Army; E6 Staff Sergeant
San Antonio Eye Bank
Sergio Romero’s military and civilian careers have included a wide variety of interesting experiences.
After graduating from Texas A&M in 2008 with a biology degree, Sergio found it difficult to find employment that pertained to his credentials. He decided to try military service, and chose to enlist in the Army. For him, the benefits of the Army outweighed the other branches of service. He says, “From the educational benefits to the selection of jobs, the Army was the best option for me. The job choices were more interesting – they were more science-based and included more biology.”
Upon entering the Army, Sergio’s placement test scores allowed him to choose from a wide array of positions. He opted to pursue forensics – performing autopsies – since this fit with his degree and his interest in biology and physiology. After the standard 11 weeks of bootcamp, he went to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for his certificate in forensics.
But his Army career wasn’t limited to just performing autopsies. At different points he found himself training with paratroopers, literally jumping out of planes! When asked what it’s like to jump out of a plane for the first time, he laughs and says, “It’s super scary, but you get used to it.” For a period of time, Sergio also trained with Special Forces. While he can’t give full details about his experiences, he reflects that his time there was, “very interesting, even with its moments of sadness.”
In his unit in San Antonio, Sergio met Chris Gonzalez, an employee at San Antonio Eye Bank (SAEB) who asked him if he’d be interested in working with them when he left the service. Sergio was hired as a Recovery Technician, and was later promoted to Senior Technician. He is now SAEB’s Tissue Processing Manager. Sergio loves eye banking and says, “It’s a very rewarding job. The letters you get from recipients and how it changed their lives are really heartwarming and touching. The same with those from donor families.”
He says that his military training better prepared him for eye banking than most. His background in autopsies gives him a greater comfort level in a morgue or hospital than someone without those experiences, and notes that, “recovery tech is not a job for everyone.” He adds that the fellow staff at SAEB make eye banking “one of the most fun jobs I’ve ever had.”
Sergio credits his military training with giving him discipline, keeping him organized, and a strong work ethic. He says, “I can spot someone else with military background; their attention to detail stands out.” Sergio recommends military service to others, saying, “Besides being a great service to our country, it really benefits you personally. It helps pay for education, find housing, and pay off loans; even your health insurance is cheaper.”
Sergio is currently serving in the Army National Guard, and has been activated frequently during COVID. He plans to finish up his last seven years in the reserve, so he can retire with his full 20 years of service.