Tillman awardee reflects on journey

Army veteran Carlos Gonzalez is among IU’s first class of Tillman Military Scholars, a scholarship awarded to former active-duty military personnel and their spouses.

Gonzalez was born in Managua, Nicaragua, in the middle of a national revolution. A civil war was sparked by turmoil within the government, and young boys were being kidnapped and forced to join the military, Gonzalez said.

When he and his brother were 7 and 9, respectively, their mother decided to gather her two young boys and flee Nicaragua.

“It was more of a precautionary measure to ensure that none of that happened to us,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez, his brother and mother emigrated from Nicaragua and relocated to San Francisco.

“We were fortunate to come to the United States during those times of civil war,” Gonzalez said.

As a young kid, Gonzalez was able to adapt to his new home, but he said the language barrier was his biggest challenge. Gonzalez remained in San Francisco until he moved to Miami when he was in high school.

As a high school wrestler, Gonzalez flourished, earning a scholarship to wrestle at California State University.

“I attribute a lot of my success to my collegiate dedication and trying to excel in wrestling,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a good way to stay out of trouble and stay disciplined.
It’s one of the things that definitely helped in my development as a young man.”

However, after breaking his leg during his junior year, Gonzalez said he focused solely on his academics.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, Gonzalez joined the Army Reserves.

Gonzalez, who once sought refuge and lawfulness in the U.S., also sought to reciprocate his gratitude by serving in the U.S. military.

“Years ago, my family and I were fortunate to be given an opportunity to be a part of
such a great nation,” Gonzalez said. “Joining the Army felt like the right thing to do.”

The Sept. 11 attacks occurred one year after Gonzalez joined the Army Reserves.
He said he was initially in shock, then became overwhelmed with a slew of emotions.

“I was feeling fear, anguish, along with a roller coaster of emotions,” he said.

After the attack, Gonzalez mentally prepared himself for his anticipated deployment to Iraq.

“When President Bush gave his Address the Nation speech regarding the attacks on the twin towers, I knew I was going to get deployed,” Gonzalez said. “So I locked in, mentally prepared and wrapped my head around it.”

Gonzalez was deployed in 2004, the second rotation of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“The initial rotation invaded Iraq,” he said. “We came in and tried to establish infrastructure.”

Shortly after his rotation arrived in Iraq, his military base came under attack every day, Gonzalez said.

“They would drive up outside the military base at various hours, fire off a couple of mortars into the base indiscriminately,” he recalled.

Gonzalez said he would forever cherish his time in the Army.

“The best experiences I ever had stems from my interaction with the people I came across while I was in the Army,” he said.

“We all came for the same cause, and we worked together as a team, a cohesive unit, working for a common goal.”

Gonzalez’s character is affirmed by some of his fellow Army peers.

“Carlos has excellent interpersonal skills who motivated others to do well, even in a difficult and hostile environment,” said Kevin Carr, an army officer that served with Gonzalez during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“In my 32 years of service as an Army Officer, I have never come across such a humble and exceptionally articulate soldier.”

After serving a one-year tour in Iraq, Gonzalez returned home to continue his service as a police officer with the Oakland Police Department for nearly 10 years.

Gonzalez is set to receive his Jurisdictional Determination from McKinney School of Law in December 2015. He plans to pursue a military and law enforcement career in the courtroom to provide legal services for underserved people.

“I want to be able to represent victims of crimes that has no representation,” Gonzalez said. “I want to be a part of something good and leave a legacy behind.”