In honor of the sacrifices made by our Veteran Military and their families, we want to proudly showcase some of our very own members of HIRE with their stories of what inspired them to join the military and to share some anecdotes on their experiences as a result of their military service. Their heartwarming stories will inspire you. We know there are more veterans who are HIRE members who we did not showcase, but we also want to acknowledge and thank you for your service. Please take some time to thank someone you know who has served in our military forces, who are Veterans or who are currently serving and who sacrifice so much, along with their families, for the protection of our freedoms, our constitution and for all who call America home. We salute you and thank you for your service!
We asked the following Veterans two questions and below are their thoughtful responses:
- What inspired to serve our country?
- Who/what influenced your decision to enlist?
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David Rivas - Intake Specialist
1. What inspired to serve our country?
As 1st Generation Mexican American few members of my family were in the military. My uncle Benjamin was in Vietnam and was the first to show me the pride that one has in serving our country.
The moment that cemented my desire to continue to serve my country was when I was in bootcamp on September 11, 2001. That day changed everyone’s life and it set my course for my 20 years of service as a US Marine.
2. Who/what influenced your decision to enlist?
My father came to this country and wanted a better life. As we grow, he would always mention that he would have loved to join the military. That was when I was 14 years old, and I decided I would join when I could because it was honorable, and it would make my family proud.
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Juan Mel endez - Budget Analyst
1. What inspired to serve our country?
The inspiration to enlist was the opportunity to travel the world, meet new people, experience new adventures and most importantly our land of the free and home of the brave.
2. Who/what influenced your decision to enlist?
At the age of 3 or 4, I remember watching a weekly show called “Combat” on TV. This show put the military seed into the back of my mind. At the age of 17 and with my parent’s signature I enlisted in the U.S. Army.
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Alberto Marinas Jr. - Internal Revenue Agent
A Journey of Gratitude: My service as a US Marine
In
1997, just two years after leaving communist Cuba, I made a
life-changing decision to join the United States Marine Corps. My
reasons for enlisting were deeply personal—this country had given me a
new start, and I wanted to express my gratitude in a meaningful way. I
also saw the Marine Corps as an opportunity to sharpen my English skills
and immerse myself in American culture, helping me adapt and thrive in
my new home. As a Marine, I served as a weapons technician, or armorer,
earning the rank of Corporal (E4). My role was to maintain and repair
the tools that my fellow Marines relied on, ensuring everything from
rifles to machine guns operated perfectly. The responsibility taught me
discipline, precision, and the importance of teamwork. Being a Marine
not only helped me grow professionally, but it also connected me to a
community that shared my values of service, loyalty, and commitment. It
was more than just a job—it was a way to give back to the country that
had welcomed me, while at the same time learning and embracing
everything it had to offer.
My time in the Corps left an
indelible mark, shaping who I am today as a proud US veteran. Recently, I
wrote a book where I reflect on my experiences, and naturally, my time
in the Marines is a key part of that narrative. In the book, I share how
my service as an armorer and my journey as an immigrant shaped my
worldview. It’s a tribute to the power of resilience, duty, and the
pursuit of opportunity, and my military experience plays a central role
in that story.
Today I also choose to serve. My gratitude
remains, but I also feel a strong need for finding meaning in my
professional life. There is no other place, other than the federal
governemnt, where one can build a family, a career, and yet feel
fulfilled that our efforts have meaning beyond ourselves.
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Bedalina Rodriguez - Manager Assistant
In a world marked by poverty, abuse, and neglect, I found myself ensnared in a cycle that seemed impossible to break. My early life was fought with challenges, leading me down a path filled with poor choices and despair. However, enlisting in the Army offered me a lifeline—a chance to escape my circumstances and redefine my existence. It was not driven by aspirations of glory, but rather a profound need for survival and a quest for purpose. The military provided the structure and guidance I so desperately needed, transforming my life and instilling a renewed sense of hope for the future.
Throughout my 16 years of dedicated service as a Logistics Specialist and Non-Commissioned Officer, I had the privilege of deploying to Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. These experiences taught me invaluable lessons in discipline, leadership, and resilience. Although my military career was abruptly halted due to injuries sustained during my final tour, I carry no regrets. The Army was not merely a job; it was my salvation, allowing me to dream once more. For this, I hold an enduring gratitude, recognizing the profound impact it has had on my life and the lives of many veterans who have walked a similar path.
US Army Retired, SSGT
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Domingo Jimenez - Information Technology Specialist
1. What inspired to serve our country?
I joined the ARMY after the 9/11 attacks. My basic training was delayed because there were so many joining at that time.
2. Who/what influenced your decision to enlist?
I was enlisted as Private first-class E-3, my last rank was Staff Sergeant E-6, and Honorably Discharged. My military occupation was Quartermaster logistics specialist, and I was assigned to the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The U.S. ARMY recruiter called me shortly after 9/11/2001 and told me the ARMY needed people with my degree. The only degree I had at that time was my associate degree is in computer science. I did not know what I was in for, but I got to learn many things. For example, from being a member of team to leading a team or larger groups of soldiers in order to accomplish our mission. In addition, I learned time management, staying awake for long periods of time, perseverance to achieve my goals.
Joining the ARMY helped me to continue with my education which helped me with my tasks when I was deployed in Iraq. After joining the ARMY I completed the following degrees and certifications MIS, MBA, BS Information Security Specialist CompTIA A+, Network + Certified and MS Office Pro. I continue to invest in my education as best I can. I continue to serve our nation as a civilian in the IRS, Deskside Jacksonville as an Information Technology Specialist.
No one is more professional.
Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.
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Roger Vera - Supervisory Internal Revenue Agent S
1. What inspired to serve our country?
I have always love to serve.
2. Who/what influenced your decision to enlist?
Two years active-duty Army and 9 years US Navy Reserves 1988 Savings & Loans Collapse. There were no jobs! I joined the Army in order to get The GI Bill and receive an education.
Result of my Military service. Two associate degrees, a bachelor’s degree and a career with the IRS. None of them would have been possible without my military service. It opened a world of opportunities.
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Sara Gumm, Revenue Officer in SB/SE Collection Operations
Sara Gumm, is a Revenue Officer in SB/SE Collection Operations and is a member of the Oregon HIRE Chapter. She shared with us:
What inspired you to serve our country? I joined the Army as a paralegal to build a career in a field I felt very strongly about. I wanted to work in the legal field because I had a deep sense of justice. At the same time, I was a very empathetic person. During my four years in the Army, I worked for JAG (Judge Advocate General) and learned how to incorporate the two.
Who/What influenced your decision to enlist?
I enlisted for what I believe were selfish reasons. I was poor, living in a small town, with little to no job opportunities. I had no money for school and felt the only way to get an education without being in debt for the rest of my life was to join the military. I originally wanted to go into the Air Force, but the Army found me first.
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Eric Olson, Revenue Officer with SB/SE Collection Operations
Eric Olson, is a Revenue Officer with SB/SE Collection Operations and is a member of the Oregon HIRE Chapter. Eric shared the following with us:
Really and honestly, I was never inspired to serve my country in the US Navy. It was during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” after all and I would have to go into the closet. However, I choose to serve because I knew that the opportunities and skills that I would accumulate would serve me well later in life.
The most memorable moment was being able to see a moon at its perigee (Super Moon) over the Pacific Ocean on a clear night when you can see the stars and the arms of the Milky Way.
I had many members of my family serve in the US Military with a total of 3 generations, counting my service, on my Father’s side and 12 generations of military/public service on my Mother’s side. You could say it’s in my blood.
To this day I do not regret enlisting or the 8- years I spent protecting our freedoms.
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Janice Foulk, Senior National Account Manager with Wage & Investment Customer Account Services Submission Processing.
Janice Foulk, is Senior National Account Manager with Wage & Investment Customer Account Services Submission Processing. She is a member of the Austin HIRE Chapter and is also our very own Chief Information Officer. Janice shared the following:
My father was Air Force, and I grew up on military bases around the world, so military was normal for me. I decided to join the Kansas Army National Guard while I was living in Kansas going to K-State. I started out enlisted (as a 27E, which is someone who fixes the electronic guidance systems for small missiles) but after I moved to Texas and transferred to the Texas Army National Guard my Commander suggested I apply for Officer Candidate School. I applied, successfully completed the training, and became a 2nd Lieutenant. I went on to Command a Forward Support Unit that was housed in San Antonio, Texas and then became an S1 for the Battalion Commander.
I believe that my time in uniform had a positive effect on my interactions at the IRS and throughout my life.
Pictured with her son pinning on her LT bars & her father in the background.
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Dave G. Fernandez, is a Revenue Officer with SB/SE Collection Operations
Dave G. Fernandez, is a Revenue Officer with SB/SE Collection Operations and is a member of the Oregon HIRE Chapter. He shared the following:
As a poor Mexican boy growing up in a small town called Cuero, which is eighty miles southeast of San Antonio, TX, I had little choices and even lesser opportunities. My father was from Mexico and dropped out of school in the third grade to work fields. It was all he ever knew. I was the youngest of a large family of ten siblings, but I never really knew them. There is a fifteen-year gap between me and my oldest sister, so, by the time I was nine years old, most of my siblings were out of the house, and on their own. That did not deter me from my lifetime dream, which was to be a football player in the National Football League. However, by the time I was graduating high school, I was beginning to realize that my dream of a professional football player was not realistic for me. This was mainly for two reasons, my dad wouldn’t let me play sports in high school, and there was no way I could go to college.
In high school, I began working at the local grocery store, which two of my brothers had done before me. That was all I knew. No one ever told me I could go to college, because no one in my family ever went to college. After high school graduation, I continued working at the local grocery store for an additional four years, and everyone assumed I would work there for the next twenty plus years. But I knew this local life was not for me. I found a way out of Cuero after talking to the local military recruiter in the next largest city of Victoria TX. Joining the military was a horrifying option for me, and I did not have the approval of my dad, but I was determined and driven to make a better life for myself.
The military gave me options I otherwise didn’t have. I did eventually join the Marines, because I knew they were the toughest and of course, they had the sharpest looking uniform. I had every intention of serving for twenty plus years, but after six years my body was not capable physically and I separated with “Honorable Service” and service-connected disability. I served from November 1988 through November 1994 and did two tours in Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. I didn’t realize at the time, after my discharge, that the military would continue to provide me opportunities even through today.
I started college eight plus years after my discharge in February 2003 to complete an AA degree in general studies. After a year and a half at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon WA, my VA administer informed me I qualified for a four-year degree under the Vocational Rehabilitation Program due to my service-connected disability. So, I completed my “AA” degree in May 2005 and then applied and got accepted to Western Washington University in Bellingham WA in Jun 2005. I graduated in June 2007 at the age of forty-two, where I received my Bachelor of Art Degree with a Major in Finance and Minor in Communications.
Today I continue to receive opportunities beyond my imagination as a civil servant working for the United States Treasury. Combined service is over twenty years and while the decision to join the military initially, was not so inspiring, today, it inspires me to continue to serve and be grateful from my humble beginnings.
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Vanel Buens - Internal Revenue Agent - SB/SE
On this Veterans Day, November 11, 2021, I am thankful to my son, Schweitzer (SEAN) Beuns, for his service in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and in the United Stated Air Force. He has proudly demonstrated a wide array of excellent skills in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thanks to all our veterans who have so faithfully served and sacrificed for our nation. As DAD, I’m grateful for the honor to work alongside my son. Sean earned a Master in Political Science from Rutgers University in New Jersey. Indeed, he brings valuable leadership skills, competencies, world-class experiences and perspectives to the Federal Government. Our veterans deserve our heartfelt gratitude for their service and sacrifice to keep our country safe. Thanks to all who have served and continue to serve. And to the families of those serving, I am grateful for their sacrifices.
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With thanks and appreciation for your service!
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