Family Legacy Continues with Daughter

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Cmd Sgt. Maj. Isaia Vimito, his daughter Ariel, and wife, Missy

Shahron L. James

Public Affairs Specialist

Raleigh Recruiting Battalion

“I thought about going Air Force, but it was taking a year to get me in.  I signed up for the Army in two weeks.”

These are the words of Ariel Vimito, one of the Army’s newest recruits.

As stated, she had originally chosen to go into the Air Force, but she had a desire to serve and the delayed entry program of the Air Force was hindering that desire.

“I told her that she could have already been in the Army by now. I called a 1^st Sergeant friend of mine and we got her in the Army in a short period of time”, said Cmd Sgt. Maj. Isaia Vimito. 

Cmd Sgt. Maj. Vimito is has been in the Army for 34 years and is expected to begin terminal leave in December and will have an official retirement date in April 2016.

The Vimito Family is an Army family. There are two older siblings who are in the Army and all of them are Airborne. Ariel received Airborne as part of her enlistment package. She is the third child of the family and is excited about her new career.

Ariel is 23 years old and had previously attended Central Texas College under the major of Business Administration.

She will be enlisted in the Army as a 35S - Signals Collector/Analyst. The Signals Collector/Analyst is primarily responsible for performing and supervising the detection of foreign electronic intelligence.

“It is a good job to have just in case you decide to get out”, said Ariel.

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Vimito continued, “The job selection is really about transitioning back into civilian life.”

However, when Ariel was asked if she was intending to stay in the Army as long as her Dad she replied that she would likely be a Soldier for life.

“My brother and sister are in the military and my sister works close with my Dad. I suppose I will follow in the footsteps of my Dad”, she said.

The family notes that there were challenges in being an Army family, especially when it came to sports. Cmd Sgt. Maj. Vimito states that the entire family is very athletic, but that whenever they moved to a new assignment; the children had to start all over in sport.

“I know some other children may have had a hard time growing up, but I believe it makes you more mature and independent because when they are gone you have to learn how to depend on yourself”, said Ariel.

The family echoes the sentiments that Army Family life makes the children more resilient and that perhaps they have an advantage over other children.

“Other people think that we have no place to call home, but military children see the world and the world view is broader”, said Cmd Sgt. Major Vimito.

Ariel has placed her commitment and desire to serve above anything else. Cmd Sgt. Maj. Vimito cites that his children are children who were born to serve. Ariel stated that she could have stayed in college, but she chose to be a portion of American and to continue the Vimito legacy.

Missy Vimito, Ariel’s mother said, “She has to go out and make the best of it, I have no concerns about her joining the Army.”