BRISBANE, Australia — Specialist Angel Torres grew up as an Army brat, but his decision to join the service wasn’t solidified until he watched his older sister graduate from Marine boot camp in 2015.
The path to enlistment
When Torres, his mother and two of his five sisters — Faith and Fina — visited Paris Island, South Carolina, to watch his sister Zena earn her eagle, globe and anchor, it was the inspiration he needed to tip the scale toward a life of service.
“Without question, my sister is the biggest reason why I joined the Army, she definitely inspired me,” said Torres with a smile across his face. “My dad and grandpa played a role too, but I think seeing my sister do it made me feel like it was a good option for me.”
Despite his ambition toward enlisting, his route to joining the service was full of obstacles.
Growing up, Torres lived across the list of the Army’s major duty stations before his family settled in Tampa, Florida. His father, Angel Torres Jr., served for 22 years in the Army before retiring while Torres was in middle school.
Torres struggled throughout eighth grade and the school administration recommended he repeat the year. However, he didn’t like the idea of falling behind his peers and he and his family opted for a different route.
“I was never the best student, so I ended up trying an online high school, but that didn’t go as planned. It was hard for me to focus and I found myself spending more time working as a mechanic than doing my homework and logging into school.”
At the time, Torres recalls that he didn’t mind the work, but he didn't feel fulfilled. He wanted a career. Before he could sign any papers at his local recruiting station, he needed to earn the high school diploma he never completed.
Torres graduated in 2019 from an adult career school, finishing years of education in just one calendar year.
Despite his sister being a Marine and his mom encouraging him to join the Air Force, Torres was fixed on the Army based on his research and the opportunities it provides.
Unfortunately, this is when he got hit with his second major setback. He was denied a contract during three separate trips to the military entrance processing station for not meeting the height and weight standards.
“After my third visit, my recruiter basically told me to get my act together if I wanted to join. For whatever reason, it hit a little different and I started working out and signed my contract December 2019. I ended up shipping one month later.”
Orders to Hawaii
Upon graduating from basic combat training in South Carolina, followed by advanced individual training in Georgia, Torres received orders to Hawaii — the first time he travelled outside the continental U.S.
“When I received orders to Hawaii, I wasn’t expecting it all. But obviously it’s Hawaii so I was excited. The best part was telling my family I was moving to paradise.”
Torres arrived at the 8th Theater Sustainment Command on Fort Shafter in 2021 and instantly impressed his leadership with his work ethic and positive attitude in his job as an IT specialist.
“As a leader, I think what you want most from junior Soldiers is the eagerness to learn and willingness to work hard,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon Cech, 8th TSC signal noncommissioned officer in charge for Talisman Sabre 23. “Spc. Torres is exactly that, he’s a great asset to the team."
Since Torres’s arrival to 8th TSC, he continues to earn high praise from his leaders and routinely takes on new duties to learn and grow.
Talisman Sabre 2023
In late May, Torres deployed to Canberra, Australia, to support Pacific Sentry, a computer simulated exercise that focused on the Indo-Pacific, and then flew to Brisbane for a follow-on exercise, Talisman Sabre 23.
“When we looked at the requirements for Pacific Sentry and Talisman Sabre, Spc. Torres was someone we really wanted to take,” said Cech. “He’s done a great job so far and I know he’ll finish strong.”
Talisman Sabre is a bilateral exercise between Australia and the U.S. with multinational participation consisting of 30,000 participants from 13 countries.
“I think when you participate in a major exercise like Talisman Sabre, you really feel like you’re making a difference. Just a few years ago I was working in a car garage, and now I’m helping set up IT networks for the biggest military exercise in Australia.”
Fortunately for Torres it hasn’t been all work in Australia. Between the two exercises he got the opportunity to visit a few sites, to include a koala sanctuary where he had close encounter with a kangaroo.
The Future
“When I return to Hawaii, I want to look at warrant officer opportunities. I think the most important thing to me is being an expert in my field, and that’s why I like the warrant route," said Torrest.
Torres also enjoys the stability the Army offers. For him and his wife, the Army gives him a level of security where he can provide for his family.
“He’s just getting started,” said Cech. “If Torres wants to be a senior enlisted leader or warrant officer, I’m confident he’ll achieve it.”
Whether it’s traveling to Australia, growing within the IT profession, or seeking career advancement as a warrant officer, for Torres, the opportunities are in Army service.
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