Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Gabrielle Joyner | 160519-N-WC566-035 WAHIAWA, Hawaii (May 19, 2016) Mo Radke, retired command master...... read more read more
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Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Hawaii’s diversity council, and Chiefs mess, hosted an Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month event May 19, at Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific’s Hale Anue Nue Chief’s Club.
The event kicked off with remarks by Cryptologic Technician Collection 1st Class Derek Hannahs, a member of NIOC Hawaii’s diversity council, who recounted some of the history, contributions and achievements that many notable Asian American and Pacific Islanders have made to the U.S.
“This observance gives us the opportunity to honor, recognize and celebrate the rich diversity, leadership and empowerment of all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in their dedicated service to the betterment of our nation,” said Hannahs. “It‘s an opportunity for us in the diversity council to celebrate and recognize our Asian American brothers, and sisters, who are in the military currently, and have served in the past.”
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been recognized for the achievements and contributions to the American story, during the month of May, since 1977. During the event, NIOC Sailors continued the legacy, celebrating the cultural traditions, ancestry, native languages and unique experiences represented by 56 ethnic groups in over 100 languages.
Mo Radke, retired command master chief of U.S. Pacific Fleet, was the keynote speaker at the event, and asked Sailors not only to remember the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, but to also understand the value of their culture’s influences on the Navy.
“Petty Officer Hannahs gave you level one of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, the ‘who’s done what,’ ‘who is the first to do something,’ ‘who is stepping forward and making the path for other people to come behind them,’” said Radke. “Level two is not something that you hear often, level two is what you do every day; it‘s working side by side with somebody. Do you know about them, do you know where they’re from? As Sailors and leaders, is it important to know about them? That’s what this month is all about, our understanding of another culture, and knowing something about another culture and putting that into practice.”
Both speakers focused on the 2016 Department of Defense’s theme for AAPI Heritage month, “Walk together, embrace differences and build legacies.” According to Radke, taking the time to get to know and understand the culture and background of the people you come across, inside and out of the military, and working together to support a common goal, will help to create the unity that is critical to the Navy mission.
“The whole point of [AAPI Heritage Month] is to help people understand what these cultures are all about. If you can understand how someone else thinks, it’s much easier to collaborate and build bridges, build those legacies,” said Radke.
“Hopefully it inspires Sailors to learn, because if you know what somebody is all about and what their background is all about as a friend, spouse, supervisor, a peer or a follower, it helps you adapt to whatever your situations might be. If you happen to be an ambassador of the Navy in Thailand and you get your understanding of the Thai culture, and you do some research on your own, it makes you a much better ambassador of the United States, and it makes you a better ambassador of yourself when you interact.”
The event closed with the serving of homemade ethnic foods representing a variety of cultures around the Asian and Pacific Island regions, and a discussion amongst Radke and the Sailors about the importance of diversity within the Navy.
Cryptologic Technician Networks 1st Class Rederi Perez, who is Filipino American, stated that it was her father and brother that inspired her to join the Navy, and to be thankful for the opportunities presented to her.
“As you see now in the Navy, we have so many people from different backgrounds that I think it is really important to work together and embrace other peoples cultures,” said Perez. “You can’t work as a team if you don’t learn how to work with each other’s differences.”
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2016 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 198673 |
| Location: | WAHIAWA, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 65 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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