My name is Armando E. Ramos and my friends call me Manny. I was born in Burbank, California during December 1969.
I wanted to enlist immediately after graduating from high school, but my parents wanted me to go to college first. Since I was only 17, their permission was required and they said NO. While in college, I continued my interest and determination in someday joining the military. I was a college student for 4.5 years and close to graduating with a Bachelors Degree. I wanted to become independent of my parents support so I enlisted in the Army.

I became a U.S. Army Medic (MOS 91B/91W/68W). I served from 1992 to 2011 and reached the rank of Sergeant First Class/E-7. My stateside duty stations were Fort Leonard Wood (Basic Training), Fort Sam Houston (AIT), Camp Casey in Korea, Fort Eustis, Fort Lewis, Fort Bliss, Hanau in Germany, Fort Hood, the MEPS in Charlotte NC, Fort Jackson, then again at Fort Hood, Texas. My overseas service includes a year-long tour in Korea, a 3-year tour in Germany, and deployments to Saudi Arabia, Haiti, Turkey, Kuwait, and a 1 year-long combat tour in Iraq. I was medically retired from the Army in 2011. I’m a Disabled Veteran with 100% service-connected disabilities.

Except for a distant cousin who served in Vietnam, I’m the only person in my family to serve in a war zone. He’s about 20 years older than me and therefore never talked about his experiences over there. I voluntarily enlisted in the Army in 1992. Since I was a little boy, the military fascinated me. I chose the Army because they let me choose my MOS and offered more duty stations than the other service branches.

My departure was an emotional one for my family. My place in the future was uncertain. My introduction into the Army was life-changing as it is for all new Soldiers. My first week of Basic Training was memorable to say the least. There were long days full of intense PT, cursing Drill Sergeants, little sleep, and absolutely no privacy. I barely had time to think about my situation, much less the life I had left behind me in Los Angeles. I received combat medical training at Fort Sam Houston. That training included a combination of lecture, hands-on, and practical exercises in both clinical and field environments. The highlight of my AIT was learning how to start an IV intravenous line.

My assimilation into the Army was easy at first, but became more challenging once I reunited with my wife and son. After Basic and AIT, I was stationed in Korea for a year without my family. So after 18 months without them in my life, we naturally became estranged. As expected, they both required a lot of my time and attention. The demands placed on me by the Army allowed little free time to give. The Army had become my world. So it had to be one or the other. I chose the Army and we went our separate ways. We divorced and I remarried in 1997.

I served 1-year in Iraq from 2005-2006. Although I didn’t participate in any set-piece battles, I went outside the wire on numerous missions in support of active ground combat operations. These missions put us in danger of enemy attacks and in several instances we received small-arms fire directed at our vehicles. On one such mission, an IED attack on our lead Gun Truck resulted in the injury of 4 Soldiers in my convoy. Rockets and mortars hit our forward operating base (FOB) on many occasions.

The emotions I experienced as a result of combat are with me for a lifetime. I witnessed an IED attack on one of our vehicles that resulted in injuries. The initial moments after the attack were the worst. Not knowing the extent and severity of injuries, loss of communications, and the general chaos that ensued have troubled me for many years. Seeing my comrades hurt is not something I will easily forget.

Most of the good memories involve our meals at the Dining Facility (DFAC). This was the only time of the day where I felt safe and relaxed, surrounded by those whom I trusted the most. The activity inside the DFAC took my mind and worries away from the war going on outside the FOB.

While out on missions, we never knew for sure, if we’d make it from Point A to Point B. The stress and fear is constant. Everything and everyone outside us was suspect. Being in charge, making split-second decisions and actions/reactions last a lifetime. As much as I wanted to lead by example, the responsibilities were heavy and burdensome. I was doing a radio communications check in this picture before rolling out on a convoy escort mission. It was my last combat mission outside the wire in Iraq.

July 1st, 2006 is a day that will stay with me forever. That was the day my convoy was attacked by an IED. It resulted in injuries and the ensuing nightmare that lasted almost 8 hours. The stress from that one event has left me with some deep emotional and mental scars. I still receive counseling and treatment because of it. My service experience has changed me forever. The zeal and enthusiasm I had for soldiering was gone. I also felt like there was nothing more to prove to myself or anyone else. My romance with the Army was over. My career was done. I don’t know how else to explain it.

I don’t regret going. I’m proud to have served in Iraq alongside my Soldiers. What happened there is another matter. It is unlike anything that exists outside the military. I would die for my Soldiers and they would die for me. That’s as high as you can get. My unit returned to Fort Hood in 3 separate flights. All but one of us came back home. 2LT Emily Perez was KIA (killed in action) on 12 Sept. 2006 near Al-Kifl, Iraq while leading a convoy. She was our unit’s only combat fatality. I knew her. I often wonder why her and not me…

The reception by my family and community was awesome and bittersweet. It was more than I had expected. I’m glad they appreciate my service and sacrifice. It makes me feel like it was almost worth it.

I was Medically Retired in 2011 and I’m 100% disabled, service-connected. I’m now a stay-at-home Dad holding down the fort and looking after our 2 teenage boys is almost a full-time job. This October my wife and I will celebrate our 18th anniversary. We live near the Catawba River in South Carolina. She’s a tough cookie and has stood by me all these years through thick and thin.

I’m lucky to have her and our 2 handsome sons.
~ Manny Ramos, U.S. Army, Iraq Veteran

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