Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Banzhaf | Two dancers from the Killeen Salsa Dance group performed salsa during the Hispanic...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas – Soldiers from units across Fort Hood gathered Oct. 8 at the Club Hood Grand Ballroom to observe Hispanic heritage during a program hosted by the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and III Corps Equal Opportunity offices.
Hispanic Heritage Month begins on Sept. 15, the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It ends on the Oct. 15, three days after Columbus Day.
“The purpose behind the event was to educate and increase the cultural awareness of all Soldiers, Family members and the community on contributions that Hispanic Americans have made to our nation over its entire history,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jamie Slagle, Equal Opportunity Advisor for 3rd BCT. “It’s to highlight the importance of the overall diversity of our Army, the military services and our nation.”
Slagle planned and coordinated the entire event for the brigade, III Corps and Fort Hood.
The program included a performance from the Killeen Salsa Group and from the Estrellas de Panama, another local Latino dancing group. In traditional dresses, the performers twirled and danced, as audience members took in the sight of their brightly colored dresses and the sounds of their melodic voices calling out dance cues to one another throughout the performance.
In addition to the Latin dance performance, the audience heard from the guest speaker, Juan River, a Bayamon, Puerto Rico, native and chairman of the Central Texas Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce.
Rivera spoke about his military experience, the contributions of Hispanic Americans, and the importance of understanding the past in order to secure the future.
“I feel proud when any military service invites me to speak. I feel blessed getting the opportunity to get in front of today’s heroes,” said Rivera. “Hispanic Heritage Month means a lot for those who accomplished a lot of things in our country, not only the people [of today] but the people who left a legacy for us.”
Rivera, who spent 27 years in the Army prior to retiring, including several years spent with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam, shared his memories of Army life. He spoke of Hispanic Americans who had come to the U.S. holding only dreams, but who later changed the world.
“Franklin Chang-Diaz came from Costa Rica with $50 in his pocket,” said Rivera. “Thirteen years later, he became an astronaut. He retired with a record of seven space flights.”
Rivera talked about the importance of young Hispanics learning their heritage and recognizing the sacrifices others have made to pave the way for their successes today.
“For me, the Army was a profession,” he said. “It was something I enjoyed. I was proud of my uniform. The Hispanic population can provide an impact on the Fort Hood community by getting involved with different organizations. It’s not the place that makes you. You make the place.”
“Throughout our history, the vision and determination of Hispanic Americans have changed our nation,” said Col. Matthew Van Wagenen, commander of 3rd BCT. “The legacy of Hispanics, with more than 40 Medal of Honor recipients dating back to the Civil War, is built upon dedication, patriotism, and heroism.”
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.16.2014 13:42 |
| Story ID: | 145236 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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