Boniface Waniiku is a Kenyan national serving in the United States (US) Army.
As told in a previous interview, he went from driving a taxi to serving in the army which is one of the most powerful armies in the world.
While he has served for several years in the army, Waniiku explained that he loved the experience and enjoys the company of his colleagues.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Waniiku was born and raised in Nakuru County, and worked as a taxi driver while still in Kenya to make ends meet.
However, while in the course of his work, he encountered robbers who hijacked him and robbed him of his belongings forcing him to reconsider his career.
Waniiku applied for a Green Card and he won, allowing him to live and work permanently in the United States.
“When I lived in Kenya, I was working in the taxi business. One day, I was hijacked and the car was stolen. I did not want that anymore, so I applied for a green card,” he said.
Following his arrival in the US, he applied to join the army and after a successful recruitment process, he works as a wheeled vehicle mechanic.
Waniiku serves in the US Army with 1-14 Cavalry Warhorse under the Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
“I’m the first person in my family to come to the United States. When I came to the US, I promised myself, I would not go back. I have to prove to myself that even outside of Kenya, we can make it. After all that, I’m still doing my best every day,” he stated.
Waniiku also shared his experience living in a foreign country, noting that he loves it, adding that he also enjoys the company of his colleagues.
“There have been so many moments since I’ve been with 1-14 CAV where we joined together as a group, being a part of one community, one team, one family. This sticks with me,” he said.
The Stryker Brigade Combat Team is a medium-weight, rapidly deployable force designed to bridge the gap between light and heavy forces in the U.S. Army.
It was developed to provide a versatile and capable force that can operate across the full spectrum of military operations, from low-intensity conflicts to major theater wars.
The SBCT is equipped with a family of Interim Armored Vehicles (IAVs), including infantry carriers, reconnaissance, anti-tank, mortar, command, fire support, engineer, nuclear-biological-chemical protection and medical support variants.
These vehicles are built on the commercially available Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) chassis.
This allows the SBCT to maintain a high level of mobility while still providing the necessary firepower and protection for its soldiers.