Garza-Introduction-MyPurpose

Andres Garza, a former U.S. Marine, shares his life story. After returning from serving overseas, he struggled to fit back in. He eventually joined the U.S. Border Patrol, finding a sense of belonging and enjoying the adventurous nature of the job. He is dedicated to his work and has a desire to teach or join the DOD MIA POW Accountability Agency to bring missing soldiers home. Hello, my name is Andres Garza, and I am married with four children. My life, like so many others, had an altering fate 23 years ago in September. I subsequently returned to being a U.S. Marine, served overseas, saw a little bit of this and that, and upon my return, I could not find myself fitting back in. I just completed my 17th year with the U.S. Border Patrol, and in many respects, this agency is like being back in the Marines. It is not so much that I was a Marine, but that I served alongside Marines. The same applies here because these guys and gals are some of the most loyal, dedicated, and craziest people you will ever meet. It is the forever uniform, and I swore an oath that I honor to this day. I found a home again and have loved every minute of it, riding cool bicycles, ATVs, and jumping out of helicopters to rescue people or play hide-and-seek. As a vessel commander, I spent an awful amount of time rescuing people from drowning while playing dodgeball. I have been baptized by fire abroad and here at home, too. My ambition is to graduate, use this program to teach again, or more importantly, join the DOD MIA POW Accountability Agency and bring our missing home.