Gerald Ngugi's story can best describe the from nothing to something adage. From a casual labourer in Kiambu County, he is now a Second Space Battalion in the US Army.
Interestingly, Ngugi joined the army at the age of 40 and had to fend off stiff competition from candidates half his age.
Ngugi was a casual labourer in Kiambu County where he worked in farms doing jobs such as planting and harvesting, potatoes, collard greens, beans, among other crops.
"I worked my grandfather’s farm for years there. It was manual labour dealing with livestock and farming. Cows, chickens, planting and harvesting collard greens, potatoes and bananas. It was hard work," he told Staff Sgt. Aaron Rognstad of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command during an interview in 2020.
He also did menial jobs including herding livestock.
With the help of friends, Ngugi moved to the United States at the age of 38. He had gone to help with funeral arrangements after his brother died.
He would later land a job in the US and an opportunity to join the army came by.
"I was working at a 7-11 in Boston and all these military guys would come in and talk to me about it, so I decided to join at the age of 40. The cutoff was 42 then," he told the US Army reserve during a previous interview.
To meet the standards of training, Ngugi had to work harder than his fellow younger soldiers. As a result, he earned entry into the army as a specialist in the mechanical department (rank E-4). According to militarybenefits.info, specialists within the E-4 rank are paid an average of Ksh233,000 and Ksh282,900 per month.
Ngugi served in the US Army for 10 years.
Ngugi is married, and they have three children. He enjoys yard work, gardening, travelling, jogging, hiking, and team sports.
"The army has given me many opportunities to go to new places, like here in Colorado, where I decided to settle."
"I have been going to school and trying to be physically fit because of the army. The army gives me a higher standard of living. I also feel a sense of pride and honour while serving in the military," he stated.
Ngugi aims at acquiring further training.
"My goal in life is to continue to be more educated. I am now in trucking, which has opportunities in transport, maintenance, or recycling, and I am looking to get a permanent position in one of those fields," he told the US Army Reserve.
