FORT KNOX, Ky. — For some veterans, recognition for their service comes decades after they leave the Army. An award earned years earlier may finally be approved, giving the veteran the recognition they have long deserved.
Helping make those moments possible is Staff Sgt. Yesenia Saldivar, the noncommissioned officer in charge for the Army Human Resources Command Awards and Decorations Branch.
“Having a veteran recognized for something they did is important to me,” Saldivar said. “I also think it’s important to create memories for the family, especially in situations where the veteran receives a posthumous award.”
Much of Saldivar’s work happens behind the scenes. She reviews award cases, verifies names and orders medals and certificates. She also coordinates with units and family members to help ensure awards are presented to recipients in a meaningful way.
When an award is approved, Saldivar contacts the veteran or family member to ask whether they would like a formal presentation. The awards may include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart or Silver Star.
“Her mission-driven focus is perfectly balanced by an unwavering empathy for people,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Veronica Fallon, the Awards and Decorations Branch policy chief and Saldivar’s supervisor. “She treats every inquiry as a commitment to a veteran, retiree or next of kin who sacrificed for their country or loved someone who did.”
Saldivar recently helped coordinate the presentation of the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device to former Spc. 5 David L. Wright for heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam in 1970.
Working with Wright’s family and Army unit contacts, Saldivar ensured the presentation was meaningful and memorable. Following the ceremony, the branch received a message commending Saldivar for her assistance.
“She was so responsive and worked hard to ensure that the family had representatives from the Army present for the ceremony,” Fallon said.
Saldivar routinely reaches out to units across the Army and Department of War to help veterans and their families receive personalized presentations.
“I recently contacted someone at the Pentagon, for example, who was able to assist me with a ceremony at a family member’s request,” she said.
While some of the awards Saldivar works with recognize service from decades ago, including the Vietnam War, others are more recent.
“I think having those memories and ceremony photos is very significant,” she said. “It’s rewarding to be part of coordinating that process. I really enjoy working with veterans and their families.”
From New York to Kentucky
Saldivar’s desire to help others is rooted in her upbringing.
Born in New York and raised in Queens, she moved to the Bronx when she was 15. She grew up in a blended family with seven siblings, three on her mother’s side and four on her father’s side.
Her close-knit family emphasized helping and supporting one another, values her parents instilled in all their children.
Initially, Saldivar planned to pursue a civilian career. After high school, she earned an associate degree in medical assisting but eventually began considering another path.
“I said, ‘You know what? Let me just explore the whole military thing,’” she said. “I loved to travel, and I felt like I had been stuck in New York my whole life. I wanted to try something new.”
In 2009, Saldivar joined the New York National Guard. She deployed to Guantanamo Bay in 2015. After returning in 2016, she entered the Individual Ready Reserve, but her separation from military life did not last long.
“Five months went by, and I missed going to drill. I missed the camaraderie,” she said.
Saldivar joined the Army Reserve later that year and deployed to Egypt, where she supported postal missions.
“I feel like that deployment was an eye-opener for me,” Saldivar said. “I realized I wanted a full career in the military.”
That realization, combined with a conversation with an Army leader, eventually led Saldivar to accept an assignment at HRC as an Active Guard Reserve Soldier.
“My supervisor at the time, Master Sgt. Xiomara Rosadosantos, really encouraged me to take a position at HRC if the opportunity arose,” Saldivar said. “For the AGR community, there are a lot of great opportunities at HRC that I feel are unique. I’ve learned a lot, even in just one year here, and have really enjoyed my work.”
As she works toward becoming a senior Army leader, Saldivar believes leaders should take time to know the Soldiers with whom they work.
“To establish that human connection and to know my Soldiers and their families, I feel that’s very important,” she said.
She also tries to support Soldiers as they pursue their own goals.
“I always try to cheer them on and be supportive when they are going to school or achieve something with their career,” she said. “I like to encourage them to learn new things and take advantage of new experiences that might come their way.”
That emphasis on supporting others stems from Saldivar’s own family values.
Her mother has supported her throughout her military service, including during periods when Saldivar was both at home and away from New York.
“My mom’s support has always been a constant for me, despite the distance,” she said.
The two remain close, and Saldivar calls her mother regularly.
“When I don’t call her, she’s like, ‘OK, why haven’t you called me?’” Saldivar said with a laugh.
Focus on the Future
Saldivar’s time at HRC has given her a closer look at one part of the Army’s human resources enterprise, and she hopes to continue expanding her experience in Army HR.
“I would love to work for a higher headquarters one day,” she said. “I also have the goal of being stationed somewhere in Europe so my fiancé and I can experience living in a different country.”
For now, Saldivar remains committed to her work in the Awards and Decorations Branch and to helping veterans and their families preserve lasting memories of military service.
“I love working with Soldiers, and now I’m working with veterans,” she said. “I hope the ceremonies and awards presentations we coordinate are something that veterans and their families can value all their lives.”
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