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November 10, 2022James Aponte has served in the U.S. Army for over 12 years now. Before he enlisted, he was an Elyria Catholic student and a member of the class of 2009.
While at EC, it was not just one thing he looked forward to each day, but several. From seeing his friends, soccer practice, and his government and economic classes, James truly enjoyed being a Panther in and out of the classroom.
After graduation, he went on to Lorain County Community College and then Kent State University. It was through his ROTC classes he discovered his desire to serve and enlisted in the Army during the summer of 2010.
“I knew I wanted to serve since I was about 11. I was always interested in aviation so I initially thought about the Air Force. When I went to enlist I had my eye on some other jobs so I initially went in as an Airborne Infantryman and while I was doing that I worked on a packet to become a pilot.”
Currently, James is a Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) and is stationed on Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii.
“I fly the HH60M Blackhawk helicopter as well as being one of the Aviation Mission Survivability Officers(AMSO) for my company. So in that capacity I teach threat and tactics to the pilots in my unit.”
When not at work, James enjoys hanging out with his wife and their two sons. They spend their time as a family going on hikes and to the beach, exploring what Hawaii has to offer.
He says what he took away from EC was the importance of community, not just involving school, but in all aspects of your life. “Having a community just makes life better no matter the circumstances.”
Thank you for your service, James!
