Page 102 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine

Robert Betancourt Taking a Seat with a

Sergeant

by Lukas Moreno

Lukas took advantage of the class assignment by interviewing a veteran he did not know.

Mr. Betancourt really opened my eyes to life in the military by sharing his
stories firsthand. I learned about benefits such as the GI bill, the culture of
camaraderie, and the good habits that come with hard work. While I had
originally not thought much about joining the armed forces, this interview
has definitely opened my eyes to the possibility.

provides funds for college around 22 or younger …
education. Another big thing operating hundreds of
was the ability to choose thousands of dollars’ worth of
what you wanted to do in the equipment. Once, we were out
Army; for example, my job checking on microwave dishes
was a Microwave Systems mounted up in trees. We had
Maintainer, which I did for gone to this abandoned ski
Please tell me your rank and all five of my years of service. resort where one of the dishes
where and how long you They ask you what you want was at the top of the hill. We
served? to do, and, say, you tell them had to zigzag all the way up

electronics. They open their the steep hill; my buddy next
My name is Robert book and view positions to me looked out the window
Betancourt. The highest rank where they need someone in and saw the other vehicle just
I earned in the Army was electronics. You get to pick helplessly sliding down the
Sergeant. I spent five years in your field, and they put you hill … only in the military.
the service, from 1991 to 1996. where they need someone
I completed my basic training with that specific field of How has being in service
at Ft. Johnson in South interest or expertise. affected your life?
Carolina and began my AIT,
which stands for Advanced Do you have any stories I strengthened a lot of
Individual Training. My first from areas where you were qualities, especially neatness.
station was in Germany, stationed or about the people When I was younger, I was
in an area known as the you met? already pretty detail-oriented,
‘Muenster Depot’ where I but in the Army, that was
served from 1992 to 1994. My When I was stationed in taken to a whole other level.
second deployment was at Ft. Germany, the country was We did lots of cleaning
Leavenworth, Kansas. so beautiful. It was kind of and polishing - things like
a shock, however, to see so doorknobs and drains - even
Why did you decide to join? much poverty. In Kansas, I the pipes under the sink. I

found it amazing how they also learned timeliness. The
My main incentive for were able to move so many Army taught me about being
joining was the benefits, most people so fast and efficiently; prompt. Our instructor used
notably the GI Bill, which we were all young soldiers, to tell us, “If you’re on time,

102 Lubbock Senior Link