Veteran takes up shield at Levelland PD

Exchanging the military uniform for a police uniform, officer John Hernandez has settled into the Levelland Police Department with a sense of familiarity and confidence in his new home. Hernandez, 32, was born November 11, 1990, in Cristoval, Texas. A small town south of San Angelo, Hernandez always had a military presence in his family thanks to his father who was in the Marine Corps. With a brother in the Army and two sisters in the Navy, Hernandez knew his future after high school had him in the armed forces. “I always knew I was going to join the military,” said Hernandez. “Growing up, I would always watch the movie Black Hawk Down, and I always wanted to be an Army Ranger. I always wanted to try my hand at the army.” After graduation, Hernandez enlisted in the Army and made his way to Fort Benning, Georgia where he would become a part of the infantry. After basic training, he was shipped to Hawaii where he would join the 25th Infantry Division. After learning and enjoying the Hawaiian culture for a short period of time, he also spent time in various countries such as Germany, Guam and South Korea. In July of 2010, Hernandez was tasked with his first deployment to Iraq. Sent to Baqubah located in the northern province of Diyala. He spent roughly a year on deployment. “It’s difficult to say what the overall mission was at the time,” explained Hernandez. “They tell us it’s hearts and minds and we’re trying to establish some sort of democracy, or some type of selfgoverning entity while we’re

there.” Hernandez acknowledged that the idea sounds crystal clear and easier to follow on paper, but that changes once you’re in the thick of everything. “When the shooting starts, at that point you just signed up for the man on the left and right of you, said Hernandez. “That’s where the brotherhood gets strengthened and the outside noise or anybody else doesn’t matter. You have this patriotic idea when you get there and imagine doing everything you can to make the situation better, but when you get there, it’s literally just the guys that you’re with and trying to stay in one piece.” Overall, Hernandez felt that their mission was to get everybody back safely while focusing on doing the job morally and ethically to the best of their possibility.

Working toward a better environment, Hernandez and his group assisted with training Iraqi police. Additionally, training the Iraqi army to govern themselves on how to be efficient when fighting either the Taliban, ISIS or whatever hostile group. When engineers would build schools Hernandez and the additional soldiers would try to watch those schools to at least let the cement dry. “There was a lot of give and take,” said Hernandez. “It wasn’t always good, but you try to train the soldiers and then you’re trying to track down the guys that are using explosives to not only injure the Iraqi army but the U.S. forces.” Facilitating the overall goal with training troops and holding off hostile forces, the day-to-day missions varied and often required Hernandez and his group to adapt to whatever conditions they were dealing with. “One day the trainees are following me while we are sweeping areas or were taking the time to train those guys,” explained Hernandez. “It’s one of those things where we have our main goal, but today’s mission possibly changes because we run into a group of guys that don’t find us friendly and we have to reply in an unpleasant manner.”

For soldiers on deployment dealing with adverse conditions, a solider is only as strong as the group around them and that knit. “I was very thankful for the guys that I was there with. The unit I was with was pretty good and I think they have the right direction as part of leadership goes,” said Hernandez.

Having the privilege to take the role of team leader, Hernandez oversaw five guys and being in that role means the leader must be front and center in the formation.

“I was the front of our movement every time, so when the shooting started usually it was directed towards me,” said Hernandez. “You’re the first to know and I liked that responsibility. For lack of better words, I think I enjoyed it.”

Moving forward, Hernandez could confidently say he was a bit of an adrenaline junkie when it came to those types of situations.

However, after his time as team leader, Hernandez can kept his team safe.

Having no regrets on any of the decisions such as joining the Army, decisions during deployment, Hernandez would be willing to do it all over again without changing much if anything at all.

Deployments aren’t necessarily filled with rainbows and sunshine, but Hernandez would pick them over being stationed. Enjoying that adrenaline out in the battlefield, it also feels better to him not having the outside stresses and noise from the day-to-day world.

“Looking back at my time over there I feel that sense of self pride of accomplishing something and representing a whole entire organization,” said Hernandez. “I did it well.”

For Hernandez, his time served made him become a better version of himself. Becoming physically stronger, more capable, while becoming a tactician in his role improved his overall confidence.

“You love it,” said Hernandez. “I really enjoyed the confidence it gave me and the opportunities that it has continued to give me. Unfortunately, his military career was cut at four years after suffering severe injuries in the field.

Traveling in a military vehicle, a roadside bomb that was more advanced than most detonated. Due to the concussion blast and physically injuries sustained, Hernandez was unable to stay in the military.

“I couldn’t really tell you how it happened; I just know that it happened,” explained Hernandez. “It cut my military career short. I was planning on doing a lot longer than four years, but God had other plans.”

It’s no secret that soldiers returning from deployments can have battles mentally. Hernandez made it clear that things aren’t rainbows and sunshine in militarized zones.

Some see things most can’t imagine, or movies scenes can’t replicate. They lose their brothers and sisters who have fought sideby- side each other who essentially became family.

Those things can be tough to face and deal with. The road to recover after ending what he thought would be a long military career came to a halt quicker than anticipated.

However, Hernandez attributes his growth while rehabbing and moving forward to his strong support system.

“You’re going to carry that guilt and that weight with you forever,” said Hernandez. “It’s one of those things that time does help, but it doesn’t take it away. I’m thankful for my wife and kids. They help block a lot of that negativity that that has been with me.”

Since their high school days, Hernandez’s and wife Allysan have been together for the better part of 14 years and married for five.

“She let me go off and do my thing,” explained Hernandez. “Thankfully she wasn’t in any rush and she didn’t put any pressure on the situation. Things have worked out great.”

Five years into their marriage, the couple now have two sons, Lane, 4, and Kase, 1.

Since 2011, Hernandez has stayed close with his friends in the army. Continually checking up on his friends that are in Texas and scattered throughout the U.S.

After coming back to the west Texas area, Hernandez’s wife took a job at Texas Tech University.

Now physically capable of doing day-to-day activities, Hernandez was at the point of looking for a career path.

“I didn’t really know what I was going to do, thought about my dad and how he was an officer after getting out of the Marines,” said Hernandez. “I think I told my wife at one point, don’t ever let me become a cop but I think it was because at a younger age I had bigger dreams for myself.”

Entering South Plains College’s Police Academy in 2018, Hernandez found his way into the Brownfield Police Department by 2019.

Now a little more mature, the helping people aspect had been able to provide that fulfilling sensation for Hernandez, but it wasn’t anywhere close to the military or the feeling he got from that uniform.

“It’s a pretty close feeling between the two and I think that’s kind of what I was looking for was something close enough to that plan I got from the army,” explained Hernandez. “Being in the armed forces and law enforcement, it’s also a thankless career for both. It takes a special individual to give up nights, weekends, holidays, time away from your family only to spend it with your other family.”

Accustomed to that type of lifestyle, Hernandez see’s it as a having a calling for it and he feels he certainly fits the bill.

“I spent a lot of time away from my family, especially out of high school with the military,” said Hernandez. “You can’t just drive home all weekend and see your family when you live in Hawaii or on deployment.

As November 11 approaches, Hernandez reflects on the unique sense of pride he feels from every nuance of being in the military.

“The biggest take away would be the sense of pride for what the flag means to me versus somebody else,” explained Hernandez. “I think there is a different feeling for every person who has served there’s just a certain way I look at the flag. I’ve always been proud of my uniform and proud of my service.”

During the holiday, a veteran may be treated to a free meal or any kind gesture, but the entirety of the day is to show respect for those who were willing to make the sacrifices.

“It is a time that we get to show respect to everybody that signed that dotted line and sacrifice lives, their time and time with their families and friends,” said Hernandez. “People have missed child births, funerals and other important occasions just from being in the service and that sacrifice goes a long way. That is why we have what we have today. Aside from my own personal service, I’m thankful for everybody’s service and anybody that would stand up and take that oath.”

Looking back on his time in the service, Hernandez said it was the best time of his life despite the ups and downs that come with the job title.

Now moving forward, Officer Hernandez has spent the past few months as the newbie at the Levelland Police Department.

After a short stint at the Brownfield PD, Hernandez explained that he had hit a rough patch being burned out from the job.

However, after talking with Levelland Police Chief Albert Garcia and a few other officers with the LPD, Hernandez decided to make the change and become an LPD officer.

Patrolling the Levelland streets, Hernandez feels that his body is back to 80 percent since the injuries that ended his military career. Working out and staying physically fit has been a staple for Hernandez.

“Staying fit helps me physically and mentally,” explained Hernandez. “We’re going to be rolling around with some bad guys and we never know when it is going to happen. Even though it has been a while, combat experience is like second nature to me and that helps in unexpected situations.”

Hernandez can see why more than a few former military individuals are finding career paths in not only law enforcement but also first responding agencies.

“The skills that that I learned in the army translate in some aspects of law enforcement, so I have a lot to fall back on and there’s a good foundation to lean on,” said Hernandez. “I think a lot of military personnel who are coming out see law enforcement as not a safe alternative but something that they know they familiarize themselves with.”

He explained that the structure of these agencies along with a uniform representing an organization provide that familiar feeling.

“There is also tasks, conditions and standards that are that are expected of you and that’s the comfort that I find,” said Hernandez. “If you can provide a veteran with those few details there’s no telling how good they can be at what you’re what you’re asking them to do because they’ve got direction and they’ve got examples.”

With a military career that he can be proud of, Hernandez emphasized how the army and his time serving helped him grow for his future plans.

“I never truly woke up and hated working in military,” explained Hernandez. “I think I would still be doing it if I could, but I have learned a lot, grown a lot and gained confidence and self-motivation to keep moving forward from my time in the service.”