U.S. Army veteran continues serving through his work at MVAA

LANSING, Mich. - In the agency’s most recent ‘Why We Serve’ episode, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) tells the story of Richard Ochoa, U.S. Army veteran and MVAA Internal Operations general office assistant. The ‘Why We Serve’ series shares the stories of agency employees, the work they do and what inspires them to serve Michigan’s veterans.

As a 17-year-old from a small town in Pennsylvania, Ochoa aspired to travel the world and wanted to become a military chaplain. In between his junior and senior years of high school, he persuaded his parents to let him join the Army Reserves.

“I wanted to be a light in a dark world,” said Ochoa. “The chaplain I spoke with suggested I joined the military to really get an experience of what being a soldier is like.”

After completing basic training, Ochoa served with his unit’s military police company during the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia, where he led security and traffic control efforts. Ochoa was promoted to Corporal before ultimately rising to the rank of Master Sergeant.

“I like to tell people I never made Sergeant Major because I spoke my mind a little too much,” said Ochoa with a smile. “I was just proud to be seen and a trusted voice for my soldiers.”

One of the most memorable people Ochoa brought up during his interview was a soldier he met while serving in Bosnia. Shortly after their friendship began, his comrade received deployment orders to Iraq as Ochoa went to Guantanamo Bay. While reading an edition of the Army Times, Ochoa learned that his close friend had passed away during his deployment.

“He was a great dude and I called him my brother from a different mother,” Ochoa reflected. “Maybe it was survivor’s guilt, but I couldn’t leave the service after that.”

Ochoa served his country for 25 years, including additional deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, he is a loving husband, proud father and stepfather to six children and continues to serve by supporting veterans through his work at the MVAA.

With the MVAA, Ochoa supports the Internal Operations division with his website expertise, data analysis, vehicle and equipment management skills. He also collaborates with the Strategic Communications team’s efforts to reach out to Michigan veterans. In addition, he also represents the agency at Michigan National Guard events where he networks with transitioning service members and provides information on MVAA resources.

“As a veteran dealing with my own personal struggles, I like being able to inform other people and veterans that there are opportunities out there for you,” said Ochoa. “Part of why I continue to work with the MVAA is just having the ability to be an advocate for some of those mental health resources.”

Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency – The MVAA is the central coordinating agency, providing support, care, advocacy and service to veterans and their families. As a state agency, the MVAA works to identify and break down barriers veterans face in employment, education, health care and quality of life, to make Michigan a great place for veterans and their families to call home. More information about the MVAA is available at Michigan.gov/MVAA or by reading our FY25 Annual Report.

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