DES MOINES, Iowa — Alma Arias has partnered with the Army in West Des Moines and now serves as a public affairs officer.
While she loves her birth country of Mexico and is a proud Mexican woman, Arias is grateful for the opportunities to earn an education and have a career paving the way for a bright future.
To her, joining the Army was her chance to give back to a country that has given her so much.
"A lot of times, I was the first Latina officer, platoon leader in charge of 70 soldiers. I got there and said, 'Hey I'm 25 years old,' and they thought 'Oh, she has an accent, she's 25 years old,'" Arias said. "But then after I left I knew that those soldiers knew what I was made of."
She said she's both a proud Mexican and American — she said she wants to focus on Latino empowerment in her upcoming work.
"You never know who you are inspiring and that's why i do what i do because just like you I have young girls looking at me for advice in the military or just for accommodations, it means a lot," Arias said.