Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Angel Martinez-Navedo | Keith Colston speaks at the National American Indian Heritage Month on Aberdeen...... read more read more
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ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians celebrated American Indian Heritage Month at a ceremony on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Nov. 18.
The 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command hosted the ceremony, which was held in Aberdeen Proving Ground’s Myer Auditorium and steamed virtually.
The ceremony also featured Native American food tastings, displays and a documentary on the Navajo code talkers from World War II.
Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the 20th CBRNE Command has Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians on 19 bases in 16 states who take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.
Brig. Gen. Daryl O. Hood, the commanding general of 20th CBRNE Command, thanked Master Sgt. Jody L. Mease, the 20th CBRNE Command Senior Military Equal Opportunity Advisor; Sgt. 1st Class Jaime J. Franco-Gonzalez, the 20th CBRNE Command Equal Opportunity Advisor; and everyone who helped to coordinate the event.
“This commemoration provides the Army an opportunity to recognize the rich and diverse culture as well as traditions, tremendous contributions and accomplishments that American Indians and Alaskan Natives have made to this country,” said Hood.
“American Indians and Alaskan Natives include a diverse population of 574 Federally recognized tribal nations and villages residing in the United States,” said Hood. “The strength or our Army and nation is gained by the diversity of its people.”
Hood said American Indians and Alaskan Natives have served with distinction throughout the nation’s history, adding that they have the highest per capita level of service in the U.S. military.
The general said that American Indians and Alaskan Natives have earned 29 Medals of Honor, the nation’s highest award for military valor.
Jennifer Hunt from the C5ISR Center on APG served as the event master of ceremonies and Chaplain Maj. Yong Joung gave the invocation at the ceremony.
Keith Colson, a Tuscarona and enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, was the guest speaker. Colson and Duncan Munson also performed traditional dances.
Colson said the ceremony was an opportunity to recognize what binds together everyone who lives in the United States.
“As we bring a close to our celebration here today, know that there is no finish line for tribal people,” said Colson. “Know that there are milestones to be reached each and every day. That even though we are given this month, we are tribal, we are native every single moment of our lives and we are thankful for this.”
“I’m a person of color but I would please ask you to say this: I’m a person of culture and then say it back to yourself,” said Colson. “Stop looking for the differences. Start looking for what we have in common. We are all people of culture.”
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2022 16:18 |
| Story ID: | 433567 |
| Location: | ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 259 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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