Air Force Veteran Diana Gloria Overcame Language Barriers to Serve the Military and her Family
Diana Gloria’s military career spanned two decades, during which she deployed multiple times. However, her greatest challenge wasn’t on the battlefield—it was within her own family.
Born in Mexico, Gloria’s family followed her father to Kenosha, Wisconsin, when she was eight. Two years later, after learning English as a second language, she served as a medical translator for her family when her brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
“We were always going to doctor appointments,” Gloria recalls. “As a kid, I didn't even understand what I was translating for my parents, but I did it anyways.”
This experience had a profound impact on Gloria, inspiring her to pursue a career in nursing.
“I wanted to help my family and others like them,” she explains. “The language barrier was tough, and I wanted to bridge that gap.”
Initially, Gloria took the ASVAB to get out of class when a recruiter visited her high school. However, her high score led her to join the Air Force in 2002 specializing in information technology.
“For me, it was about getting an education and seeing the world,” Gloria remembers. “My parents couldn’t afford college, so the Air Force was a way to achieve my goals.”
But Gloria’s decision wasn’t without challenges. Her parents were deeply concerned, especially since she enlisted right after 9/11.
“They were scared,” she remembers. “I was a young woman, English was my second language, and they feared for my safety. They even had all my extended family call to talk me out of it.”
She served four years active duty including a deployment with Red Horse Squadron and 155th Air Refueling Wing. During her service, the Air Force helped expedite her naturalization and she proudly became a U.S. citizen in 2006. Later as a reservist, she used her Veteran benefits to become a registered nurse.
“When my brother was diagnosed, it was traumatic for my family,” Gloria recalls. “We weren’t really sure what to do.”
Motivated by the challenges of navigating the health care system with a language barrier as a child and a deep desire to help others led Gloria to work at VA.
“Once I came to VA, I felt at home—more accepted.” Gloria said. “It is just so nice to feel like you belong somewhere.”
During National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed from September 15 to October 15, we celebrate the contributions of Hispanic Americans to our country, not only in the military, but also in the communities they serve. Some, like Gloria, faced and overcame immense challenges while making a lasting impact on the lives of others.
***********
For more information about the Madison VA Hospital, visit www.madison.va.gov, www.facebook.com/MadisonVAHospital and subscribe to our newsletters.