Yonatan "Yogi" Hernandez

Fellow

Yonatan “Yogi” Hernandez served 22 years in the United States Navy as an Aviation Structural Mechanic – Safety Equipment (AME) Chief Petty Officer. Born in Mexico City and raised in the United States from age 12, Yogi built a career that took him around the world, including seven years stationed in Japan and deployments aboard every Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the fleet. In 2025, he attended Warrior-Scholar Project’s humanities boot camp at Yale University as he began his transition from military service to higher education.

Today, Yogi is an honors student at San Diego City College studying engineering while exploring interests in business, marketing, and journalism. His passion for service continues through extensive work in veteran advocacy, including leadership roles with MIL2VET, Student Veterans of America, NAVNET, and several community organizations. He also hosts the veteran-transition podcast Return to Roots, where he shares stories and resources to help veterans navigate life after service.

Fluent in Spanish and proud of his Nahuatl heritage, Yogi is driven by a desire to create opportunities for others. Whether through advocacy, media, mentorship, or technology, he is committed to strengthening military-connected communities and helping fellow veterans thrive.