Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Meillettis Gardner | MANILA, Philippines. – Officer Christian Celestino (left), a police officer with the...... read more read more
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Vital Recruits Enhance Cultural Growth During Pacific Pathways
MANILA, Philippines. - Early Saturday morning April 9, 2016, Spc. Roel Fantilanan, a U.S. Army Soldier in the 25th Infantry Division, and native of Koronadal City, Philippines, arrived at the 25th Infantry Division Early Entry Command Post in Manila to begin work coordinating transportation and logistical support during Balikatan 16.
Balikatan is one of three Pacific Pathways exercises that the 25th ID is participating in this year to promote the continued friendship with partner nations in the Pacific region. Soldiers from all military branches work together with partner nations during Pacific Pathways.
Brig. Gen. Patrick Matlock, Deputy Commanding General-Support, 25th Infantry Division, recalls a time when having Soldiers from foreign countries was infrequent. He says, when asking Soldiers where they were from they would reply with locations across the Unites States. Now when he speaks to Soldiers it is not uncommon to talk to Soldiers that grew up in countries around the world such as Honduras, Africa or Asia.
“The change is terrific,” said Matlock. "It’s great working with Soldiers form all backgrounds, having someone with a deep personal knowledge of the country.”
Pacific Pathways exercises challenge Soldiers and bring culture awareness and diversity to the Armed Forces during more than a dozen preplanned exercises.
The U.S. Army is made up of Soldiers with backgrounds from all over the world, and Fantilanan is one of several exceptional Soldiers that journeyed to America to become a part of a force greater than himself.
Fantilanan, recalls his journey to America which led to his service in the U.S. Army. He recalls living in the Philippines with his wife and eldest daughter Sly Yzabel.
“I was a police [officer] in the Philippines and my wife was a teacher,” said Fantilanan. “My wife was chosen to go to Baltimore, Maryland, to teach physics in 2008. In 2009 my wife encouraged me to come [to America],” explains Fantilanan. “She told me as long as she works as a teacher we can stay in America, but I can’t legally work. I said no.”
They lived separately for several months. Fantilanan, and his daughter Sly, stayed in the Philippines while his wife worked in America. “The distance pulled on my heart. I didn’t want to give up my work because I was a cop,” explained Fantilanan. The turning point, Fantilanan recalls, was when his oldest daughter Sly, three-years old at the time, asked the question, “Why is mommy there and us here?”
“The pressure kept building and I resigned as a cop and came to the United States Nov. 4, 2009,” said Fantilanan. “I was a stay at home dad until 2013.”
Then a door opened. Fantilanan learned about the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program. MAVNI is an Army recruitment program that allows legal, non-U.S. citizens with vital skills to join the Army in exchange for expedited U.S. citizenship.
Fantilanan speaks two of the forty-four languages that the Army needed. He speaks Tagalog, Cebuano and Ilonggo, the first of which is the national language of the Philippines. The latter are two dialects of the Philippines.
Fantilanan enlisted in 2013, and through the MAVNI program became an asset to the Army. Fantilanan said he feels empowered to support his family with a stable job and citizenship, because by being a citizen his family becomes citizens.
Fantilanan’s story is inspirational and his contribution to the Army is poignant. A native of Columbus, Georgia, SPC Marc Calder in the 25th ID said he appreciates meeting people with different life experiences. Hearing stories of other Soldiers’ challenges and growth and seeing how they are trying to succeed in life has influenced him in a positive way.
This year’s Pacific Pathways is the second year of Pathways exercise for Fantilanan. “Spc. Fantilanan is a hard worker,” said Staff Sgt. Kevin Rozell, a native of Phoenix Arizona, and operations NCO for the 25th ID. “His maturity is rare among Soldiers with his same rank. He is essential to everything we do here. He is our liaison between us and the contractors concerning everything we do.”
“Having translators from the same cou¬¬ntry demonstrates sincerity, and it’s a ice breaker,” said Fantilanan. “Can you image yourself in another army, seeing one of your own?”
Fantilanan is helping enhance translations and cultural understanding in the Philippines during Balikatan 16, one of the Pathways exercises. His contribution is mission essential and participants can sense this.
“I think they [Filipino’s] feel more comfortable because we have someone they can relate to,” Rozell said.
This year a rare opportunity lined up for Fantilanan and he was able to see a few of his classmates from the police department here.
“It’s been eleven years,” Fantilanan said.” I think I am going to cry. I have a lot of memories here.”
As Fantilanan entered Camp General Rafael T. Crame, the National Headquarters of the Philippine National Police, in Manila, he began indicating the different places he had worked eleven years ago anticipating and hoping to see a classmate from his past with the police department.
Before leaving the National Headquarters of the Philippine National Police, Fantilanan did reunite with several classmates.
“He’s a good leader,” said Armin Basilio, a fellow classmate and member of the Police here in Manila. Sharon Del Rosario, another classmate of Fantilanan’s in the counter terrorism division, remembers his older daughter Sly and says that she sees Fantilanan on Facebook now with three daughters.
Fantilanan sums up his perspective best.
“I am the first in my lineage to come to the United States,” concludes Fantilanan. “I opened a door, I came to America, and [I] have a good life. I came out of poverty. For me it is a great honor.”
“We are a nation of immigrants, not only does it [diversity] make us stronger as an Army but stronger as a country,” said Matlock.
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| Date Taken: | 04.11.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2016 03:00 |
| Story ID: | 195353 |
| Location: | PH |
| Web Views: | 321 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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