Eduardo Omar Cintron is a Plainfield East High School alumni, from the class of 2019. While at Plainfield East, Cintron ran track and cross country, but he now serves in Active Duty Air Force.

Q- First and Last Name?

A-  Eduardo Omar Cintron

Q- What branch of the military were you in?

A- Active Duty Air Force

Q- How old were you when you started serving in the military?

A- 17

Q- What was your inspiration/motivation for serving our country?

A- At a young age I’ve always had respect for those who served in the armed forces. I felt like it was my duty to serve my country.

Q- If any, what regrets do you have?

A- Personally, I regret not signing a 4 year contract as opposed to a 6 year. You can always extend or reenlist if you fall in love with it!

Q- What memories do you value?

A- There are so many memories I value and that I’ve made since joining. 

Q- How has serving in the military impacted your life, friendships, and relationships?

A- I always felt self-sufficient before I joined the military, but my time in service taught me so many life skills. It has helped me with time management, leadership, communication, problem solving, coping with stress, self awareness, and financial readiness just to name a few. Since my time in service, I have made some incredible bonds with awesome people from all over the world. I try to stay in touch with family and friends from my hometown as often as I can with limited time. Keeping those relationships from a distance is pretty difficult, but the people I have surrounded myself in my life are very understanding.

Q- Did you want to serve when you were a kid, why or why not?

A- In my adolescent years, serving in the military crossed my mind several times. I wanted to serve so I can give back to my country.

Q- What words of advice would you give those who are looking into joining the military?

A- Do your research on which career you would like in the military. Reach out to a recruiter, but don’t let them persuade you to do anything you don’t want to do. Try to get a sign on bonus if possible and be patient for job openings in fields you’re interested in.

Q- How did joining the military affect your friendships and relationships?

A- The military made it more difficult to maintain relationships with people who live back in my hometown. Anything worth having takes time and effort, so I remind myself to keep in contact.

Q- If you could start over, would you join the military again, and why or why not?

A- I would join the military again for my family, friends, and loved ones.

Q- How was training for the military, was it difficult or easy for you?

A- Basic military training was fairly easy for me. I would say the most difficult part is the transition of being away from loved ones.

Q- How easily did you adapt to the military way of life?

A-  I feel like I adapted considerably well to the military lifestyle.

Q- What have you learned from serving our country?

A- America is, without a doubt, the strongest country in the world.

Q- Is there anything you’d like to add?

A- The military isn’t for everybody, but I encourage people who don’t know exactly what they want to do with their life to look into serving. Speak to people who joined the military, past and present. Also, be sure to check in on your friends and loved ones. Learn to talk about your feelings, problems, and stressors. It is not healthy to bottle things up. Young men especially need to work on this, as I was like this for a long time. If you feel like you don’t have anyone to talk to, there are so many resources online you can use in order to get the help you need. Know that you are not alone.