UNCLASSIFIED//

ATTENTION INVITED TO  

ROUTINE

R 281933Z AUG 12 PSN 136714K22

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC

TO NAVADMIN
ZEN/OU=DOD/OU=NAVY/OU=ADDRESS LISTS(UC)/CN=AL NAVADMIN(UC)

INFO ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC

BT
UNCLAS
QQQQ

SUBJ: OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2012 UNCLASSIFIED/ PASS TO OFFICE 
CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
UNCLAS//N05354//
NAVADMIN 265/12

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/AUG//

SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2012//

RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCES THE OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 
FROM 15 SEPTEMBER TO 15 OCTOBER 2012.  THE NATIONAL THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS 
"DIVERSITY UNITED, BUILDING AMERICA'S FUTURE TODAY", CELEBRATING 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 INCLUDE A MONTH-LONG 
CELEBRATION HONORING 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 AND HISPANIC SAILORS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR NAVY. TODAY, NEARLY 
50,000 HISPANIC SAILORS AND OFFICERS SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY, 
PARTICIPATING IN EVERY FACET OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.  FOUR HISPANIC ADMIRALS AND 
172 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 A LONG LEGACY OF SERVICE BY 
HISPANIC AMERICANS.  NOTABLE EXAMPLES INCLUDE JORGE ANTHONY MAGIN FARRAGUT, A 
NATIVE OF MINORCA AND AN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERAN WHO SERVED 
ADMIRABLY DURING THE WAR OF 1812.  JORGE ANTHONY MAGIN FARRAGUT WAS THE FATHER 
OF DAVID GLASGOW  FARRAGUT.  A CONGRESSIONAL ACT PASSED ON JULY 25, 1866, MADE 
DAVID GLASGOW FARRAGUT THE NAVY'S FIRST OFFICER TO ATTAIN THE RANK OF ADMIRAL.
DURING WORLD WAR II, NAVY PILOT EUGENE A. VALENCIA SHOT DOWN 23 ENEMY AIRCRAFT 
AND REMAINS THE NAVY'S THIRD RANKING ACE OF ALL TIME.  IN 1964, HORATIO RIVERO 
JR. BECAME THE FIRST HISPANIC VICE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.  HE WENT ON TO 
BECOME THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF ALLIED FORCES, SOUTHERN EUROPE AND IN 1979 
BECAME THE NAVY'S FIRST HISPANIC FOUR-STAR ADMIRAL.  ALSO IN 1979, EDWARD 
HILDALGO BECAME THE FIRST HISPANIC SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.  IN 2001, WILLIAM A. 
NAVAS, A DECORATED COMBAT VETERAN OF THE VIETNAM WAR, WAS APPOINTED AND BECAME 
THE FIRST HISPANIC ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE 
AFFAIRS.  IN 2006, JOE CAMPA BECAME THE FIRST HISPANIC MASTER CHIEF PETTY 
OFFICE OF THE NAVY.  IN 2011, REAR ADMIRAL RAQUEL CRUZ BONO BECAME THE FIRST 
LATINA ADMIRAL IN THE U.S. NAVY.

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.
MORE INFORMATION ON DIVERSITY CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND OBSERVANCES ARE 
AVAILABLE AT THE NAVY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.PUBLIC.NAVY.MIL/BUPERS-NPC/SUPPORT/DIVERSITY.  A PRESENTATION ON 
HISPANIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH 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 WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.HISTORY.NAVY.MIL/SPECIAL%20HIGHLIGHTS/HISPANIC/HISPANIC-INDEX.HTM.

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 ON 
ANSO IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.ANSOMIL.ORG/.

7.  POINT OF CONTACT IS ENS AMBER LYNN DANIEL, OPNAV N134, AT
(703) 604-5071 OR VIA E-MAIL AT amberlynn.daniel@navy.mil.

8.  RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL S. R. VAN BUSKIRK, N1.//

BT
#1454
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//