When Jacob Flores ‘29 first enlisted in the Air Force, he knew he wanted a life of service. Six years later, he found himself thousands of miles away from home, a first-year student at Harvard College, prepared to begin the next chapter of his life.

Originally from San Jose, Flores didn’t grow up in a military family. “I knew I always wanted to serve to some extent; it was just a matter of when,” he recounted. He credits part of that calling to his great-uncle, a proud Marine, whose stories left a deep impression. Straight out of high school, Flores enlisted and began working in intelligence. Still in his teens and early twenties, he found himself traveling around the world, collaborating with various people, and rose to the title of Operations Officer.

But another dream had long preceded his time in uniform: Harvard. 

“When I was seven years old, I decided I wanted to go to Harvard because Barack Obama had gone there,” Flores recalled. This dream only ballooned as Flores discovered more about the College and its influential alumni. So, when his enlistment contract neared its end, he found himself at a crossroads once again: to re-enlist and continue with this career he loved, or to finally chase the college he had always dreamed of? 

A conversation with his mentor—a recently retired veteran who had served in the Navy for over 20 years—solidified his decision. “He said, ‘You always wanted to go back to college, right?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s my long-term goal.’ He said, ‘Now is your time to do it,” Flores reminisced. With guidance from his mentor and strong letters of recommendation, Flores spent months writing his re-enlistment application. Although the process was demanding, he had a wealth of experience to draw from and a story to tell. 

He applied to Harvard, and only Harvard, through the Restrictive Early Action program. “I wasn't going to consider any other school. I would have re-enlisted before going to any other school.” 

In mid-December, the acceptance letter arrived. His childhood dream had come true.

The transition to Harvard, however, wasn’t easy. Flores chose to live in the first-year dorms to fully immerse himself in the college experience, but the shift from the military to campus brought its own hurdles. “We’re called non-traditional students for a reason,” he chuckled. Still, he believes Harvard has been intentional about supporting veterans like him and easing that adjustment. 

Upon arriving on campus, Flores worried that his decision to enlist immediately after high school might be met with judgment. He wasn’t sure how students would react to his background, but those fears were quickly extinguished. In his first few months, Flores found himself quickly surrounded by a community of fellow veterans. One of his first Harvard friendships was formed when he spotted another student—a little older and more mature—who he suspected could share his background. “There’s an instant bond—you just know it, no matter what branch you were in,” he shared.

That sense of connection has extended beyond fellow veterans, as his decision to serve and his Air Force experience have only been met with warmth from the student body. “It's been pretty heartwarming that people are genuinely like, ‘Oh my God, you went to the military? Tell us your stories. Please, we're very interested.’ I love that. I love to tell stories.” 

The openness with which others embraced him reflects a mindset he cultivated in the military: everyone has a story worth knowing, and “figuring out what makes each person unique has been really eye-opening,” he said.

Looking ahead, Flores hopes to continue serving–this time through law and potentially the State Department. In the meantime, he offers a piece of advice for veterans and students alike: give yourself time. “Expect that you're going to maybe have one particular goal, and then that changes, and maybe you have to accommodate,” he advised. “Accept that there's going to be some of those roadblocks or some of those detours.” 

When asked what Veterans Day means to him, after a brief pause, a smile spreads across his face.  

For Flores, there isn’t a single day he regrets his decision to join the military—even the toughest days of service are ones he wouldn’t trade. To him, that’s the spirit of service, to spend time around others who feel that call to serve and be bound together through that purpose.  

As a student veteran, his military service continues to shape his education, community, and sense of identity.

Read more about Harvard College's Veteran resources:

The Application Process

Military Affiliates