Episode 17: A Chat with Frank Hernandez, Adjunct Instructor & 26-Year Air Force Veteran

In this episode of the Saint Leo 360 podcast, Frank Hernandez, an adjunct instructor and U.S. Air Force veteran, joined the conversation to talk about:

• His childhood growing up in a Puerto Rican family in New York City
• Why he decided to enlist in the U.S. Air Force and why it took him four times to finally be accepted in 1979 at age 19
• The various posts he was stationed at around the U.S.
• His role with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI)
• One of his deployments to a classified location in the Middle East
• The epidemic of veteran suicide (22 per day in the U.S.)
• The importance of asking for help if veterans are struggling with their mental health
• The many benefits of military service, including the current post-9/11 G.I. Bill
• Why he came to Saint Leo University for his higher education
• How he, his wife, and his daughter have all taught at Saint Leo University
• How he engages with his students, including how he has dressed up in costumes
• Winning the Professor of the Year Award from the Student Government Union (SGU) and beating out his wife, Rachel, for this award