier and at the age of 16 I quit playing baseball to become a Civil Air Patrol Cadet. When I started my senior year of high school I talked with my father about enlistment and his said, “If you want to enlist go for it, but only when you finish college.’’

Some months later he went to Iraq. On Jan 13, 2006 my mom received the call you never want to receive - my father was hit by two cars bombs and was in a plane to Germany for treatment in Ramstein AB. I forgot all about wanting to enlist and decided to go to college.

In my third year of college, I saw a table with cadets of the Air Force ROTC and started thinking and decided that I really wanted to be a Soldier so I talked with a TSgt and his said, ‘’You are too fat for the program.’’ I was over 250 lbs at that time so the TSgt said when you drop that weight to 185 lbs come and meet with me. Six months later I went to the TSgt office and he weighed me and didn’t believe that I dropped my weight to 184 lbs. I signed the initial contract and started the next semester. My plan was to finish my last two years of my bachelor’s and the other two years for my master’s.

Almost one year later the Air Force had some cuts of personnel and one day the Commander said AFROTC have 5,100 cadets and only needs 2,500 so all the cadets with plans to do a master’s have one choice: to extend the bachelor’s degree or go to Army ROTC; so, at this time I was only at 9 classes to finish. Obviously my time in AFROTC was done.

I decided to finish my bachelor’s degree and enlist in the Army. One month after my graduation (my bachelor’s degree is in computers and network). I met my recruiter and the rest is history. I chose to follow the steps of my father and enlist in the Army. Some people doubt me and tell me I can’t be a Soldier, but after some hard work and motivation I’m now waiting for my day to ship to BCT. If you want something just do it HOOAH!!!

SPC Feliciano