Clark grad earns Veteran of the Month designation after serving in Marines

Bruno Moya’s journey began while watching TV.

He was a year away from graduating at Clark High School when a Marine Corps commercial came on. It featured a Marine going through a rigorous training course, climbing to the top of a pillar to retrieve a sword and slaying a dragon.

“Come to find out,” Moya said, laughing, “that’s not at all what it is.”

Even though the Marines don’t slay dragons, Moya was hooked from that moment and was hell-bent on joining them. Two weeks after graduating from Clark, 4291 Pennwood Ave., in 2001, Moya went into the service. Just over 15 years later, Moya was honored July 12 by the Nevada Department of Veterans Services as the Veteran of the Month for July.

“I do things, and I know I’m pretty involved and people always reach out to me,” Moya said. “But I didn’t think out of so many people in Southern Nevada … that I would be recognized. It’s an honor. I was speechless.”

Moya, 33, is currently enrolled at UNLV, working toward his master’s degree in social work. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology in hope of learning how to help fellow veterans who have returned from overseas and may have developed mental illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

But Moya is going a step beyond that in his current role as president of the Rebel Vets Organization. Moya traded in his combat uniform for a different kind of attire: a suit and tie.

“We meet with our delegates and talk issues, education specifically,” Moya said. “We’ve introduced some bills to the (House of Representatives). They haven’t gotten anywhere, but it’s pretty cool to say that.”

The mission of the organization is to provide veterans with whatever they need to get them accustomed to being back home. Moya leads about 1,500 student veterans, alongside student vets chairman Ross Bryant, in providing the necessary resources for student veterans to succeed at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway.

Bryant was the one who nominated Moya for the honor, which was handed out at the Grant Sawyer Building, 555 E. Washington Ave. He submitted the request in April, and the committee was enthusiastic about giving Moya the distinction.

“To my knowledge, they haven’t sought out to find some of the younger vets who are doing so much for community,” Bryant said. “He’ll downplay what he does. I just wanted to make sure Bruno got credit. He’s volunteering despite the fact he’s in a master’s program, (and) he’s a husband and a father.”

One instance that sticks out most to Moya when it comes to helping his fellow veterans was when he met one at Veteran Affairs. The man was homeless, didn’t have a car and had a significant brain injury. It didn’t help that the housing provided by the VA was in a run-down part of town, highlighted by gunshots and drug use. Moya helped him get enrolled in school and into a better living situation.

In his first semester, the veteran took six classes, a hefty amount for an incoming freshman.

“He ended up getting a 3.4 GPA,” Moya said.

Moya’s tireless work at UNLV and within his organization has led to some extraordinary opportunities, such as getting bills to Nevada’s delegates through talks with Sen. Harry Reid. Moya was also invited to the State of the Union Address in 2015.

These opportunities would not have happened had Moya watched that commercial and found some common ground with his parents.

Moya was born in El Paso, Texas. He and his parents, both of Mexican descent, moved to Las Vegas in 1999. His father was a member of the Mexican military and flew planes, thus wanting Moya to join the Air Force in the worst way. But Moya came home with a Marine recruiter one day during his senior year to the dismay of his father. After his father constantly told him he was crazy, Moya compromised with him. He could go into the Marines but only as a reserve.

It’s not what Moya wanted to do, but it was what he had to do if he wanted to join.

Moya graduated from boot camp Sept. 14, three days after 9/11.

“All of us were 17, 18, 19 years old. We didn’t know what was going on,” Moya said. “Throughout our entire training, we heard all the planes land and take off, night and day. You thought to yourself, ‘What’s going on?’ ”

Ten days after graduating, Moya went through Military Operation Skills training for two months as a machine gunner. Two months later, he and his reserve unit, Fox Co. 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines, went into active duty and served on the Quick Reaction Force for the Western United States at Camp Pendleton in San Diego.

In February 2003, Moya went into action. He took off for Kuwait and was part of the coalition that was in the early stages of the Iraq War. He stayed in Iraq until July once Baghdad was conquered and the mission was accomplished. Moya came home and stayed in the reserves for two years while doing a few more deployments in Japan and Ukraine.

But while Moya wanted to go back into active duty, the Marines were making newcomers the top priority. To keep Moya involved, he was a combat instructor for entry-level Marines for three years.

“Service to my country is important. It’s a big part of why I wanted to do everything and why I’d want to go back,” Moya said. “But also, the organization … some people call it a cult because you’re with a group of dudes that you have nothing in common with, other than having the title of Marine.”

Moya found new challenges along the way before leaving the Marines for good in December 2008. His wife gave birth to their daughter in 2007, and Moya would come back once a month to see them. Moya’s return to Las Vegas came at a time where the city was hit hard by the Great Recession.

He went from being a platoon sergeant with the Marines to a valet at Treasure Island. While the money was good, it was still a difficult time for Moya having to adjust back to home life, on top of taking care of a baby girl while his wife went to school with the economy in the shape it was.

“As a sergeant in the Marines, you earned your respect,” Moya said. “You were in charge. Being a valet is, like, the opposite.”

That’s when Moya decided he would go back to school in 2010, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of his life. While he laughingly admits the reason he swayed away from psychology for his master’s was to avoid doing more math, he likes the idea of helping veterans.

“He’s just a genuine behind-the-scenes leader,” Bryant said. “He’s never too busy to help somebody.”

He misses being a part of the Marines, specifically shooting machine guns. But Moya is making a difference in his community while being a family man, dog included. He turned his wife and daughter into avid “Star Wars” fans and had movie marathons leading up to the seventh installment of the franchise, “The Force Awakens.”

Moya does a lot for the people around him, and even Bryant has told him to take a step back and admire the work he’s accomplished. He refuses to, but when he does things like serve his country and help give out over $1 million in scholarships through the RVO, he’ll accept the accolades every once in awhile.

“I don’t like to be recognized too much. But when you do get recognized, at least I’m doing something right,” Moya said. “Sometimes, I guess, it’s neat.”

Visit facebook.com/unlv.svo or call Bryant at 702-895-2290.

To reach View copy editor Danny Webster, email dwebster@reviewjournal.com or call 702-477-3834. Follow him on Twitter: @DannyWebster21.