Press Release
☷Solidarity within the barracks helps 8th TSC Soldier grow and flourish
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Feb 04,2024
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Cpl . Llayra Abad , an IT specialist with the 8th Theater Sustainment Command , posed for a photo on Fort Shafter , Hawaii on Jan . 31 , 2024 . Abad , who is the first in her family to join the Army , hopes to make them proud . One Saturday , while walking back to the barracks from the Post Exchange , Abad got startled when someone abruptly opened a door . It turned out to be her friend , Spc . Christopher Hopson , who invited her to hang out with some friends . They bonded over music and their shared experiences of joining the Army straight out of high school . Abad , originally from Chicago , enlisted in the summer of 2019 while still in high school . She wanted to do something different from the traditional path of going to school immediately after graduation . When she first arrived in Hawaii , she felt homesick but the friendships she formed in the Army helped her stay focused on her career . Her first roommate played a big role in helping her come out of her shell and become more social . Abad , however , sometimes misses her Hispanic culture and feels like she ' s losing her heritage . These thoughts make her contemplate not reenlisting in the future . At first , Hawaii seemed like a dream place to stay , but Abad soon realized that she was experiencing culture shock and started questioning if she could handle being so far away from home . In Chicago , she used to speak more Spanish , enjoy authentic Mexican food , and appreciate the sense of togetherness . Abad shared , "We take pride in our roots . On Mexican Independence Day , everyone gathers downtown for a parade . We proudly wave the Mexican flag , blast Mexican music , and celebrate our identity . " Getting around was also easier for her back in Chicago as she relied on public transportation and didn ' t need a driver ' s license . However , since moving to the island , she found it quite challenging to get a license . This was a common struggle she shared with her good friend Hopson , who also didn ' t have a license due to living in the barracks . Hopson mentioned , "Not having a license here is really tough . Abad and I had trouble getting ours because they required an address and a household bill as proof of residence , which I didn ' t have because I live in the barracks . " Despite the difficulties , Abad found solace in the barracks life as she formed close bonds with her friends , which provided support throughout her time there . Abad expressed , "Building relationships with my peers in the barracks is important to me . I see their faces every day , and when work gets tough , I know I have someone to vent to . They help me stay focused and motivated . I also enjoy sharing the Mexican dishes I make . It feels great when people appreciate my culture . " When Abad arrived in Hawaii , she didn ' t have any expectations about the barracks . However , she was pleasantly surprised by the newly completed barracks on Fort Shafter , which provided her with a place she could truly call her own . Before enlisting , Abad shared a small space with her family and couldn ' t decorate it the way she wanted . So , having a bigger space with closets and a kitchen was exciting for her . She took pride in making her new space feel homey and was even recognized twice with a unit coin for having the best room in the barracks . Abad ' s down - to - earth and non - judgmental personality was evident when she first met and talked to her during barracks cleanup two years ago . She appeared a bit shy , but that didn ' t stop her from making connections with others . ” Hopson said . "A few months later we met at a party and I had a really serious conversation with her and found her to be a really cool person . The people you meet in the barracks make you feel at home . They recently learned that they will both be heading to their second duty station at Joint Base Lewis - McChord in Washington state . Abbado stepped down first and offered to help Hopson with the transition process . “I told him that once I got the hang of it , I was going to look at all the ways to do it , ” Abad said . ``It ' s a little nerve - wracking going in the first place because you ' re going to be on your own for a while until you make friends , but it gets better because you see a familiar face as soon as you get there , ' ' Hopson said . ' ' I was very sheltered before joining . Coming from her strict family to her first working place in Fort Shafter and being more free allowed her to grow up and learn how to do things on her own . . She can ' t wait to grow even more in her next mission . Her plans include becoming an instructor and studying law outside of the military . "A lot of people ask me if I want to leave the military , and my answer is ' yes and no , ' " Abad said . "I ' d like to get another contract based out of Hawaii . I don ' t have a lot of experience . Without that experience , I don ' t think I would be proud of what I left . " Both she and Hopson said . I look forward to gaining more experience in my career field and plan to get my license and take dance classes together . “We have a good friendship , ” Hopson said . "It ' s good to know I won ' t be alone at my next job . I ' ll have at least one friend there . "
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