A Duty to Serve: Lessons from the Battlefield and Beyond
In this powerful episode of Unstoppable Stories, host Lauren Cardillo sits down with Zachry Flores; military veteran, UMGC alumnus, and current UMGC professor. Zach shares the raw realities of serving as a military police officer, both stateside and overseas, and opens up about his journey before, during, and after his time in uniform.
From childhood dreams of police work to unexpected deployments, Zach’s path was anything but predictable. Even after sustaining a brain injury in the line of duty, he pushed forward earning a bachelor’s in criminal justice, a minor in business, and an MBA from UMGC, where he now teaches. His passion for the military runs deep, and he’s devoted his life to supporting those who serve in mind, body, and spirit.
Episode Information
Lauren Cardillo: What was it about law enforcement that appealed to you?
Zachry Flores: Helping people, you know, just being there to assist it just. Something that I saw growing up, you know, the passion I saw in my parents and everyone that's always learned a helping hand, you know, help someone out. You know, I saw that all the time.
When my dad would cook barbecue, he always had extra food. He would drive and give it to some of his friends and, and someone who needed a plate. So it was just that sense of being there for people and I thought police officers, just a great way to be there.
Intro: Welcome to the UMGC podcast, unstoppable Stories.
With your host Lauren Cardillo,
Lauren Cardillo: today I'm joined by Zachry Flores, UMGC grad. But also a member of the military for most of your adult life and an mp. Mm-hmm. So tell me, how did that start? I mean, to be in the military for such a long time. What was your interest? How did it all begin?
Zachry Flores: Well, you know, to be straight honest with you, military was always in the back of our mind.
You know, we grew up with the family's mindset of, you know, we will support you through college. If you're not gonna be in college, you gotta help support yourself, being at home, get a job, or military. So, you know, I went to college, my parents were supporting me. I was in my first semester, I was doing law enforcement.
18, wanted to be a police officer, really bad. So that's what I was studying. Had to wait till 21, so one day. Without really notifying anyone. I went to the recruiter's office, it was like, I'll join the Army. I was like, Hey, I want to be an mp. That's the way I'll go. So I could fast track to be a police officer right away, and, and that's what I did, you know, halfway through my first semester of college, went straight to the military just so I can get that passion started faster.
Lauren Cardillo: What was it about, you know, law enforcement being, being a police person? What was it about it that deplete appealed to you?
Zachry Flores: You know, helping people, you know, just being there to assist. Um, it just something that I saw growing up, you know, the passion I saw in my parents and everyone that's always learned a helping hand, you know, help someone out.
You know, I saw that all the time, you know, you know, when my dad would cook. Barbecue. He always had extra food. He would drive and give it to some of his friends and, and someone who needed a plate. So it was just that sense of, you know, just being there for people. And I thought, you know, a police officer's just a great way to be there.
Lauren Cardillo: So you join the army, you don't go to college, then you stop college.
Zachry Flores: Yeah.
Lauren Cardillo: So what happens next? You end up like how long does it take somebody to become an mp? I have no clue. I only see mps in movies.
Zachry Flores: Yeah. You know, you had the nine weeks of basic training, then I think it was nine weeks of, you know, of, you know, military OC occupation specialty training, so MOS training, which was all together.
So you graduate basic training. The next day you start to impeach in school. Then, you know, it's just like nine weeks. And then you're shipped off to your first duty station to, to start becoming duties, you know, and, but the real training becomes from who you are, you know, assigned to your leadership, your, your sergeants, and everyone, you know, that's who continues to mentor you as a young soldier.
So, you know, you know, you go in, it's nerve wracking, but you're taking care of because, you know, that's how our, our military is built, you know, you know, sergeants, train soldiers, so, and then those soldiers end up sergeants and train the next ones. You know, it's just a full rotation. Right.
Lauren Cardillo: So what were the, some, some of the places you were shipped off to?
Zachry Flores: Yeah, so, you know, brand new soldier. I went to Korea right away, um, which was great. Had a, you know, wonderful time. Then, you know, I, I went back to stateside, to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, which I had a great opportunity working with, uh, criminal investigation division. So those were considered federal agents for the Army.
So I worked on the drug suppression team there. So that was outstanding fun. Nerve wracking, but a very great experience. Um, and then, you know, then I came to Germany for the first time, um, and then we deployed to Iraq from here. So I had a, a 15 month deployment to Iraq, uh, and support the operation Iraqi freedom.
I came back to Germany for a little bit, you know, and in all days I still had police duties. When I was back, uh, after I left Germany, I went to Fort Hood. As soon as I got there, I pretty much got told, Hey, you got some deployment, uh, some deployment experience. We need to go in Afghanistan. And I was like, oh gosh.
All right. So then I was excited to be home. You know, I'm from Texas. I was at Fort Hood. I could drive home three hours, no, you know, got to drive home once, and then deployed and went to Afghanistan. Um, which was a crazy experience. 'cause you know, I'm an mp. Um, you know, you know what they say about mps, you know, they're, they're, you know, low exit ground soldiers, you know, legs, you know, we're not airborne or anything.
We drive. I get to Afghanistan. I'm in a dismounted walking patrol type of mission. I'm like. So, you know, so that was an experience. So, but then I came, I came back, you know, to Fort Hood, and then I had one more duty station back to Korea. Exact same unit I first started with in the military. So, uh, my first MP company was my last MP company.
And, and, and that was my career there.
Lauren Cardillo: So for people who have a vision of Iraq and Afghanistan, which I'm sure they do, what was it like for you? I mean, they're very different places, but a lot of similar terrain, I'm guessing.
Zachry Flores: Yeah, you know. Iraq, I had a mission. I had, we started off with like seven police stations or Iraq police stations.
We would mentor, train, and you know, and then by the time we left, I believe we were at 10. Um, and then a major crimes unit for the area. So we were really getting involved. Um, you know, and, and there'd be some places that we would go and you just kind of could tell it just wasn't meshing. We would try, our best wasn't meshing.
We would go to another place and like we would be clicking. These people were moving forward and all that. I really, really felt that our mission there was very impactful. Um, we really, I believe, made a difference. I mean, we were there just under 15 months. It's a long time. You know, I took RR in my 11th month.
I was almost there a year before IRR. It was crazy. But, you know, so I had that experience and, you know, I felt, you know, that. There was a great impact. Our mission was there. It, we had some danger, but not as intense as I had in Afghanistan. But that mindset, when I got to Afghanistan, it was like, okay, I've done this different country.
But like I said, my mission was completely different. I was walking everywhere to checkpoints. We're in the mountains like, oh, a 10,000 feet elevation. You can't breathe. You're carrying all your gear. They were actually, this is where we were actually having more combat related incidents and, you know, and that was a completely new experience for me.
Yeah. I got sent because I had experience, but my experience was driving around mentoring all these police. I was doing the same mission was mentoring, you know, and training the, you know, the Afghan police force, you know, the NA or the Afghan National Police. But we had the complete danger involved into this, and it, it, it.
Brought a complete different aspect and mindset and it just had to. I had to relearn, but not show it because I was a, a sergeant. So, you know, it was, you know, you'd just be kind of in your corner with the other sergeant, like, Ooh, all right. You know, you know, today was a day, man. You know, like, like, I, I can't even describe this day to family in, you know, I was gonna, I was
Lauren Cardillo: gonna ask you, describe me a day where you went like.
Okay, this is like different, what were those days like? Yeah.
Zachry Flores: You know, and, and the thing is you didn't really, and like when you're a sergeant, you don't wanna show that to your soldiers. 'cause you want to be confident, you wanna be tough, you know, you wanna keep motivating. And I remember we were at a checkpoint and the infantry went to a school that was supposed designated the school, but thought the Taliban were using it as, you know.
You know, at, at a little safe house. So they were pushing up and I remember we were standing on, and these are mud buildings, so they had like wooden like. Three ladders that you climb up the wall on the side of these, you know, mud built walls and checkpoints and we're looking over the edge. I was like, come on man.
It just doesn't seem right. So, um, all of a sudden, yeah, there was contact and infantry. So we got down and we started pushing forward and, and I remember we were. We were starting to walk to a place we have never been. So the terrain was new and everything, and we were taking fire. And I remember, you know, one of my, one of our good guys, he just laid it down for us, you know, and like, pretty much like set the tone for us.
But then all of a sudden we were like, okay, it was coming from our 12 o'clock, but now it's coming from our 11 or 10 o'clock. What we didn't realize was they had. Like, almost like waist deep or chest deep, like trenches built where they were being able to move down the ceiling. Us like running around because we'd never seen it running around.
Yeah. Ah. So, you know, and I remember we were like, so we're making our next movement and there's a wall waist high and I'm going to jump first. And it's like. Over my head high on the other side and I'm like, whoa. And I jump down, I land and I sit there and at the same time a mortar lands like on the side of the mountain, you know, they're starting to shoot mortars at us.
And it's a feeling that I know that other veterans have experienced. 'cause I, you know, when I talk to the very few about, you know, the experience, uh, is a slight slow motion of like emotion. And it's like you're feeling it, you're seeing it in like, you're like processing a million things in just like two seconds.
It's like. Okay, I gotta do this, I gotta do this. I might die. Gotta do this, do this. Oh my God, this could hurt. You know, it's just so many things and then all of a sudden it's just like you come back to reality and then you just start reacting. It's just, it's, I, it's a feeling that is so hard to describe, but I feel like, you know, another veteran, here's this thing.
Like, wow. Yeah, I know that experience. I mean, it was, you know, these, you know, feelings of emotions that are just roller coastering everywhere.
Lauren Cardillo: So it's like it sort of slows down, but then you're making all the decisions really quickly.
Zachry Flores: Yes. And you know, in those decisions, it's crazy how, you know, they come just naturally.
Mm-hmm. You know, sometimes, you know, you know, I didn't have time to think, am I making the wrong decisions, the right decision. I was just doing the decisions that I was trained to do and you know, it was just unbelievable. Sometimes I'd go back and I like. Wow, okay. Playback. Talk to the guys we always did after action, reviews.
This, this, this, good, bad, blah, blah. And then I'll talk to my sergeants and be like. Dude, you made that decision. That was unbelievable. He's like, he's like, I don't know, sergeant. It just happened and we just did it and it worked. I was like, yo, it is funny. You know, at the end of the day, everyone was safe and you know, we could laugh about it, but you know, we knew waking up the next day.
We had to learn from sometimes the mistakes we made.
Lauren Cardillo: How did that particular day end? You know, you said the mortar went over your head and then what?
Zachry Flores: Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, we ended up, yeah, we fought for like a good like. 30 to 35 minutes, which is like an eternity. Um, in like in. We ended up going up, they, the infantry pushed back.
We were able to, you know, get, you know, buffer. We had no casualties, um, on our end. Um, we were out there for a while. I mean, we're, 'cause you know, the mission lasted long before that. So we were getting low on water, low on ammunition. And then, you know, once we break contact. Or once we get the Apaches in the air or, or you know, a WT Apache weapon teams would show up, then it was game over.
They, they would just back off. You know, you know, you know, you see 'em coming over the edge, you're like, yes. You know, you know. 'cause I mean, that was one of my go-tos. We were like, it started happening. Boom. I was calling, um, you know, come save me. Uh, you know, so, you know, if those, any of those pilots ever heard this, you're, you're there in Afghanistan.
Thank you so much. You saved us all the time.
Lauren Cardillo: Yeah. So I love it.
Zachry Flores: Yeah. You know, it's all a big team, you know. So, um, yeah, so we, we came back and, you know, and when we decompress, you just sit there and you just, you just like, you know, thinking like, yo know. What will it just happen and how are, you know, and everyone had to self cope, you know, and, you know, and, and a lot of that coping didn't really come into effect to later years and everything.
That's why I'm able to talk about it now, you know? Oh, I'm sure.
Lauren Cardillo: Yeah. Because it's, it's happening in real time and in your life, and you have to process it really fast. But how can you, right. It's. Happening in real life. How, how was it, how were the people you were training? You know, how did that make you feel?
Or how did it go? Um, because you ended up now being the mentor. Yeah. You know, you know.
Zachry Flores: A big difference from Iraq and Afghanistan was, I would say, intelligence level and, and school level, you know, Iraq, they would understand and take our concepts of, you know, basic police functions. You know. Um, I got tasked to do a basic forensics CL forensics class in Afghanistan, you know, so I get this.
I'm like, yeah, okay. The first thing I go out, true story. I just talk about simple fingerprints. You know, we didn't have much training aids and everything, so I just got a pencil, you know, scr it down, rubbed my finger on it, and then I just made, I made a fingerprint, you know, you know, with the pencil onto the paper, and I was explaining, you know, this is a fingerprint, you know, it's, it's unique, you know, to you and you only, and there's certain identifiers on the fingerprint that can identify you.
My interpreter's like, oh, they got, they gotta wanna say something. My interpreter starts laughing. I'm like, what? He's like, he said that he's, you're teaching Hollywood. And I said, I was like, excuse me. He is like. He's like, he said, you're getting this from Hollywood movies. It's not real. And you know, and that was so deflating to me.
You know, I was like, why is this happening? You know? And I continued and, and it just showed because when I did the same thing, you know, in, in Iraq, you know, they understood and, and, and processed and everything. Um, yeah, it was difficult. Yeah.
Lauren Cardillo: So how did you end up then getting a traumatic brain injury?
What, where did that happen?
Zachry Flores: Yeah, so I, so in another incident there, like we were providing support with our trucks at the time, and I, they took contact, we got there and when I was trying to get outta my truck, 'cause I wanted to go to a different truck to get a better radio signal to call in for, for some assistance.
Um. And as soon as I opened my door, like they started like lighting me up and I saw, I was like, I was stuck 'cause of my gear. So then the only choice I had was just to jump down. So when I jumped down from the top step of a, a, you know, an M wrap, you know, so your feet are a couple feet off the ground. So, and then plus my, I not that tall, but my height.
Plus my height and then I landed and I just knocked myself out, um, cold in the middle of a firefight. Um, which wasn't good 'cause I stood up thinking like, oh, what just happened? You know? And I'm like, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. And then I started processing and then it just kind of snowballed from there. Um, yeah.
You know, and you know, the tough, trying to be tough and a leader and not get the help and trust them. We only had medics and everything and where we were. So, you know, I just kind of just brush it off like it was nothing. And you know, the week long headache eventually went away. So I was like, oh, it's good.
But then, you know, just, it kind of snowballed, you know, after a while and with no treatment and everything. So
Lauren Cardillo: did you realize that you had been knocked out, you know, that you had sort of lost consciousness for a little bit?
Zachry Flores: Not really, um, until one of the guys told me, they're like, you're just laying there.
We thought you got hit and we're, you know, I was like, oh. And, uh, you know, so not, not knowing how long I was laying there, he said it was a few seconds and they said, it was like, they're like, oh, you know, they're like something, you know, he's been hit check on him, but. I just stood up and they're like, oh, he's okay.
You know? Hmm. It was kind of, you know, the situation 'cause they could see me 'cause you know, we didn't have too many people on the ground. So then, you know, it was too dangerous for them to really run to me at the time.
Lauren Cardillo: Mm-hmm. So you probably thought concussion, I'll be fine.
Zachry Flores: Yeah, yeah. Just, just shake it off and keep on going and, yeah, and it, it just happened, you know, they just.
We kind of just went through a lot. Yeah. Bodies aching nonstop and, and yeah, we felt it later afterwards, but we just didn't wanna, I was
Lauren Cardillo: gonna ask you, when did you like figure out, maybe this is more than a, you know,
Zachry Flores: just a bump on my head.
Lauren Cardillo: I. Yeah,
Zachry Flores: just when I started getting the migraines constantly. Um, and then, you know, I never had migraines before and then they just started happening more and more frequent and they just kind of just never went away.
And it's just, yeah, it's just something that I, you know, I live with and cope with now, you know, for life. But, uh, you know, there, there's certain medicines I have and stuff that helps me live you. Uh, no, eliminate 'em in time, but at the time. I wasn't really thinking about it. 'cause I was, my knees hurt, my ankles hurt, and my back was hurt all the time.
I was tired, I was dirty. Just, you know, it, it just, it was a, it was on the back end of the mind. It wasn't something that was priority at the, at the time, you know, priority was the mission and, and, and the soldiers and, and I mean, everyone was hurting when we, when we got back, it just seemed like. We were just walking like old men and you know, you know, finally recovering and, you know, just, you know, feet hurting constantly.
But
Lauren Cardillo: So you finally, you finally decided I should go for help, you know, I should get some help, or did you know what sort of made you think, Hmm, you know, what can I do? So
Zachry Flores: when you reintegrate, you know, you have all the appointments and everything, and that's kind of like, they're like, okay, so you need to go see here, here, here, and here, and make some follow up appointments.
And that kind of just started leading to everything. Um, you know, and, and that led to, you know, further, you know, further assistance and help, you know, with like PTSD and all that. Um, and you know, so it kind of just. They guide you there, they give you the opportunities. You know, if you're not taking it, then you know it's there.
And, but it was just that process of coming back, you know, to Fort Hood at the time, just that they recommended I go do it and I did and luckily I did in time and, and got the help I needed.
Lauren Cardillo: So what, what helped the most, what was it that helped you not feel that way all the time?
Zachry Flores: Uh, it is. At the time, it took a long time.
Um, and then eventually I got put into like a, you know, a group of other veterans and PTSD, uh, vets where we started speaking, you know, we would have a group therapy and we had roles where we just talk about our experiences, how we felt, and we would never talk down anyone. We would only talk about positive and how we would help and cope and, uh, yeah.
And that really. Set, set me apart from what I was trying to cope with on my own, being able to, you know, share it out there openly. Um. In a safe space with other veterans was outstanding. Um, and that really opened me up. And then it just was able to, you know, build that years down the road to where I can be open up like I am now.
Um, which I find very important because, you know, a lot of vets will, will keep it in and not speak up and, and, you know, and I felt that at the very beginning, you know, I was irritable, I was cranky, angry, all that because I was just. Keeping it in and you know, but being able to have an expression and, and being able to cope in certain ways.
'cause everyone's different, but sometimes vets need to speak and need to have someone listen. Um, just an open ear is the biggest, you know. It can make a difference in, in someone's life decisions. As, as we know there's a problem, uh, with veterans and itself and, and P-S-T-S-D and everything in this, in the country
Lauren Cardillo: today.
Any, any symptoms still there? You know, like you said, occasionally, or is it pretty much you feel with, you know, different counseling and help that it's worked out?
Zachry Flores: Yeah, I mean, it's there every day. It's just, I'm able to cope with it. You know, there's thoughts about certain situations that are always crossing.
Um, and, you know, and, and I just, I'm able to control it now and, and, you know, and, and like I said, co the coping mechanisms I have, it's just great. Um, and then of course, you know, now, you know. My wife, you know, was there from the beginning and everything. And you know, she saw the transition of, of who I was and you know, and there were some pretty rough times and she stuck by and now, you know, she understood and, and the support and everything.
And now just, I. She knows, you know, she can still, she can actually tell if I watch a movie I wasn't supposed to be watching. You know, she's like, what did you watch today? And I'm like, oh, you know, black Hawk gown or something. You know? You know, you know, zero Dark 30. Yeah. Right. That was a good idea. She's, of course you did.
You know, you're on Frankie now. You know? I thought, yeah. So, you know, it's just, you know, it's just that being open about it, it just, I just feel like, you know. You just have to get somewhere you trust and someone who can listen and it makes a big difference.
Lauren Cardillo: When you said you now have like coping mechanisms, like what are they?
I. For someone who doesn't know a lot about, you know,
Zachry Flores: yeah, I, I really love the garden. You know, now that I have a baby is, it is like it, the garden looks horrible, but, um, and, and that's my new coat. The new cope, you know, you know, it is, is the sun. But uh, going out in the garden, cutting the grass, you know, just being able to do that.
Um. You know, I played video games just for a little bit. If I'm having, you know, just feeling a little stress, jump on play a little bit, you know, not too excessive, um, you know, or just tell the wife like, yeah, I'm just not feeling the best or something. She's like, oh, let's go out to eat. You know, get our minds off of it.
Mm-hmm. And then of course, German soccer. It's stressful, you know, you know, you know, when you're rooting for a team and starting to become a hardcore fan, that could be stressful in itself. But, but. That absolutely helped me tremendously, um, crowds and everything I used to be anxious about. Um, I became passionate about, you know, our local team here in Mines, and going to the atmosphere there did not bring that anxiety that I had normally had.
And so it just, it just gets me into this big, large crowd who's just loving the atmosphere, loving their team and all that. And yeah, it really helps. I.
Lauren Cardillo: So you, you end up getting, you know, getting outta the military at that point, were you studying college stuff or did that come after
Zachry Flores: that? Came after? Um, I was one of the ones that in the military didn't use my tuition assistance or you know, your funds like I should have.
But I preach it now every day. You know, now, you know, working for UMGC, you know, also I tell my personal story like, look, I didn't use my tuition assistance. I got out and I had. Barely any credits of college. I was like, so I had to start from basically zero, like it was like maybe under 20 credits of education.
Oh
Lauren Cardillo: wow. So tell me how that went and how did you end up finding UMGC to do that?
Zachry Flores: Yeah, so, you know, I moved back to Germany, you know, me and my wife spoke about where we would go. So we ended up coming back to Germany. Uh, and then, you know, I had to start basically civilian life. I worked very. Low level jobs.
I was pizza delivery, you know, I worked at on base, uh, you know, serving coffees and everything. I even worked at childcare. You know, that's a stressor of myself. You know, I had Afghanistan, Iraq, you know, I'll put it on the same level as childcare, but, you know, I was doing what I had to do to survive here, right.
And be, you know, function. And then, you know, so I had the GI bill. Great benefit. Great benefit. And I just started going to school. Um, I started out, I met someone who said, oh, there's a great professor at, uh, central Texas College, which he was. Mm-hmm. But then I was like, then someone was like, you should go to UMGC.
They have more options. And then, so I stepped into UMGC and then started finishing out my, I was still going on my associates at the time, and then moved over to, to UMGC for higher education.
Lauren Cardillo: So how many years did that take you?
Zachry Flores: So. Let's see. So I got out in 2014, so I started college in 2015. Mm-hmm. And then I finished my master's in December of 2020.
Lauren Cardillo: That's pretty good.
Zachry Flores: Nonstop. I mean, that's
Lauren Cardillo: like five years, like Yes. Went undergrad basically in masters. Mm-hmm.
Zachry Flores: I went nonstop. I went spring one, two, summer one into fall, one and two. Winter intercession nonstop. Yeah.
Lauren Cardillo: I love it. And what was your degree in in the end?
Zachry Flores: Yeah, so, you know, then I did my, my undergrad and my bachelor's was criminal justice with a minor in business.
And then I did an MBA and then I started a second graduate degree recently 'cause I wanted to teach criminal justice classes. So I started that, but I kind of backtracked and stopped 'cause now I applied for, and hopefully I get in for a doctoral program with GMGC.
Lauren Cardillo: So does all that, that um, energy and excitement for education.
Do you pass that on to students now?
Zachry Flores: A hundred percent. It's just I, I, and I never felt like that until I started going through and then actually getting into this job. I just feel like they have all the opportunity in the world of up in front of 'em, especially in the military community they have, you know, and the thing is.
That passion in my office didn't come from me. It was built already. You know, I have to give a shout out to my colleagues that were there, you know, in our Visa button office, topnotch community, our community ser our customer service, it is topnotch. They care about their students. And I came into that and then I brought a different aspect into it, and then all of us together just, you know, really bring, you know, higher education to want it and need it.
Lauren Cardillo: What is your day to day like? If there's a, if there's a structure to it,
Zachry Flores: you know? Yeah. I mean, day to day, you know, basically going in early in the morning. Um, and then, you know, we have, our hours are long, so we have, we're available like eight in the morning to eight in the evening. Of course, you know, we have all our coordinators and we have a evening that covers to the end.
Well, we're just there to support the students 100%. So, you know, they come to us for anything and everything possible. You know, financial aid, enrolling in the classes, you know, getting their army tuition assistance squared away and approved and submitted. I. You know, we have academic advisor on site who, you know, works with us and we work with her, you know, just to make sure that the students, you know, really have an academic goal and like, you know, and how to achieve it and, you know, and it's just a very well old machine, you know, you know, we get there, we're answering the emails, we're answering the phone calls, we're doing the walk-ins, and we sit there and, and we like sitting there and take him.
Every step of the way with the students. So we're not gonna be like, oh, you know, we'll just sit here, do an application. Alright, thank you. You know, enroll in classes. Uh, so, you know, we'll be like, alright, sit down. All right. Do the application. We're good. All right. So let's you know if it's a military member, get your joint service transcripts, log in.
Let's get 'em sent to MGC so we can get those evaluated for credits. Alright. Got some time? Yes. Alright, jump on there. Let's do fafsa. We're gonna do a, you know, we're gonna submit for financial aid, try to get you some Pell grants because we want every student to try to get Pell Grants free money for their education.
So always, you know, so we're like, do the Pell Grants, get your high school transcription in a couple hours of work. You can get more money for your education, you know, and then we. They have a problem with Army Ignite if we work really well with our, with the Army counterparts upstairs. So we walk 'em up there, you can help 'em unlock their account, what do they need to do next, and it's just a constant rotation of that every day.
Um, and then of course our evening classes, you know, we're overseas. Uh. We have adult learners who have full-time jobs. Of course we have, you know, other, other learners too, but they're working 40 hours or more or so. We have our classes in the evening, 1800 to 2100 a couple times a week, or in a hybrid format, so you know that we can provide our services to them over here while they're, while they're working over here.
Lauren Cardillo: And you're teaching as well, aren't you?
Zachry Flores: So I just started, it's not, not too much. I teach a very basic course, um, which, you know, you know, you know, when I first started, hey, yeah, you could teach here, and it took about a year until I got into it. Um, but you know, I do lives one 50 introduction to research, but I love it because I'm back in front of.
Military. So, you know, it's bringing kind of back of my military roots that I'm standing back in front and teaching, but it's, it's to the military community. So it's just, it feels great. You know, I never thought I would be teaching a university course, ever, you know, it is just unbelievable. It's a great feeling.
Lauren Cardillo: How much do you see yourself in those, in those students?
Zachry Flores: Yeah, I do. You know, especially the ones that you know, kind of get. By leadership, Hey, you know, my sergeant told me to come down here and sign up for classes. You know, you know, he, we get that a lot. And then you see it. And I, I remember one guy, um.
I'll just say his name. I'll, his name is Andy, right? He's a great student. Him and his, and his, you know, his little comrade came in and with his friend, seemed like, was very motivated, wanted to do college. Andy was kind of like, eh, I'm not sure. This or that. We've seen around the post office, Hey, you come invite you gonna sign up?
Oh, I'm not sure. Guess who's in, who's in classes every semester now. Andy's the one in classes every semester and motivated and happy and, and, you know, and, and proud of himself that he's taking courses, you know, and it's just simple little things like that, that, you know, were just out in the community and, and then helping someone just with their higher education.
Great feeling.
Lauren Cardillo: Was there, was there someone who helped you, like professors, you know, different people that helped you through your process, that helped you get there?
Zachry Flores: 100%. Um, and, and it came down to where I was struggling. Um, and I, you know, I wasn't really having the grades, I was kind of making it through, um, you know, and at the time I wasn't very coping very well still.
So it was a lot of stressors at believe, it was Intro to Business, I believe it was the course and it was, uh, the professor was their first time teaching on a military base. Never been involved in the military. After the course, she asked me if we can have a sit down so she can just understand more about the military and you know what it's all about.
That talk led to about, you know, dealing with veterans and what you know and what we've gone through this and that, you know, how to see this in classroom. Understanding schedules, understanding what TDY is and just basic little stuff. Well, she reached out. To our headquarters and got me in touch of who you know, um, who's Dr.
PJ now, which is when I first met her, you know, and she came down and then told me about accessibility services, which I didn't even never heard of at the time. So then. That little interaction between that professor and then someone at headquarters coming down to meet me as a student, you know, brought a service that I didn't even know I was able to use.
So that, so then I immediately, of course, got accessibility services to help me with my studying. You know, especially, like I said, I had my migraines. Sometimes you just don't want to read or write. Um, so, you know, I was getting some extensions. It was working out, I was becoming more successful. I was raising my GPA over the 3.0, which let me go into the master's program, but it that led to.
Being invited to headquarters, to speaking to faculty, letting them know signs and symptoms of what to see in students who are veterans that are suffering from PTSD, how to communicate with them, how to, you know, maybe reach out to them without stressing them and all that. You know, and I brought one of my best friends too.
I was like, Hey, you want to talk with me with this? You know, you're going through the same thing. And he did it too. So we did it together and it was just very impactful and it, and it all came down just to a professor that cared and just wanted to know more. And then it came down to a faculty or to a staff member who's, you know, had that same passion.
And it just built on from there.
Lauren Cardillo: It's like they're life changers, you know, but it's just one person, right. And yeah.
Zachry Flores: You know, and, and that's how it is in the office. You know, I know, you know, some of my colleagues are, have, they're working with us, but never been in the military. And a military person comes in sometimes they'll be like, Hey, you know, talk to Zach over here.
You know, he knows about VA benefits and this or that. And, you know, and, and it just, you know, it works out. You know, sometimes vets need to talk to vets, you know, it's just, it is just part of it, you know, but it's about just caring. Knowing how to put that care into someone and how to give 'em to the right person or the right services and then, and just will help them out to be successful.
Lauren Cardillo: So you end up graduating, did you actually go to graduation? I. How did that feel?
Zachry Flores: Yeah, so I went to all three. I went to my associates, I went to my, my bachelor's, uh, but my master's was a little, you know, it was COVID 2020. Right. So, you know, UMBC. Well, I'm talking about customer service. They go above and beyond.
They really do. Right. So it's COVID time. How did they do it? They actually moved it from our headquarters in Kaiser Slaughter to Vsba an army airfield. Well, that's why I, well play Concern. It's Army airfield back when I was there the first time. So they put it on the airfield. They built, there's a big old stage, a big old screen that had names on the left side and you're sitting in your car.
So they lined up all the cars there, right? So then they had the announce, you know, they had the speaker, you put it on the radio station so you can listen to what was being said and then, you know, you'd see. They'd put like five names on the list. So you get outta your car, walk up next to the stage, and then you'll be walking like that.
But that's how that commencement went, and they were able to put that together for those graduates that time, which was awesome. And that's just part of what like EMGC does for their students, you know, they just make sure, you know, they really celebrate, you know, achievements.
Lauren Cardillo: Oh, it's a, it's a, it's a huge deal.
So you said, um, that you never envisioned vision, that kid. You know, when you were growing up in Texas would get these degrees. Mm-hmm. Um, you know, when you look back on that now, what was the defining thing that changed everything? What was it that made you into what you are today? And I know that's a hard question, but I'm curious.
Zachry Flores: Yeah. So I have three brothers love 'em all equally in their own ways, but honestly, honestly, you know, I would have to. Say my brother Adam, um, you know, he really sets the, sets the standard. I think, you know, just seeing his, like the way he worked and, and what he did, and, you know. You know, there's a big age gap between us.
You know, I was the baby, so, you know, just seeing them, you know, higher, you know, higher and then in life and everything. And then seeing him, how he went to school, you know, going to night school as well and all that. So, you know, when I went through these stages, you know, I was like, you know, I can really do this, you know, you know, at the time I was like, I need to get a better job.
But then it started becoming more of a personal goal. I was like, you know, and then, so I remember when I. Started my MBAI wrote him, was like, Hey, I'm starting my MBA and like he was like, that's amazing. And, you know, and then going through that was, was, you know, it was a good feeling. 'cause I wanted to be, show him that I was able to do the same thing as him and be proud of me and all that.
And then of course, you know, being the first generation, you know, you know, going to college and everything was, you know, a big deal. So I think it's, you know, it's a, it's a. An example set for, you know, for our other generations of our family and everything. And, and of course making the parents proud. Of course, you know, that's a hundred percent, you know, getting their reactions is the best thing ever, but, you know, it was, yeah, it just didn't think I could do it.
You know? That's, that's why I never saw myself as a college graduate. I didn't think, you know, that intellectually I had the ability to, I. Go to college and finish it and be able to do all that. And then when I was able to, it just started, it just built a fire that just kept on going. I just wanted more and more.
And you just, you know, and then now being in higher education, you know, it, it was a big deal to come into this job too. 'cause I was leaving government service. I worked, you know, in the military, then I was in government service and then, you know. Jumping into UMGC was a big step, but I saw the camaraderie, the, the atmosphere and everything and, and you know, all of that just tied together and that's.
Kept me in my motivation and and achieving my academic goal, which I'd never even had really in high school or, or after. Really. And you know, it all changed, you know, once all of a, in this organization.
Lauren Cardillo: Hmm. So what's the future? I mean, you know, crystal ball five years from now. Doing
Zachry Flores: five, five years from now, Dr.
Flores. So of course, you know, you know, that's, you know, yeah. So, Dr. Flores, and, you know, and you know, I know my wife could be watching this and, and you know, the one thing she said is like, I'm never gonna call you doctor. I'm like, I'm like, it's all right. But, you know, five years from now, I hope to be. In a leadership position in QMGC, I'm, I'm really dedicated to this organization, I feel, and I, I love their mission and what they do for our, for our service members, especially overseas.
And I do not see myself, you know, moving away from it either. I'll still be in the same office five years now, or I'll be at the headquarters and running, running, you know, help supporting our, our field offices from there.
Lauren Cardillo: Great. I, I love it. And all the success to you. So thanks so much for being here today.
We really appreciate it.
Zachry Flores: Yeah, I really appreciate the opportunity. Thank you so much.
Lauren Cardillo: Thanks again for being here and for everybody listening or watching, please remember to like and subscribe if you want to see more unstoppable stories. Thank you so much, Zach, for being here. We appreciate it.
Zachry Flores: Thank you.