Chicago Army Reserve Soldier re-enlists at her favorite sports team field

By Master Sgt. Anthony L TaylorJune 28, 2019

CHICAGO - "Today is a great day. I re-enlisted for another six years in the (Army) Reserve," said Sgt. Maribel Meraz, assigned to the 85th U.S. Army Reserve Support Command headquarters. "I had the opportunity to swear in at Wrigley Field and watch the best team play."

Meraz, Chicago native, enlisted in the Army Reserve in January 2008 as a Human Resources Specialist and was assigned to the 847th Postal Detachment, Fort Sheridan, Illinois. She later served on two deployments. Her first tour was in 2011 to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn and then deployed again in 2013 to Qatar and Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Meraz reenlisted for a second six-years during her deployment in Kuwait.

A third reenlistment for Meraz was not much to reconsider other than where she wanted to conduct it. Meraz shared that she is a big Chicago Cubs fan mostly because of her mother. She said that her home is divided between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox but she and her mother are the Cubs fans.

"Our house is divided but the Cubs are my favorite team, and I get it from my mother," said Meraz.

On a hot and sunny Thursday afternoon, Meraz, joined with her mother, met fellow Soldiers from her unit at Gallagher Way, which is adjacent to Wrigley Field, to conduct her next reenlistment in the Army Reserve on June 27, 2019. Meraz reenlisted for six more years, amongst her military family and game spectators there to watch the home game against the Atlanta Braves. Following the reenlistment, Meraz was greeted by spectators there and given congratulatory remarks; she additionally briefly met Clark, the mascot of the Chicago Cubs.

"It was a privilege to have (my Soldiers) and my mother here to see this," said Meraz. "The next six years are unpredictable but I know I will always learn, grow and adjust terrain."