In El Paso, Texas there is a saying among locals that it’s a big city with a small-town feel. I did not fully understand that, until I saw how a community comes together to support a family that has lost so much but inspires so many. Senior Airman Daniel Ray Sanchez, an El Paso native, lost his life fighting for our country, but his legacy continues not only in our local community, but also in all applicants who set foot in the El Paso MEPS ceremony room.

In 2014, the oath room at El Paso MEPS was dedicated to Senior Airman Sanchez who joined the Air Force in 2006. Seven weeks into training, he tried out for the Combat Control Team and focused on his goal of serving as a combat controller. After years of rigorous training and demanding courses, he graduated as a member of the Elite Special Tactics Team of combat controllers, earning his red beret. He subsequently served in the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, based in Hurlburt Field, Fla. In July 2010, Senior Airman Sanchez deployed to Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan as part of a unique team whose mission was directing combat aircraft engaged in offensive air operations and close air support. Additionally, the unit performed rescue and recovery, assault zone assessment, battlefield trauma and special reconnaissance.

Tragically, while providing security for a national election-polling site in Tarin Kowt, his team came under enemy fire, during which, Senior Airman Sanchez was wounded. He subsequently died of his wounds on Sept. 16, 2010.

In honor of his memory, his family established a foundation that provides scholarships to high school seniors who have taken leadership roles in ROTC, school or the community. An annual memorial 5K run benefits the foundation and this year nine El Paso MEPS staff members participated. The event proved how much the El Paso community ensures Senior Airman Sanchez’s memory lives on. The race also allowed the staff to meet his family and to show that our support is unwavering. The 5K will now be annual event for us whether we help with donations, logistical support or by running the race.

The El Paso MEPS staff had another opportunity to connect with the family of Senior Airman Sanchez on October 30, 2024, when his younger brother shipped to Coast Guard Basic Training. Yvette Duchene, mother of Senior Airman Sanchez, witnessed her younger son swear in at the same MEPS that her late son took the oath of enlistment 18 years before. She said that returning to the oath room that was dedicated to Daniel was “bittersweet.” They took several pictures in the room, and it was emotional to have Yvette there to support her younger son in his endeavor to serve our Nation.

The Senior Airman Daniel R. Sanchez Ceremony Room inspires the thousands of applicants who step foot on its red carpet every year, many of whom have the same dreams and goals that he had while processing through the MEPS. The support from the community for the family of Senior Airman Sanchez speaks volumes of the tight knit “small town” of El Paso. His legacy truly lives on in the room and in the greater El Paso area that continues to memorialize his uninhibited and loving spirit.