Photo By Scott Sturkol | Fort McCoy community members listen to Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Sheyla...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy held its 2024 Hispanic Heritage Month observance Oct. 10 in building 905 at Fort McCoy where dozens of installation community members attended to hear Garrison Commander Col. Sheyla Baez-Ramirez as well as enjoy some traditional cultural cuisine at no cost to the attendees.
“Thank you everybody for coming here today,” Baez-Ramirez said. “As we look at today's society, it is great that we are here celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Not only for throughout history, all of the things that Hispanic Americans have done for our military, all of the contributions that Hispanic Americans have brought to the military, but also to all of the changes that that has brought to our society.
“As we look at the future, and we look at our community internally, the actions that many of these Soldiers, many of these officers, and many of these Soldiers took years ago, was the first step to start closing the bridge and closing the gap that we still see in society today,” the colonel said. “The reason why the military celebrates Hispanic Heritage, Asian Pacific Heritage Month, and all of these other celebrations, is because still in today’s society, we have to remind people that even if the color of our skin is different, even if we look different, we have a common goal.”
Baez-Ramirez also said it’s good to bring bring people together and to celebrate, especially with food.
“I think that trying a different cuisine from different countries is always a great thing to bring people together,” Baez-Ramirez said. “And have the opportunity to get out of your office and unwind. When you sit here, even if you have the same coworkers that work on your field, and you are eating, the environment is different. You get to relax a little bit and you're eating. You're doing things that are a little bit different. We want to keep things professional, but we want to give you the opportunity to spend time with your coworkers. You probably spend more time here with your coworkers.
“So, thank you to everybody who took the time to come out here today,” she said. “I could not be the first female Hispanic commander (of Fort McCoy Garrison) … and let this celebration go by without making an effort to put a little event together. We (also) had one of our tenant units (181st Multi-Functional Training Brigade) partnering up with us to help us put this great event together. So, let’s give a big round of applause to our team.”
Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Kantor, equal opportunity advisor for the 181st, served as the master of ceremonies for the formal portions of the event. Chaplain (Maj.) Carlos Ruiz, also with the 181st, also provided the invocation and benediction for the event.
Many attendees said they had their fill on food. Dozens of dishes were brought in by service members and workforce members from Fort McCoy Garrison as well as tenant organizations.
According to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute’s (DEOMI) 2024 news release for the 2024 Hispanic Heritage Month observance, the observance provides an opportunity to learn more about the Hispanic culture, and more.
“From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the Department of Defense celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month, recognizing the rich history, tradition, and cultural diversity of Hispanic/Latino Americans,” the release states. “This observance honors inspirational Americans who trace their origin or descent to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Spanish cultures. This year’s theme, ‘Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together,’ embodies the innovative and resilient spirit of the Hispanic community.
“It highlights the unity that has been instrumental in forging a path for future generations,” the release states. “The theme is exemplified by the lives of three distinguished individuals: Master Sgt. Roy Benavidez, a U.S. Medal of Honor recipient whose acts of valor went beyond the call of duty; U.S. Navy Capt. Mery-Angela Sanabria Katson, whose mentorship has been a beacon of leadership and inspiration; and Private 1st Class Roberto Clemente, a Major League Baseball legend whose sportsmanship and dedication to community service continue to inspire. These individuals represent the myriad ways in which Hispanic/Latino Americans have contributed to and enriched our society.”
History shows President Lyndon B. Johnson officially created Hispanic Heritage Week on Sept. 17, 1968. In 1988, during President Ronald Reagan’s administration, Hispanic Heritage Week was extended to a full month, the DEOMI website shows.
“Why in the middle of the month? Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all celebrate their Independence Day Sept. 15; Mexico’s is on Sept. 16; Chile’s is Sept. 18; and Belize Independence Day is Sept. 21,” DEOMI officials noted. “The month stretches into October to include Día de la Raza, Oct. 12, which celebrates the melding of Hispanic races (raza) and culture. … As of July 1, 2023, the Hispanic population of the United States, was 65.2 million making it the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority.”
Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month and other observances through DEOMI by visiting their website at https://www.deomi.mil.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on DVIDS at https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/FMPAO, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.”
Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
| Date Taken: | 10.21.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.21.2024 14:14 |
| Story ID: | 483585 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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