It’s back to Iraq for Fresno army specialist Richard medina Torres. Something he hadn't planned on, since he was initially scheduled to be deployed to Honduras, back in May, plans that were cancelled by his chain of command back at Fort Hood, while imprisoned in Mexico.

Spc. Richard Medina Torres, U.S. Army: “It’s more dangerous and everything, but these guys over here are my brothers and to me its just an easy decision."

Tonight, Richard Medina Torres speaks with us by phone from Fort Hood, Texas, where he's getting ready to ship out to Iraq for the second time.

It's where he'll be serving as an aviation technician beginning May of 2009.

Medina Torres: “My mission is to make sure all the aircrafts stay maintained, flyable at all times, make sure we keep all troops off the ground as much as possible to prevent any IEDs and stuff like that from convoys."

Max Alvarado, best friend: "I guess it’s good for his military career. He wants to serve his country. I tell him just be careful you. You never know what is gonna happen out there."

Originally, Medina Torres was scheduled to be deployed to Honduras at the beginning of May, but because of his ordeal in Mexico, army officials cancelled his deployment.

Gloria Medina, soldier’s mother: "He's gone through these things and he just gets back up and he goes again and he's ready to serve. He's gonna go back, he's gonna do what he has to do and to me that says a lot about a person."

A person who just one month ago was facing serious prison time in Mexico, after he was arrested and charged for crossing the border with firearms in his car.

He was imprisoned for forty days, then released when a Mexican magistrate found him not guilty on all charges.

Medina Torres: "It made me see things differently, made me realize that I can't take everything for granted."

After his release, Medina Torres was given a two week military leave, which gave him a chance to come back home to Fresno and reunite with family and friends.

Medina Torres: "Roughly I was out there for two weeks and i was just being me, having sushi. Just doing what I took for granted before I got incarcerated."

Alvarado: "He's brave, there's not a lot of people that would put their life on the line for other people and especially people they don't know."

This will be his second tour of duty in Iraq and his fifth year serving in the U.S. Army.

Click on the report to watch Preston Phillips’ report.