Sergeant First Class retired Gabriel Monreal, an Infantryman from Corpus Christi joined the U.S. Army in October 1997. He completed Infantry basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Monreau was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and 2005 and Afghanistan in 2010. On August 24, 2010 while assigned as a platoon sergeant to the 101st Screaming Eagles, 2/327 NO SLACK Battalion, a 82mm recoilless rifle round struck near his position, embedding shrapnel in Monreal’s legs, forearms, and abdomen, resulting in the amputation of his left leg below the knee. SFC Monreal was sent to recover at the Center for the Intrepid (CFI) in San Antonio.

Monreal continued his Active Duty and finished twenty yers in service. After rehabilitation and recovery, SFC Monreal was assigned to ARNORTH where he worked in Nation Security and National Defense Operations for three years. He was then reassigned back to the CFI where he worked as a firearms instructor assisting other Active Duty service members that were wounded in combat. Monreal taught wounded servicemen and women to move, shoot, and train with their prosthetics and injuries.

Continuing to give back, Gabe joined the WWO Vetting Committee to take care of and empower wounded warriors to lead fulfilling and productive lives beyond their military service.

SFC Monreal’s awards and decorations include: Two Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, 3 Army Commendation Medals (ARCOM), ARCOM with V Device for Valor, 13 Army Achievement Medals, 5 Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Drill Sergeant Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and German Armed Forces Military Efficiency Badge.