Photo By Marcy Sanchez | Col. Erik Rude, commander, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, presents Special...... read more read more
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Soldiers, staff and visitors at William Beaumont Army Medical Center participated in the annual African American History Month observance at WBAMC, Feb. 9.
The observance highlighted today’s diverse military culture and the strides African American Soldiers and civilians have made and welcomed FBI Special Agent Emmerson Buie Jr., special agent in charge, El Paso Division, one of the few African American FBI special agents leading an FBI field division in the United States.
“We’re all American; we all have a history and it’s intertwined,” said Buie. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the red, white and blue.”
Buie, a native of Chicago, describes his personal story as going from riches to rags due to the separation of his parents and proclaims his mother as an inspiring force during his upbringing. Buie also credits his mother with introducing him to individuals of different races and cultures, which helped shape his identity as he matured.
“I had different exposure and different experiences (than other inner-city Chicago youths),” said Buie. “When you’re at a company picnic and playing with (other children), you don’t see a color you see kids.”
The presentation also featured various artists performed renditions of gospel songs, interpretive dancing and a musical performance to spotlight African American impact on today’s culture.
“When somebody is in the foxhole (defensive fighting position) next to you, all you care about is keeping each other alive,” said Col. Erik Rude, commander, WBAMC. “All that outside the box thinking (in the U.S. Armed Forces), is what has allowed (the military) to do great.”
Buie, who also served as an infantry officer in the Army, remembers the impact different leaders in the Army had on him as a Soldier and praised the military for leading the cultural shift toward impartiality.
“The military is so much further and advanced when it comes to creating a system that is subjective not objective and it gives (everyone) opportunity,” said Buie. “As I look into this room and I think about the diversity, I think about the many people who have an opportunity to impact the people who follow. The diversity in this room is needed.”
This year’s observance theme, “African Americans in Times of War”, celebrates the countless contributions African Americans have made in defense of the nation, from the Revolutionary War to present-day operations, which have become integral not only to African American history but to American history. The theme is also a reflection of African American service during World War I, sometimes referred to as “The Great War,” during which more than 350,000 African Americans served in segregated units.
While African Americans make up more than 19 percent of today’s Army, they were banned from military service during peacetime since the birth of our nation until the Civil War, regardless of having fought in every conflict since the Revolutionary War.
The 19th century saw the introduction of segregated military units in the armed services to include cavalry and infantry regiments nicknamed “Buffalo Soldiers,” who were once based at Fort Bliss. These Soldiers still faced racism on the battlefield and on the home front as noted by retired Lt. Col. Michael Lee Lanning in his book, “The African-American Soldier: From Crispus Attucks to Colin Powell.”
“Diversity is not about having a room of one race and talking about diversity and what needs to be done, it’s about having a room of a whole bunch of people willing to open their minds to make America better,” said Buie. “My story doesn’t just have black in it, it has a lot in it and that’s important because that’s a part of me too.”
| Date Taken: | 02.22.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2018 14:59 |
| Story ID: | 266862 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 81 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Soldiers, staff revere diverse military ranks during observance, by Marcy Sanchez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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