Solid support is Lopez' motivation
Rank, name
Sgt. 1st Class Gabriel L. Lopez
Unit
U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School
Military Occupational
Specialty / Job title
Infantryman/11B, drill sergeant
Years in service
11 years (June 5 will be 12 years)
Family
Married with a 6-year-old daughter
Highest education
Pursuing an associate's degree
Hobbies
Fishing, skeet and trap shoot, and spending time with his family
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Sgt. 1st Class Gabriel Lopez advises junior enlisted Soldiers not to worry about promotions.
Lopez has found that a solid support network of family and co-workers has been the best motivator.
"Promotions will come as long as you do your job to the best of your ability - no matter what it is," Lopez said. "Coach, teach, and mentor your Soldiers in every aspect. Always do what is legally right, morally right and ethically right, and you will be OK in life and on the job.
"Always take responsibility for your actions and [those] of your subordinates."
In his 11 years of service, Lopez has been stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., Camp Giant, Korea, Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Jackson. He has been deployed to Iraq twice.
Lopez said his co-workers and organizational leaders have influenced his Army career the most.
"They have helped mold and guide me in the right direction. They sometimes had to kick me in the rear end when I needed it most," he said.
He also thanks his wife "for putting up with my long work hours and various deployments. She has stayed by my side the whole time."
Besides hoping to retire from the Army as a command sergeant major, Lopez plans to complete his associate degree study and earn a bachelor's degree in business management.
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