RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 2561517-UUUU--RUCRNAD
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R 121517Z SEP 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1/N00//
CHINFO WASHINGTON DC//JJJ//
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UNCLAS //N05354//
NAVADMIN 261/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/SEP//
SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2008// 
RMKS/1.  NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WILL BE OBSERVED FROM 15 
SEPTEMBER TO 15 OCTOBER 2008.  THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S OBSERVANCE IS 
"GETTING INVOLVED:  OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR NATION."
2.  THE STRENGTH OF OUR NATION AND OUR NAVY IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE 
DIVERSITY OF OUR PEOPLE.  IN CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THIS 
YEAR, WE STRIVE TO REFLECT THE FACE OF AMERICA.  BY 2010, THERE WILL BE 
AN ESTIMATED 47 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO ARE OF HISPANIC 
ORIGIN.  TODAY MORE THAN 63,000 HISPANIC SAILORS AND CIVILIANS SERVE 
HONORABLY IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY, COMPRISING NEARLY 11 PERCENT OF 
OUR ACTIVE, RESERVE, AND CIVILIAN TOTAL FORCE.
3.  EVERY DAY, AND IN EVERY FACET OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, THESE TALENTED 
SAILORS WORK, SERVE, AND MAKE PERSONAL SACRIFICES FOR OUR COUNTRY AND 
ITS CITIZENS.  OUR HISPANIC SHIPMATES BRING UNIQUE TALENTS AND 
EXPERIENCES THAT ENHANCE OUR CULTURE AND IMPROVE OUR MISSION READINESS.  
HISPANIC AMERICANS HAVE SERVED BRAVELY IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY 
THROUGH EVERY CONFLICT SINCE THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.  WELL-KNOWN CIVIL 
WAR HERO DAVID GLASGOW FARRAGUT WAS THE SON OF A SPANISH EMIGRANT.  
UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATOR, COMMANDER EVERETT ALVAREZ WAS SHOT DOWN 
OVER VIETNAM AND WITHSTOOD OVER EIGHT YEARS OF TORTURE AND SOLITARY 
CONFINEMENT BEFORE BEING RELEASED.  IN 1964, HORACIO RIVERO, JR. BECAME 
THE NAVY'S FIRST FOUR-STAR ADMIRAL OF HISPANIC ORIGIN.  RECENTLY, A NEW 
GENERATION OF HEROES HAS MADE THEIR MARK, INCLUDING HOSPITAL CORPSMAN 
2ND CLASS LUIS FONSECA JR., WHO RECEIVED THE NAVY CROSS; AND HOSPITAL 
CORPSMAN 2ND CLASS JUAN RUBIO, WHO RECEIVED THE SILVER STAR, FOR THEIR 
ACTIONS IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
4.  ALL COMMANDS ARE CHARGED WITH RAISING AWARENESS OF HISPANIC CULTURE 
AND CONTRIBUTIONS BY CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. THROUGH 
PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS, PUBLICATIONS, AND PARTICIPATION IN MILITARY AND 
COMMUNITY EVENTS WE STRENGTHEN OUR NAVY BY RECOGNIZING THE DIVERSITY OF 
OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE.  
5.  COMMANDS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO SUPPORT THE ASSOCIATION OF NAVAL 
SERVICES OFFICERS (ANSO), A COMMUNITY OF OFFICERS, ENLISTED, AND 
CIVILIANS.  ENCOURAGE AND ENABLE MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN ANSO 
EVENTS.  ANSO IS ACTIVELY SOLICITING NEW MEMBERS AND FORMING CHAPTERS 
IN MANY MAJOR FLEET CONCENTRATION AREAS.  BE AWARE OF THEM AND SUPPORT 
THEM.
6.  THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET:
A.  A PRESENTATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE DEFENSE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 
MANAGEMENT WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.DEOMI.ORG/SPECIALOBSERVANCE/PRESENTATIONS.CFM?CATID=6
B.  VISIT ANSO AT:  HTTP://WWW.ANSOMIL.ORG.
C.  INFORMATION ON DIVERSITY CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND OBSERVANCES IS 
AVAILABLE AT THE NAVY DIVERSITY WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/COMMANDSUPPORT/DIVERSITY.
7.  POINT OF CONTACT:  LCDR ELIZABETH ZIMMERMANN, OPNAV N134, AT (703) 
614-5392/DSN 225 OR VIA E-MAIL AT elizabeth.zimmermann@navy.mil.
8.  RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.// 
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