Daniel Sandoval served as a paratrooper for one tour in Afghanistan and two in Iraq.
Daniel Sandoval is a former paratrooper with the U.S. Army and Connecticut resident who recently added the title of "author" to his list of accomplishments.
What began as an outlet for Sandoval to process his emotions and experiences developed into a three-year project. He's now self-published a book -- Jesus, a Kangaroo, and a Paratrooper! -- a written record of his journey to a more positive way of life that he hopes will help others struggling with similar issues.
Sandoval joined the army in 2000, enlisting as a paratrooper with the 118thMilitary Police Company. The attack on September 11, 2001 occurred less than a year later, and Sandoval was at the Pentagon in the days after the attack.
"As a military police unit, they called us down there," Sandoval said. "It was chaotic. Nobody knew what was happening. Nobody knew if we were going to get attacked from within again. Everyone was on high alert, so they needed military police to secure a mile radius around the Pentagon, and check for anybody coming in."
Sandoval said his unit was needed to act fast, searching cars at check points they set up, and examining envelopes for toxic substances like anthrax. "They needed a helping hand," he said.
Over the next seven years, Sandoval would go on to serve as a paratrooper for one tour in Afghanistan and two in Iraq.
A paratrooper's duty is something you never get used to, Sandoval said. While he said the initial fear before the jump is always present, the training helps develop a trusting relationship with one's body. "I never thought, ever, in a million years, I’d be classed with a bunch of elite men," he said. "I never thought that I could keep up with them. It teaches you a little about your body."
After eight years, Sandoval opted for an honorable discharge, and settled in Preston, Connecticut in 2008. He lives there with his wife and four children, and works as a custodian for Norwich Public Schools.
Sandoval's book addresses his paratrooper service and reflects on a lifelong feeling that something was missing in his life, leading him to look for validation in others. Sandoval describes his journey of developing confidence in his own conviction through a series of healthy changes in his mindset and lifestyle, including taking a leap of faith in his religion and himself and the discovery of barefoot running. "It doesn’t matter what everyone else is saying, just so long as you have your conviction," he said. "Nobody can take that away from you."
Lacking knowledge of the literary world, Sandoval said the process of creating a publishing house in order to publish his book consisted of a lot of trial and error.
Listen to Sandoval talk about the book below:
"It doesn't matter what everyone else is saying just so long as you have your conviction. Nobody can take that away from you."
Daniel Sandoval
Sandoval plans to continue writing, and intends to use his newly createdwebsite and non-profit publishing company to help other amateur writers. "The publishing industry can be unforgiving," he said. "Sometimes you don’t get emails back. You don’t hear anything back, because you’re not a well-known author. It’s very frustrating."
Despite the challenges of the literary world, Sandoval said writing has been therapeutic. "It’s an outlet... I’ve always looked at a violinist and said 'Wow, look at her. She’s getting lost in her tunes, she is just belting it off and you see her hair whipping back and forth.' And now I can sympathize with her love by the tapping of the keyboard and things you create. It’s pretty amazing," he said.
As a veteran, Sandoval emphasized the importance of processing and sharing his thoughts with others. "I’ve gotten into a circle of veteran authors and they kind of push each other a little bit." Sandoval said. "The kind of thing that’s helping me out is that I’m learning new words every day and I’m learning how to place those words on things that I’m feeling or not feeling."
Greater communication has helped Sandoval transition back to civilian life, which he said has been the most difficult aspects of his life so far.
"No matter if you’re doing good or you’re doing bad, you’re always with that stigma that you’re predetermined to have some kind of syndrome from something you may or may not have seen," Sandoval said. "Sometimes it makes you feel like you’re predetermined to be broken, and my goal is to try to break that stigma."
Sandoval also said that he has benefited greatly from being part of a community and he encourages the loved ones of veterans to support their interests and hobbies.
Two years after transitioning to this healthier perspective, Sandoval's own love for writing has flourished. "After my 5,000 words I said, ‘wow, I could really get a book out of this.’ And I told myself 1,000 words a day, and I did it," he said.
"For a long time I thought that being lost in a monotonous task was a curse of mine. I could cut your grass, I could clean your floors, I could clean your windows," he said. Now, he realizes his ability to sit with discomfort, frustration, and boredom is not a curse, but rather a demonstration of his capacity for persistence.
That persistence, he said, enabled him to become a paratrooper, start his small publishing company, and pursue his bachelor's degree while working and raising a family.
Kelsie Bissell was a contributing editor for Sandoval's book.