Sgt. Velez joined the Army in 1979 after graduating from high school, serving as an Infantryman. He was attached to the National Guard Troop in Scranton, PA, 2nd Battalion, 103rd Armor Regiment Reserve Unit. He served stateside along the Arizona–Mexico border.
In 1991, he was activated and trained for Operation Desert Shield and the Gulf War. While he was not deployed at that time, he was fully prepared and ready to go at any moment.
He was activated again in 2004 for the global war on terrorism and stationed in the “Green Zone” in Baghdad, Iraq. There, he served as a Squad Leader, Military Police, Gunner, and personal bodyguard to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was attached to Bravo Company, 2/103rd Armor Regiment.
As a member of the 89th Military Police Brigade and the United States Army, he received the Army Commendation Medal. He also fought alongside the Marines during the Battle of Fallujah, where he was awarded the 101st Airborne patch—an honor given to very few Army soldiers. After 15 months in combat, he returned home.
In late 2006-2007, he was redeployed to Afghanistan for a second tour of duty. While on a convoy mission, he was severely injured, suffering numerous wounds including a traumatic brain injury. He was flown with other injured soldiers to Germany for emergency medical care and later transferred to Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. After two years of hospitalizations in various facilities and at least a dozen surgeries, Sergeant Angel M. Velez was honorably retired from the military due to his injuries.
Those who know him and served alongside him would tell you he is a “badass” soldier and a proud American. When asked if he would do it all over again, his answer is unwavering: Country over self.