Student veteran at Starr County gives back to those returning from active duty

Coming across as humble with a sharp sense of humor, South Texas College student and veteran Javier Gonzalez speaks with a no-nonsense attitude when it comes to talking about services for his fellow veterans or service members.

Gonzalez, who welcomes veterans and their dependents in the “Foxhole,” a veterans' center for fellowship located in the Student Services Building at STC’s Starr County Campus, talks openly about coming back home after his service in the U.S. Army in 2017.

Used to a military routine as an infantryman, Gonzalez said he considered many careers after being discharged, mostly in law enforcement, but nothing panned out.

He ended up working at a local Walmart to make ends meet.

 “When I got out I didn't know much, really, and I was like, ‘what now?’ he said.

Gonzalez said he knew that he could get college paid for through veteran benefits, but he still had bills to pay and still needed to sustain himself.

Eventually, Gonzalez leveraged an opportunity working at Walmart to return to college. He began with basic courses, but quickly realized that his experience in the Army gave him the skills for a degree as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

It was in the program where Gonzalez said he met his two mentors, EMT faculty and fellow veteran Edgar Flores and lab instructor Steven Miller, who made a connection with him and pushed him to keep going through the rigors of the program.

Gonzalez was able to receive his EMT-Basic and EMT-Advanced certificates and is studying for his EMT-Paramedic certificate this fall.    

“Miller had lots of experience as an EMT and as a paramedic. I loved his stories. Edgar (Flores) I believe was an ex-Marine so I was totally comfortable around him. Since my military background was in infantry, I felt like the transition to an EMT was assisted through my past experience in the service with trauma care,” Gonzalez said. “I admit that I was close at times to quitting both courses, but Edgar was there to push me (and) I wasn’t about to let a Marine get the best of me.”

During his time at STC, Gonzalez has been able to help establish the “Foxhole” which he currently oversees on most weekdays when not training in the field as an EMT and picks up weekend shifts with an emergency provider.

“I picked up this job here at STC because I wanted to help other veterans like me,” Gonzalez said. “I’m always concerned for those veterans who come in and you can tell that they need help, but they don’t know where to go. Sometimes all it takes is helping them ask the right questions so they get the right answers. That’s what they need.”

Gonzalez said STC has come a long way in the services it provides veterans and their dependents, and is proud that STC, for six consecutive years has received a “Military Friendly School Gold Award” as well as a “Military Friendly Spouse School” award, a first for the college.  

The awards recognize the college’s commitment, effort and success in creating sustainable and meaningful opportunity for the military community.

 “I see veterans when they come in, and I can tell they need help,” Gonzalez said. “In the military, we’re trained to look at little details like that and that’s a big reason why I’m here at STC. I’m the difference between a veteran staying or just say walking out, but I would like to tell them that there are good things out there for them if they stay with us.”

For more information on Veteran Services offered at STC, visit www.southtexascollege.edu/veterans/.