A New York native, Brian Laguardia joined the Army after graduating from the University of Chicago. He soon found himself at the United Nations Security Battalion Joint Security Area unit that maintained security in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Laguardia finished the first stint of his military service in 2000 and returned to teaching for three years first in New York and then in South Korea. Two years of working in non-profit organizations throughout Asia, including Thailand and Nepal, followed. In 2005, the Army called him off of Individual Ready Reserve and deployed him to Iraq. During his military service, Laguardia became a Staff Sergeant and won numerous awards, including three Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, and a Combat Action Badge. He is currently working toward his Masters in Global Affairs with an emphasis on Human Rights at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs.

LINKS

Breaking the Surface - Insadong, Korea