NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s Base Engineer Emergency Force (BEEF) hosted a brief ceremony at the Camp America Galley, Dec. 5, to celebrate National American Indian Heritage Month as part of the JTF GTMO Equal Opportunity (EO) Program.
JTF GTMO Commander, Navy Rear Adm. John C. Ring, and his wife, joined the BEEF and other JTF Troopers to read the joint resolution approved in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush designating November as National American Indian Heritage Month. Ring’s comments marked the close of the month and highlighted the contributions of American Indian Service Members to the U.S. military.
“American Indians have courageously defended and shaped our country’s character and continue to build legacies of freedom and diversity,” Ring said. “JTF GTMO expresses our gratitude and appreciation for the accomplishments and contributions of the first Americans and all American Indians who serve.”
The theme of 2018’s National American Indian Heritage Month was “Sovereignty, Trust and Resilience.”
According to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, there are currently 567 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and more than 100 state- recognized tribes across the U.S. Each have their own distinctive history, beliefs, governance structure, and culture.
JTF Troopers present for the ceremony shared why this ceremony and other EO initiatives like it that aim to educate Service Members and celebrate their differences add value to JTF GTMO and to the military as a whole.
“In the bigger scheme of things, monthly activities like this are the foundation of what American is all about: welcoming all cultures and backgrounds,” a BEEF Trooper said. “JTF GTMO is just a reflection of that.”
Another Trooper in attendance expressed a similar sentiment.
“The military covers a lot of cultures and backgrounds. It’s made up of people from all around the world,” he said. “Even if it doesn’t give you a complete understanding, a snapshot like this event gives Troopers that exposure. It’s a great start.”
“We work with contractors, Department of Defense civilians, and other Service Members at GTMO,” he continued. “We learn about each other while we work together, but events like this are a deliberate attempt to understand. It’s important.”
The next JTF GTMO EO event will take place in January to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. day.