FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. – When someone wants to reenlist and continue their military service beyond their initial contact, it is usually a straightforward process. That was not the case for Spc. Anthony Santos, a religious affairs specialist, who started his military service in the Marine Corps.
“In the Marine Corps I came up on my time to reenlist but I wasn’t able to continue on with that job,” said Santos. “There were other options that I could have gone with, but I wanted to continue with my direct job line. I looked at other jobs and I looked at other branches of the military and I was able to continue to serve with the Army. It’s been a perfect match for me.”
Originally from Los Angeles, Santos joined because of his stepfather.
“My stepfather was in the Marine Corps and he was the driving force in joining the Marines in the first place,” said Santos.
His interest in religious support grew from meeting people who worked in that line of work.
“I liked what they brought to the table,” he said. “Each day they had a smile on their face and were helping other people and that’s what I wanted to do.”
After transitioning to the Army, Santos has been at Fort Leavenworth for just a couple of months. He works at the Frontier Chapel.
“I miss the California food scene,” he said with a big smile across his face. “In all seriousness, it feels like a family environment here. I’ve only been here a few weeks, but my chain of command are the type of people where if I have questions or concerns, they are very responsive.”
Santos’ long-term goal is to do 20 years in the military, the length of time needed to retire. For now, he enjoys volunteering around base.
“I’m currently volunteering at Army Community Service and soon will be volunteering at the Frontier Army Museum.”
More information about Fort Leavenworth religious services can be found at: https://home.army.mil/leavenworth/index.php/my-fort/all-services/religious-services-organization.
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