Tuesday, November 10, 2020 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sandra Torres-Pintos is a woman with many identities.
She is a mom. She is a grandmother. She is a wife. She is a University of Florida graduate. She is an American. She is a retired Marine.
On Saturday night, Torres-Pintos will take on a new persona when she serves as Honorary Ms. Two Bits as part of the Gators' "Saluting Those Who Serve" initiative when sixth-ranked Florida hosts Arkansas at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Service to others is the foundation of her daily life. Retired Marine and UF graduate Sandra Torres-Pintos.
Torres-Pintos retired from a 25-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006 and opened the next chapter of her career by using the GI Bill for her college education. She earned a bachelor's degree in business management and a master's in student personnel in higher education from UF. She has put those degrees to work for the past decade at Santa Fe College, where she currently serves as coordinator of the school's Veterans and Military Success Services (VMSS) department. The VMSS office provides support to student-veterans, active-duty personnel, U.S. Reserve and National Guard members and military families.
"It is very rewarding to see them come in,'' Torres-Pintos said. "It's just great to walk them through the process and support them and just root for them and then see them succeed. Again, it goes back to serving. There's nothing that brings me greater satisfaction than serving others."
Torres-Pintos views Saturday's honor as another way to shine a spotlight on giving back. She grew up in an underprivileged family in the Bronx, N.Y. After high school, she returned to Puerto Rico with her family for about a year before deciding to join the Marines.
She sought a better life and adventure and got what she wanted, traveling the world and rising through the ranks. She married William Pintos, also a retired Marine.
"I knew that I wanted to see the world and I knew that doing it through the military would be one way to do that, and just experience life outside of my box,'' she said. "I'm very thankful for that, especially in a place where there's very few women. I'm very grateful for all the friendships I made, all the places I got to see, and the honor of serving my country. That's something I feel that we should all do, serve in one way or another."
For her final assignment, Torres-Pintos deployed as the squadron Sgt. Maj. of VMFA-232 aboard the USS Nimitz in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The VMFA-232 is a Marine fighter attack squadron nicknamed the "Red Devils" and is the oldest and most decorated fighter squadron in the Marine Corps, which is celebrating its 245th birthday on Tuesday.
On 9/11, Torres-Pintos was scheduled to re-enlist later that afternoon for another four years. She couldn't do it fast enough after the terrorist attacks. She recalls hurrying to her home on the military base at Parris Island to turn on the television to see if the attacks were real. She had a family member who worked at the World Trade Center and fortunately escaped harm.
"It hit home,'' she said. "To see that happening was just so unreal. It just reinforces the reason why you're serving."
All of her experiences in the Marines help Torres-Pintos in her role at Santa Fe, which focuses on helping military veterans and their families pursue a better life through higher education. They will get to see another side of Torres-Pintos on Saturday.
Ms. Two Bits plans to have fun -- and remember why she is there.
"I'm very humbled that I have been asked to do this,'' she said. "I definitely want to do well by him [Mr. Two Bits], but then at the same time, I know that I'm also there representing all those who served, and in many cases, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It's very personal in that sense. I think it's great that UF does take a game to honor those who keep us free."
Torres-Pintos' path has paved the way for others. Her daughter followed in her mom's footsteps.
