This is the 73rd article in Bears Doing Big Things, a weekly column celebrating the stories of notable M-A alumni.
Justin Verbo ‘16 moved to Menlo Park when he was eight years old after growing up in the Philippines. “I didn’t know any English and had to learn it in one summer. It was a major transition,” he said.
Verbo’s life in the States only continued to be a series of transitions. From attending Nativity Catholic School—a small private school—all the way through eighth grade, Verbo always felt like the “new foreign kid.” “People were very welcoming to me but it was also challenging,” he said.
Despite a hard adjustment to Bay Area culture, Verbo ultimately enjoyed his time at Nativity and made lifelong friendships there. “I was with the same group of kids for many years and we were all super close,” he said.
After Nativity, Verbo transitioned to M-A for high school. From a student body of 300 to over 2,000, Verbo sought to make the most out of his time with this big change. During his freshman year, Verbo played on the football and basketball teams in hopes of making new friends, and at the end of sophomore year, Verbo ran for class president. “I honestly don’t know why I ran for president. I didn’t really like the other candidates’ ideas so I just decided to go for it,” he said. Verbo was class president for his junior and senior years at M-A.
During Verbo’s sophomore year, M-A’s upperclassmen began to revitalize the school’s 12th Man and 6th Man clubs. “They really took me under their wing and decided I was going to be the future leader. I ended up going from not super involved in M-A to class president and the first non-senior captain of the 12th and 6th Man clubs,” Verbo said. “It was a major change for me but I gained a lot of confidence.”
During his junior year, as the first non-senior captain, Verbo appointed the first female captain to be a part of the club. “At the time, it was heavily criticized because it was an all boys club, but I’m glad I did it and that it still continues today,” he said.
Following graduation, Verbo was accepted to Baylor University, but only attended the school for a year. “I was really sad to leave Baylor, but it was very expensive,” he said. “I didn’t want to be paying off debts for 20 years.” Verbo soon moved back to the Bay, and transferred to Foothill Community College.
Going into Verbo’s senior year at Foothill, COVID-19 hit and he made a life-changing decision to join the Army. “Doing college online was not exciting to me and joining the Army was always a goal of mine. The timing just felt right,” he said.
“My dad was also in the Army and died in service when I was just ten years old. I wanted to connect with him more and the Army felt like the best way to do so,” he added.
Verbo was stationed in Missouri for his first ten weeks in the Army, which mainly consisted of learning basics like holding a gun and using technical equipment. After the ten week boot camp, everyone transitions into specialized, advanced training. “My advanced training, in Texas, took about 10 months while other jobs in the Army like cooks, mechanics, or drivers might have shorter periods of training,” he explained.
Verbos first year in the military came with significant challenges as he learned the ins and outs of life in the Army. “It was a massive culture shock. I had to let go of certain habits like sleeping in, being late, or even talking out of turn that may be customary to normal civilians but are actually detrimental to the Army’s missions,” he said.
Verbo also noted the importance of the Army’s strict everyday routine which started at 4 a.m. sharp. Soldiers work out five days a week in order to maintain their strength, and it is also often used as a consequence for their mistakes, regardless of time, weather, or location. “If we were a minute late, we had to workout. Even if we forgot something like a pen or our ID card, we had to run or do push ups,” Verbo said.
After the initial hardships getting adjusted to Army life, Verbo left the training school and entered his first assignment located in North Carolina. Throughout the past three years in North Carolina, Verbo has traveled all over the country and world, working with every branch of the military. “I’ve ridden in helicopters, armored vehicles, shot machine guns, and seen bombs go off. It is truly the coolest job in the world,” he said.
I’ve ridden in helicopters, armored vehicles, shot machine guns, and seen bombs go off. It is truly the coolest job in the world.
Along with traveling to unique locations, Verbo also shared another special part about jobs in the Army: “We get to meet people from all walks of life, from everywhere across the country—and we all are here serving our country despite our differences.”
“I have many mentors from the past three years that have helped me become a better leader for the Army’s future,” he added.
Following his transition from an Army Private to a Sergeant, Verbo now mentors a set of Privates and helps guide them through their first months in the Army. “It is a responsibility I take extremely seriously. While our job is certainly about the accomplishment of the missions, the real job is taking care of each other and our soldiers,” he said.
Verbo recently signed a new contract staying with the Army for a few more years and is excited for the new opportunities that lie ahead. “I’m glad I got through those initial challenges and came out a better and stronger individual. I am always proud to wear my uniform and I truly love my job so much,” Verbo said.
Verbo’s advice to current students: “Invest in rock solid friendships that will be with you throughout life. The people I met in the military are one of the main reasons I continue to love it. We have been through a lot together and I know these bonds will last.”
For those interested in joining the Army: “Research your options before you commit too quickly to something and make sure you are 100% ready for this role. We are not a nine-to-five, we are 24/7, ready to go at all times. It’s a massive decision to make but also can be really rewarding.”
