WEBVTT

00:08.680 --> 00:10.847
Buenos Dias . I'm speaking to you from

00:10.847 --> 00:12.958
the campus of the United States Naval

00:12.958 --> 00:14.847
Academy behind me you can see the

00:14.847 --> 00:17.069
chapel which features a window honoring

00:17.069 --> 00:18.958
David Farragut . Our Navy's first

00:18.958 --> 00:20.847
Admiral and one of the many great

00:20.847 --> 00:22.847
hispanic americans that we remember

00:22.847 --> 00:25.330
during Hispanic heritage month . Like

00:25.330 --> 00:27.552
every part of our Navy and Marine Corps

00:27.552 --> 00:29.608
team , the academy benefits from the

00:29.608 --> 00:31.719
service of countless Hispanic sailors

00:31.719 --> 00:33.990
and marines . List of graduates

00:34.030 --> 00:36.560
includes Admiral Horatio Rivero , our

00:36.560 --> 00:38.620
first Hispanic four star Admiral and

00:38.620 --> 00:40.890
Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez who earned

00:40.890 --> 00:42.946
the medal of honor during the Inchon

00:42.946 --> 00:44.890
landing . When I first entered the

00:44.890 --> 00:47.390
academy in 1979 I served alongside

00:47.390 --> 00:49.530
trailblazing foresees like Commander

00:49.530 --> 00:52.120
Lilia Ramirez . Born in Colombia who

00:52.120 --> 00:54.530
became one of the first four female

00:54.530 --> 00:57.570
Hispanic graduates . I graduated 1983

00:57.570 --> 01:00.150
alongside great Hispanic marines like

01:00.150 --> 01:02.372
Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Lauria ,

01:02.372 --> 01:04.094
a marine aviator who became an

01:04.094 --> 01:06.261
astronaut . All of us were inspired by

01:06.261 --> 01:08.640
the example set by then Secretary of

01:08.640 --> 01:10.862
the Navy Edward Hidalgo who was born in

01:10.862 --> 01:13.170
Mexico city . I'm proud to follow in

01:13.170 --> 01:15.059
his footsteps as our nation's 2nd

01:15.059 --> 01:17.350
Hispanic Secretary of the Navy at the

01:17.350 --> 01:19.460
Academy and beyond . We learned the

01:19.460 --> 01:21.690
importance of mentoring and recruiting

01:21.700 --> 01:23.644
the next generation of sailors and

01:23.644 --> 01:27.000
marines today . 16% of our newest class

01:27.000 --> 01:29.540
of Navy men shipment are hispanic and

01:29.540 --> 01:31.980
our total force over one in four

01:31.980 --> 01:35.230
marines is Hispanic . Over 53,000 and

01:35.230 --> 01:39.210
so is 17% of the Navy 68,000 . Many

01:39.210 --> 01:41.432
of these sailors and marines are taking

01:41.432 --> 01:43.321
part in exercise Unitas operating

01:43.321 --> 01:45.280
alongside counterparts from across

01:45.290 --> 01:47.530
latin America . As we celebrate

01:47.530 --> 01:49.870
Hispanic heritage month . Take a moment

01:49.890 --> 01:52.057
to remember the contributions of those

01:52.057 --> 01:54.223
who came before us and think about how

01:54.223 --> 01:56.230
you yourself can help recruit and

01:56.230 --> 01:58.450
mentor the next generation of american

01:58.450 --> 02:00.700
leaders . I am proud that right now

02:00.700 --> 02:02.867
Carrier Strike Group 10 is deployed at

02:02.867 --> 02:04.978
sea under the command of Rear Admiral

02:04.978 --> 02:07.490
Dennis Valez of the home to Puerto rico .

02:07.620 --> 02:09.676
And I'm even more excited to recruit

02:09.676 --> 02:12.975
the next sailor or marine from or or

02:12.975 --> 02:15.665
san juan Puerto rico . In order to meet

02:15.705 --> 02:17.872
the challenges of a complex world , we

02:17.872 --> 02:20.295
must recruit , retain and promote the

02:20.295 --> 02:22.565
finest of all our nation . That must be

02:22.565 --> 02:25.355
a team sport , calling us all to action .

02:25.405 --> 02:28.175
So this Hispanic heritage Month , I ask

02:28.175 --> 02:30.545
you to remember our history , honor the

02:30.545 --> 02:32.767
contributions of our shipmates and tell

02:32.767 --> 02:34.712
our story to help recruit the next

02:34.712 --> 02:36.767
generation together we will build an

02:36.767 --> 02:38.878
even stronger and more inclusive Navy

02:38.878 --> 02:40.712
and Marine Corps ready for every

02:40.712 --> 02:42.712
challenge beyond the horizon . I am

02:42.712 --> 02:44.878
proud to be your Secretary of the Navy

02:44.878 --> 02:47.530
and even more eager to have you join us

02:47.530 --> 02:49.530
on this journey to build a stronger

02:49.530 --> 02:51.474
Navy and Marine Corps . Together ,

02:51.850 --> 02:52.630
gracias