Gibril Bangura was born in Sierra Leone, West Africa and moved to the United States in the late 2000s with big plans for his future.
“My dream was to do a job and work that was vital to national interest,” he explained.
With that goal in mind, Bangura joined the Army in 2011 and attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Following his graduation, he was assigned to the 374th Finance Unit at Fort Lee, Virginia
“At this unit and in the military, we work together and make sure we have each other’s back,” he said.
Today, Bangura is leveraging his military experience at the University of Maryland Global Campus, where’s he’s not only pursuing his degree but working in the Veteran Initiative Office on UMGC’s Largo campus.
“I love sharing information about the support system and all the resources available to students, especially the veterans, military and families,” he said.
Bangura said everyday soldiers learn something that has a lifelong impact on them.
“In the Army, if you want to go up in rank, be a leader, you will have to work for it,” he said. “I mean, put in your 120 percent effort. The same lesson applies to life. You must be disciplined in order to succeed.”
Bangura said the Army also taught him to take care of himself, his health, family and career.
“They Army creates lifetime warriors,” he said. “Every day has its own challenges, the pain, the struggles and more, but you learn to push through it and focus on the result.”
In his role at UMGC’s Veteran Initiative Office, Bangura helps his fellow vets pursue their educational and career goals even as he chases his own.
“The time is now to get the education you want,” Bangura tells them. “Don’t procrastinate.”
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