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SUBJ: OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2011 UNCLASSIFIED// 
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NAVADMIN 264/11

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/SEP//

SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2011//

RMKS/1.  WE WILL OBSERVE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FROM 15 SEPTEMBER -
15 OCTOBER 2011.  THE NATIONAL THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS "MANY BACKGROUNDS, MANY 
STORIES...ONE AMERICAN SPIRIT."  THIS MONTH CELEBRATES THE GENERATIONS OF 
HISPANIC AMERICANS WHO HAVE INFLUENCED AND ENRICHED OUR NATION.

2.  HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH TRACES ITS ORIGINS TO SEPTEMBER 1968, WHEN 
PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON PROCLAIMED A NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEK.  THE 
WEEK WAS EXPANDED IN 1988 BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN TO ENCOMPASS A MONTH-LONG 
COMMEMORATION TO CELEBRATE THE HISTORIES, CULTURES, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF 
AMERICANS WHO TRACE THEIR ROOTS TO SPAIN, MEXICO, THE CARIBBEAN, AND CENTRAL 
AND SOUTH AMERICA.

3.  THE STRENGTH OF OUR NAVY AND NATION IS DERIVED FROM THE DIVERSITY OF OUR 
PEOPLE.  TODAY, NEARLY 60,000 HISPANIC SAILORS AND OFFICERS SERVE IN THE 
UNITED STATES NAVY, PARTICIPATING IN EVERY FACET OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.  THREE 
HISPANIC FLAG OFFICERS AND 158 HISPANIC MASTER CHIEFS LEAD OUR NAVY FROM THE 
FRONT, PROVIDING UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES THAT ENHANCE OUR CULTURE 
AND IMPROVE OUR MISSION READINESS.

4.  OUR HISPANIC SAILORS AND OFFICERS REPRESENT THE VERY BEST OF OUR NATION, 
AND ARE REFLECTIVE OF A LONG LEGACY OF SERVICE BY HISPANIC AMERICANS.  NOTABLE 
EXAMPLES INCLUDE DAVID GLASGOW FARRAGUT, SON OF A SPANISH IMMIGRANT, WHO IN 
1866 BECAME THE NAVY'S FIRST ADMIRAL; NAVY PILOT EVERETT ALVAREZ, WHO ENDURED 
EIGHT YEARS OF TORTURE AND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AS A PRISONER OF WAR IN 
VIETNAM HOSPITAL CORPSMAN LUIS E. FONSECA, JR., WHO WAS AWARDED THE NAVY CROSS 
FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF SEVERAL WOUNDED MARINES DURING THE 2003 BATTLE OF 
NASIRIYAH, IRAQ; AND COMMANDER YVETTE DAVIDS, WHO BECAME THE FIRST HISPANIC 
WOMAN TO COMMAND A SURFACE COMBATANT WHEN SHE TOOK COMMAND OF THE USS CURTS 
(FFG 38) IN 2007.

5.  ALL COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND 
AWARENESS OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THROUGH PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS, PUBLICATIONS, 
AND PARTICIPATION IN MILITARY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.  A PRESENTATION IS 
AVAILABLE ON THE DEFENSE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.DEOMI.ORG/SPECIALOBSERVANCE/PRESENTATIONS.CFM?CATID=6.  A SHOWCASE 
OF HISPANIC AMERICANS IN NAVAL HISTORY CAN BE FOUND ON THE NAVAL HISTORY AND 
HERITAGE COMMAND WEBPAGE AT 
HTTP://WWW.HISTORY.NAVY.MIL/SPECIAL%20HIGHLIGHTS/HISPANIC/
HISPANIC-INDEX.HTM.  MORE INFORMATION ON DIVERSITY CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND 
OBSERVANCES IS AVAILABLE AT THE NAVY DIVERSITY WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.PUBLIC.NAVY.MIL/BUPERS-NPC/SUPPORT/DIVERSITY.

6.  COMMANDS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO SUPPORT THE SEA SERVICES HISPANIC AFFINITY 
GROUP, THE ASSOCIATION OF NAVAL SERVICES OFFICERS (ANSO), WHICH AIMS TO FOSTER 
PERSONAL GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDE MENTORSHIP AND 
NETWORKING FOR OFFICERS, ENLISTED MEMBERS, AND CIVILIANS.  MORE INFORMATION IS 
AVAILABLE AT HTTP://WWW.ANSOMIL.ORG/.

7.  POINT OF CONTACT IS LT LAURA STEGHERR, OPNAV N134, AT
(703) 695-0820/DSN 225 OR VIA EMAIL AT laura.stegherr@navy.mil.

8.  RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//

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