Back to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa
VICENZA, Italy – On New Year’s Eve, FM 105.3 AFN Vicenza aired a conversation that captured more than a holiday message. It told a story of opportunity, purpose and generational service in the U.S. Army through the voices of a father and daughter serving on opposite ends of the world.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Lorenzo P. Souza, command sergeant major for Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), sat beside his daughter, U.S. Army Sgt. Cyana M. Souza, an all-source intelligence analyst currently deployed to Poland. Together, they reflected on what Army service has meant to their family, and what it continues to offer Soldiers at every stage of life.
Originally from Northern California, Command Sgt. Maj. Souza has served more than 22 years in uniform. His career has taken him across the globe, including multiple overseas assignments and leadership roles, most notably as a first sergeant with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza. Now in his first command sergeant major position, Souza said the Army’s core strength remains its people and its culture.
“As noncommissioned officers, you can place us anywhere in the world,” he said. “We lead. That’s what we do. Culture bleeds into everything, and the noncommissioned officer corps is the backbone of how this Army fights and wins.”
That culture of service runs deep in the Souza family. In addition to Command Sgt. Maj. Souza and his daughter, their family includes a son currently graduating basic training, a nephew serving as a combat engineer deployed to Lithuania, a niece working as a corrections and detention specialist at Fort Leavenworth, and another nephew recently selected for Officer Candidate School.
“It’s a unique experience as a parent,” Souza said. “Serving alongside your kids, trusting the NCO corps to take care of them, and knowing the values you raised them with carry forward.”
For Sgt. Souza, Army service was never forced, but it became a natural choice. Raised as a military child, she attended approximately nine schools and lived around the world. Vicenza stood out as the best experience of her childhood, a place she returned to during the holidays while deployed.
“After high school, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” she said. “I wanted something that would sustain me, give me direction, before I really found my footing.”
She found that direction in military intelligence. Now a 35F all-source intelligence analyst, she has served at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, deployed to the Republic of Korea, and is currently supporting operations in Poland.
“I love intelligence,” she said. “I’m pursuing my bachelor’s degree in intelligence now. This is my thing, my purpose. Being able to learn about different regions and intelligence disciplines has been a cool ride.”
Both father and daughter emphasized that the Army offers far more than a single path. Educational opportunities, global assignments, leadership development and career flexibility allow Soldiers to grow personally and professionally, whether they serve one enlistment or make the military a career.
Command Sgt. Maj. Souza himself is finishing his master’s degree, a goal he began as a staff sergeant. Education, he said, has always been a family priority.
“The Army is a platform,” he said. “Whether you serve two years or twenty, it sets your mindset. It gives you discipline, confidence and options.”
That discipline starts with fundamentals, something Command Sgt. Maj. Souza often stresses to his Soldiers. From drill and ceremony to physical training, he believes mastery of the basics builds trust and readiness.
“That trust commanders place in NCOs, that’s how the Army wins wars,” he said. “We’re on the ground, making sound decisions. It comes back to doing the basics right.”
For Sgt. Souza, serving alongside her father, though separated by distance, has been a source of pride and inspiration. Recently married, she is already planning her future, both in uniform and beyond.
“I’m proud to be in the military with him,” she said. “The Army helped me figure out who I am and what I want to do next.”
As the interview closed, both offered thanks to Soldiers, families, and leaders across the force. Their message echoed the spirit of the holiday season, and the enduring promise of service.
“The military is a great opportunity for young adults,” Sgt. Souza said. “It opens doors you didn’t even know were there.”
From Northern California to Italy and Poland, the Souza family’s story reflects a larger truth: the U.S. Army is not just a profession, but a pathway, one that shapes leaders, strengthens families and offers limitless opportunity to those willing to serve.
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About SETAF-AF
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
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