Guillermo Sandoval joined the Marine Corps while a senior in high school, following the footsteps of other Suffolk County Veterans in the year 2001. Guillermo Would graduate squad leader in Parris Island on that fateful Fall of 2001. While with 6^th Communications Battalion, Guillermo was deployed in January 2003 with orders to Camp Commando in Kuwait. Prior to the war starting, Guillermo volunteered to "go forward”, and was attached to members from 9^th communication Battalion and a small security group of Force Reconnaissance Marines.  The quickly gathered team became acquainted fast and reached its final destination in Basra International Airport, which was a critical part of the mission on Iraqi Freedom in the beginning of the war. 

Guillermo served in the reserves with 6^th communications until 2009. Guillermo has worn many hats, including working with Carpenters Union and also becoming a Social Worker after acquiring his Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. Guillermo uses his degree to help Veterans during his day job at WellLife Network, an agency designed to help folks with Mental Health and Addiction issues.

Guillermo decided to become a social worker in order to be more involved in his community, the Town of Brookhaven. Over the last 10 years, Guillermo has consistently volunteered his time on various boards, including a Veterans Board.  Marine Sandoval is also a member and past commander of his local post, Post 400 in Farmingville, which was renamed after a high school friend who was K.I.A  in Afghanistan in 2015.  Guillermo made a motion to make the post a memorial post which honors his friend and another local veteran who was also killed in action in the Iraq theater. The post is now named the "Staff Sergeant Bonacasa and Sergeant Santora Memorial Post 400”

In 2021, Guillermo was recognized by past National Commander Hal Roesch II (2020-2022) for assisting a police officer who was in critical condition after being stabbed in the Femoral Artery. Guillermo was able to begin first aid and make a critical phone call for backup. After 11 days in the hospital, the officer survived, and today he  continues to serve the Suffolk County Police Department. Guillermo is very grateful to the VFW and expresses this by continuing to serve and learn from his fellow Veterans of past wars and current conflicts, something that has been a theme in his life as he humbly tries to improve the community which raised him. 

After being Commander of Post 400, Guillermo was elected Suffolk County Jr. Vice Commander until the County became District 11. Upon becoming District 11, Guillermo was assigned the job of Surgeon. In the rapidly moving process, the following year, Guillermo won the nomination for District 11 Jr. Vice Commander, a role in which he will work closely with the new surgeon. During a comment to web manager/surgeon, Jr. Vice Commander Sandoval voiced "As a Marine Veteran, I am very grateful to this nation, I believe we are rapidly changing and losing our sense of patriotism. As the generations begin to pass on, I would like to bring our VFW District 11 in combined efforts to educate, physically tend to and advocate for the aging and ill Military Veterans, and their families and overall community. I believe that it is our civic duty to continue to serve this great nation that serves us day in and day out. Semper Fi!!