“A Game Of Chess”: Service At The Southern Border And Life As A West Point Cadet

Jose Valenzuela grew up with a complex cultural identity as a Mexican-American, spending portions of his childhood on both sides of the border. His father is an agricultural engineer, growing primarily wheat and cotton, and his mother is a secretary. He is the middle child, with an older sister three years ahead and a younger sister eight years behind him. He attended a Catholic primary school and graduated from high school in 2017. As a boy, he was very active, participating in multiple sports including baseball, soccer, taekwondo, wrestling, track, and cross country. After high school he entered the University of Arizona, where he planned on majoring in Arabic. When some of his buddies started talking about enlisting in the Arizona National Guard, Jose was intrigued; he had always wanted to serve, and he thought the Guard might help pay for college. In late 2017, he enlisted and went to Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. The first three weeks were a blur. Qualifying at the range was the most challenging aspect, but he enjoyed the night infiltration course. He selected MOS 36B Financial Management Technician, but spent very little time working in his chosen field because he was federalized for Task Force Guardian (part of Operation Border Shield) with the mission of securing the U.S. / Mexico border. While assigned to this duty, he was responsible for watching cameras, supporting the Border Patrol, and occasionally translating (sometimes he was called a traitor by those detained by the Border Patrol). He describes the border mission like a “game of chess,” with the cartels constantly trying to find ways to evade the Border Patrol and the Border Patrol trying to thwart their efforts. He learned from his interactions with the Border Patrol that they were very professional. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Jose noticed increasing health and safety precautions with the internationals. While serving as a National Guardsman, he applied to West Point (on the recommendation of one of his ROTC classmates), and was offered the Prep School. He enjoyed his time at USMAPS, and was impressed by all the talent he found there. He describes his Prep School Year as a lot of academic work, and he developed good study habits. His year at the Prep School was the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and when he reported to Beast the next summer (2021) he appreciated the easing of some of the mask restrictions because everyone was vaccinated. He noted that he could not compare Beast to Basic Training, because even though they are both initial training experiences, Beast expects you to react differently to scenarios than Basic does. He is currently enjoying his first academic semester and is contemplating various majors, as well as considering returning to the Arizona National Guard at some point in his future. Right now, his home is in Company A-4, and he appreciates the family-oriented atmosphere in the company. In this interview, Jose talks about his childhood along the border, his time in the Arizona National Guard, and his experiences at the Prep School and at West Point. He discusses some of the Army training he’s received and what he plans to do next summer. Finally, he shares advice for future Cadets and reflects on what West Point means to him.