Call of Duty
Metro student follows childhood military dream
By Joe Nguyen
nguyejos@mscd.edu

Photo by Matthew Jonas • jonasm@mscd.edu
Metro State senior Eric Juarez stands by the flagpole at the center of campus. He will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps once he graduates next week.

   Walt Disney once said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
   For Metro senior Eric Juarez, the dream is joining the military. The day after his graduation, the 23-year-old will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

   Growing up, he was infatuated with everything military, whether it was playing G.I. Joe or watching war movies. Mark Raleigh, a childhood friend, remembers the passion Juarez showed when the two played out their Lego wars as children.
“We always battled with our Lego armies and his would always dominate mine,” Raleigh said. “His Lego armies usually had ranks. He was pretty into it.”

   Juarez was born in Sacramento, Calif., and is the youngest of four children. His twin brother, Michael, was born five minutes before he was. Neither had military aspirations, despite the fact their father and grandfather, both named Manuel, served.
   When Juarez told his parents he was joining the Marines, they hated the idea. But since his return from boot camp last August, they’ve come to respect and support the decision.

   “With the current situation in Iraq, my parents had reservations about the military,” he said.
   The military wasn’t in his plans when he graduated from Millard West High School in Omaha, Neb. In January 2001, he returned to Colorado to enroll in college, be with his family and friends, and take a business opportunity
that was waiting.

   “I was given the opportunity to be a junior partner (at Progressive Martial Arts) right after high school,” he said. “I had the dream job that I wanted. Being in school and being with my friends was something that I really wanted. Everything was set. I had achieved everything I wanted and I was just living life.”

   In his junior year, he resigned from his job and that opened up a door to the military.
   “I wanted to try something totally different,” he said, “and the Marines is totally that.”

   Despite his family’s objection, many of his friends have been supportive of the decision.
   “I think that’s really a courageous thing,” said Conor Drummond, a high school friend. “I don’t know too many people who are willing to put themselves in that kind of position. I know I can’t do it. It’s not something I can see myself doing. I respect people who are willing to go and do that job.”

   “I support Eric in joining the Marines even though I don’t necessarily support the war,” Raleigh said. “… It goes with that clichéd saying ‘Support the troops, not the war.’ That’s where I stand. I don’t want to see my buddy go down.”

   Juarez finished his Officer Candidate School training last summer and just needs to graduate to get his commission. In order to graduate this May, he is taking a course load of 18 credit hours.

   “(It’s been) hard as hell, man,” he said. “It was rough this semester. I had to stop working so that I could graduate.”
With four of his six classes already completed, he said he’s focused on reaching the finish line, enjoying his summer and waiting until he heads off to Virginia for the Marines’Basic School.“The uniforms are hot,” he joked as he erupted into laughter.