Born and raised in Peru, Capt. Fernando Fanola decided to raise his right hand and embark on a new journey as an officer in the Minnesota National Guard. Fanola had just moved to the U.S. and wanted to give back to the nation that had offered him many opportunities.

Fanola, who moved to the U.S. in 2018, felt that serving was the least he could do for a country that gave him and many others opportunities they wouldn’t have had elsewhere. He considered this step the beginning of a lifelong career.

“I had been a U.S. citizen my entire life and had never lived or done anything for the country,” Fanola said. “With so many people coming to the States to pursue the American dream like myself, I felt that serving was the least I could do for our nation.”

One of his favorite parts of serving has been the mentoring he received while working at the National Guard Bureau (NGB) as a financial advisor in 2019. He had prior office work experience, but other soldiers and civilians helped him adapt to his new surroundings. As his career continues, he hopes to mentor others to foster their growth just as his mentors did for him.

“I went from being nervous and scared in a very senior building to becoming the Employee of the Quarter a year later and having my name engraved at the entrance of the NGB building. Being able to learn from others in the National Guard has taught me how much people from this institution can treat us like family. As my career grows, I also want to provide coaching and mentoring to soldiers who are new to our organization.”

Looking to better himself, he plans to apply to the Defense Comptrollership Program. The program is a 14-month, 60-hour long graduate curriculum that teaches leaders to deal with complex fiscal and economic challenges at operational and strategic levels.

“My next objective is to apply to the Defense Comptrollership Program, which consists of two master’s degrees and a Certified Defense Financial Manager certification,” Fanola said. “It has a direct relationship with the finance branch and would allow me to broaden my knowledge on the job that I will continue doing for our Army, both nationally and in Minnesota.”

Serving with the National Guard has been a positive experience for Fanola, and he plans to put in a full 20-plus years of service for his country and mentor future generations to help ignite the same passion he has in others.

Story by Spc. Tyler Becker