Army Veteran and LAPD Officer Enrique Monreal Reflects on Service Ahead of Veterans Day
A Los Angeles police officer who previously served in the U.S. Army is sharing his path from military service to law enforcement as the nation prepares to observe Veterans Day. The officer, who joined the Army in 1999 at age 18, said he enlisted after learning that police work had a paramilitary structure and viewed military service as a way to gain experience before pursuing a law enforcement career.
He deployed to Afghanistan in February 2002 following the September 11 attacks. During his deployment, he worked closely with fellow soldiers and experienced the loss of his team leader, Sergeant Steven Checo. He said the experience reinforced the importance of camaraderie, realistic training, and the need to value each day.
After leaving the military, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 2011, fulfilling a long-standing interest in policing that began in childhood. He later became a motorcycle officer, a role he described as the career he had always hoped to enter.
Looking ahead to Veterans Day, the officer said the holiday provides an opportunity to acknowledge service members from all branches of the military and to recognize veterans who may need resources, encouragement, or simple acknowledgment of their service.
#LAPD
He deployed to Afghanistan in February 2002 following the September 11 attacks. During his deployment, he worked closely with fellow soldiers and experienced the loss of his team leader, Sergeant Steven Checo. He said the experience reinforced the importance of camaraderie, realistic training, and the need to value each day.
After leaving the military, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 2011, fulfilling a long-standing interest in policing that began in childhood. He later became a motorcycle officer, a role he described as the career he had always hoped to enter.
Looking ahead to Veterans Day, the officer said the holiday provides an opportunity to acknowledge service members from all branches of the military and to recognize veterans who may need resources, encouragement, or simple acknowledgment of their service.
#LAPD