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Description
Oral History interview of Nestor J. Serrano. Interview conducted by Sharon Rodriguez at Colbourn Hall, University of Central Florida.
Log
0:01 Introduction; 0:55 Childhood and family; 1:12 Parents; 1:30 Education in Jersey City; 1:55 Brother's service in the Army; 2:10 Prior to entering the National Guard; 2:45 Starting the National Guard; 3:00 Honorable discharge from the National Guard; 3:08 Training for the National Guard; 4:15 Job in the National Guard: Infantry; 5:00 Going back in, as a reservist; 5:15 Being part of the first father-daughter swear-in for the Army; 5:45 Takes first deployment (2006)- to Afghanistan; 6:05 Defining PMCS and what it constitutes; 6:40 Post National Guard; 7:20 Contact with men from his service in the National Guard; 8:00 Aspiration to become a police officer in Hoboken, New Jersey; 8:45 Feelings on swearing into the Army with his daughter; 9:30 Potentially joining the army at 41; 10:45 Training and going back into service; 11:25 Graduating boot camp; 11:55 Job in the 143rd Transportation; 12:55 Assignment as a reservist- Orlando, FL.; 13:00 Going to Afghanistan and Iraq; 13:25 Supplying in many cities; 14:45 Landing in Afghanistan, eye-opening experience; 15:25 Minimal interaction with locals; 16:15 Communicating home; 17:20 Being afforded leave and rejecting it; 18:10 Flying home for grandson's birth; 18:45 Signing in with North Carolina company; 19:08 Questioning the point of being in Baghdad; 20:10 Third Deployment: Baghdad; 21:50 Suffering a stroke in the middle of a combat zone; 22:45 Residual stroke symptoms; 23:50 Hints of PTSD; 24:25 Experiences with PTSD; 24:45 Having to leave the Army; 27:00 Last deployment; 27:15 Closing down bases in Baghdad; 27:30 Last mission/ Hit by IED; 29:15 Adjustment back home becoming hard; 29:55 Disappointing his team and family; 30:20 Visiting the VA and getting help; 30:45 Getting institutionalized; 31:35 Getting help; 32:00 Adjusting to society and effects from war; 33:00 Serving as a Hispanic in the National Guard; 33:12 Racism and Culture clash; 33:45 Serving as a Hispanic in the Army; 34:45 Racial injustices; 36:10 Working in tense conditions; 37:50 Working with different groups of people, black, white, LGBTQ, etc.; 38:55 Being ostracized and dealing with it; 41:00 Lack of proper equipment; 42:38 Sentiments on time in the Army; 43:00 Strain on family members; 44:15 Veteran groups; 45:10 Volunteering for the VA; 47:50 Giving back by joining the Army; 48:40 Pride in having been part of the military.
Date of Birth
1961-03-10
Place of Birth
Chicago (Ill.)
Gender
Male
Race
White - Hispanic
Home State
Illinois
War or Conflict
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Status
Veteran
Begin/End date of Service - 1st
1986-10-09
Type
Video; MovingImage
Entrance into Service
Enlisted
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Unit of Service
143rd Transportation
Location of Service
Iraq
Highest Rank
Corporal; CPL
Prisoner of War
No
Service Related Injury
Yes
Battles
Unspecified
Medals
Army Achievement Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Good Conduct Medal
Achievements
See video for details.
Note
"[The veteran] served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Also served in the Army from 2005 until 2012. Did not receive Purple Heart for injuries." -- The interviewer. Awarded Army Achievement Medal twice and Army Commendation Medal three times.
City of Birth
Chicago
Country of Birth
United States
Interviewer
Rodriguez, Sharon
Interview Date
Fall 11-14-2017
Location of Interview
Colbourn Hall, University of Central Florida
Subjects
Serrano, Nestor J.; Iraq War, 2003-2011 -- Personal Narratives; Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, 2001-present -- Personal Narratives; United States. Army
Collection Description
Contains logs, audio and video recordings of interviews with Central Florida's veterans as part of a history class project for the students at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The UCF Community Veterans History Project(CVHP) started in fall 2010. It collects, preserves, and makes accessible to the public the experiences of Central Florida's veterans so that future generations will better understand the realities of conflict. It is a collaborative endeavor supported by multiple departments and offices at UCF. The veterans' histories are archived and made digitally available through the UCF library and selected materials are contributed to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.
Contributor Affiliation / Organization
RICHES University of Central Florida
Contributors
Rodriguez, Sharon
Length of Interview
49 Minutes
Publisher
Department of History, University of Central Florida
Type
video
Rights
All rights are held by the respective holding institution. This material is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. For permission to reproduce and/or for copyright information contact Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, (407) 823-2576. http://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/special-collections-university-archives/
Repository
University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives
Contributing Project
UCF Community Veterans History Project
Document Type
Interview
Recommended Citation
Central Florida, RICHES of, "Serrano, Nestor J. interview" (2017). Veterans Oral Histories. 559.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/veteransoralhistories/559