SAN ANTONIO – The latest Pickup Lines segment features retired U.S. Marines Maj. Gen. Juan Ayala, the Director of Military & Veterans Affairs for the City of San Antonio.
Growing up as the oldest of nine in the border communities of Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, Ayala said he learned to be resilient at a young age.
Ayala now laughs about flunking first grade, but the setback didn’t slow him down. It shaped his future.
“I wanted to travel. I wanted to see the world,” Ayala said. “So, around the fifth grade, I made a decision in my young mind that I was going to join the military.”
There was no history of military service in his family. In fact, Ayala’s parents, who were born and raised in Mexico, had a very different, more wary view of the armed forces.
“When I told my dad I wanted to join, he said, ‘OK, we’ll see,’” Ayala said with a smile. “My mom wasn’t buying it either. Neither one of them thought I should go into the military.”
Long before he ever wore a uniform, Ayala was learning discipline in a much different setting: the family restaurant.
“That was hard work,” Ayala said. “I learned a lot in that restaurant, not only about washing dishes. I started peeling potatoes standing on a Coke bottle box.”
Ayala did it all over the years, including waiting tables, washing dishes and learning to cook. By the time he was a high school senior, he said he was helping his parents with the books.
“Yes,” Ayala laughed. “I had a business degree before I had a business degree.”
Over the course of his military service, Maj. Gen. Ayala lived a life many people only dream of: 23 moves, visits to 60 countries and a lifetime of leadership lessons.
When it was finally time to transition back to civilian life, the adjustment came with its own surprises. During his first civilian job in San Antonio, the military habits were still second nature.
“I ran off to a meeting and told the secretary, ‘I’ll be back at 1600.’ When I got back, she was freaking out. She had Googled ‘1600.’”
Despite earning a high rank, one that draws awe and admiration, Ayala refused to lead with titles.
“I don’t introduce myself as General. I never have, and I never will,” Ayala said. “I don’t flaunt my rank because I shouldn’t. It’s somebody else’s turn.”
He does understand the powerful symbol he has become for many.
“I can’t tell you the number of people, especially when I go back home, who come up to me, shake my hand and say two things: ‘I’ve never shaken the hand of a general,’ and ‘I’ve never seen a Hispanic general officer.’ That is very humbling to me. Even now, I’m getting goosebumps.”
Watch the full Pickup Lines with Major General Juan Ayala in the video player above.
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Ernie Zuniga started Pickup Lines, a digital talk show, straight from his vehicle. The segments feature a diverse range of guests, including executives, small business owners, and everyday individuals, as they share personal journeys, news, and stories.