Byron Ramos

Born in USA, 1989

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I am from a little village in the middle of a vast jungle you've probably never heard of called Dayton, Ohio.  We invented Airplanes and Chlorofluorocarbons, but no one knows what those are.

 

I got a scholarship to Stanford, and when I told my mother, she cried.  She said she always wanted me to go to BYU.  So I went to BYU,  I volunteered for my church and went to Washington State.  I joined the Army when I got back from 2 years of volunteer work.

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When I was in Washington, I was in very rural areas.  In one place, I lived in a cabin outside of Town where even locals don't recognize the name of the Town (La Center).  We had to heat the place up with firewood, which became less awesome when it snowed 8ft in a couple days and we had to dig our way to the woodpile.

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I returned to BYU and continued my Environmental Science Degree.  I also became a highly specialized mechanic in Special Forces (Watercraft Engineer aka Boat Mechanic).  For several years, I was the only qualified master mechanic, which meant I got called up a lot.  Once,  I even had to study for Chemistry Finals on a Navy Air Transport!

 

In Special Forces Maritime Operations, I dropped dozens of perfectly good boats out of perfectly good airplanes, learned how to establish and exit off beachheads, shoot and blow stuff up, trained people on how to handle boats, and much more. 

 

I've almost drowned several times, broke my camera, and faced waves taller then the length of my boat.

 

I eventually got a full time civilian job as an "Industrial Supply Chain Engineer and Materials Manager".  Since I could no longer go to school.  I transferred to UVU for night school where I had to start my degree from the beginning.  While working full time, being in the Army, and going to school, I finally finished my degree and took a job offer at my Alma Mater.

 

I left the Army in 2019 after more then 7 years of service.  Now, I am working on getting an MBA as well as additional degrees in Art and Computer Science.

My goal is to self fund larger art installations  and to start a scholarship for military members at my Alma Mater. The goal of the scholarship is to pay for entry level Art class materials so members of the military can heal or explore art.

U.S. Army Veteran- Special Forces Watercraft Engineer
B.S. Business
Formerly an Industrial Engineering Materials Manager
Currently works in IT

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The photo is of me at the USS Arizona, I am one of two Army Mechanics that have swum the wreck.  I am probably the only person you will ever meet who has swum the wreck.  I always think of that experience.