Al Torres enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in August of 1997 out of Recruiting Sub-station Corpus Christi. He was attached to Fox Company, 2nd Battalion aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. Upon graduation, Private First Class Torres was assigned to School of Infantry in Camp Pendleton, California where he attended and graduated Marine Combat Training. Private First Class Torres attended the Avionics Technician Organizational Level Course at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Pensacola, Florida. There, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. Lance Corporal Torres subsequently attended and graduated his Avionics school for he type-model-series helicopter, the CH-46E, in Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.
Lance Corporal Torres received his first duty assignment at Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264 in Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. While at HMM-264, he was meritoriously promoted to the rank of corporal. Corporal Torres served as an Avionics Technician on the CH-46E helicopter. While at HMM-264, he deployed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, twice, during 2000 for Operation Silent Lance and 2003 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. During that time, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and staff sergeant.
In April of 2004, Staff Sergeant Torres was transferred to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia to continue as an avionicsman at Marine Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (HMX-1). While at HMX-1, Staff Sergeant Torres earned additional specialties and had the privilege to serve and support President George W. Bush until 2008. In April of 2008, Staff Sergeant Torres was selected to attend Recruiter's School in San Diego, California and subsequently stationed at Recruiting Station San Antonio, Recruiting Sub-Station Corpus Christi, Texas from 2008 to 2011. In 2008, he was promoted to gunnery sergeant.
Upon completion of recruiting duty, Gunnery Sergeant Torres was assigned duty as the Avionics Chief, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 764, in Edwards Air Force Base, California, from 2011 to 2013. Gunnery Sergeant Torres was then assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 774 in Norfolk, Virginia, where he served as the Avionics Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge.
In June of 2014, he was promoted to the rank of first sergeant and assigned as the Company First Sergeant of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While at 2/6, First Sergeant Torres held the billet of Company First Sergeant for Golf and Weapons Companies and again deployed on the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2016. First Sergeant Torres then transferred to 2nd Maintenance Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in 2017, where he served as Company First Sergeant for Electronics Maintenance Company.
First Sergeant Torres was selected and frocked to sergeant major in December of 2017. Subsequently, he was assigned to 1st Marine Division as 1st Battalion, 4th Marines Sergeant Major where he served as the Battalion Sergeant Major and Battalion Landing Team 1/4 Sergeant Major for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and multiple missions/exercises, including Southwest Border Operations. In February 2020, Sergeant Major Torres was assigned to 9th Communication Battalion to serve as sergeant major and to 1st Intelligence Battalion in December of 2021. In May of 2022, he was assigned to Marine Aviation Support Group 23 where he currently serves as group sergeant major.
Sergeant Major Torres, to present, has served 24 years of honorable service in the Marine Corps. His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, gold star in lieu of 7th award, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, 2nd star in lieu of 3rd award, Combat Action Ribbon, and the Presidential Service Badge.