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NAVADMIN 266/09

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

SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2009//

RMKS/1.  NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WILL BE OBSERVED FROM 15 
SEPTEMBER - 15 OCTOBER 2009.  THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S OBSERVANCE IS 
"EMBRACING THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW!"

2.  IN 1968, CONGRESS AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENT TO PROCLAIM NATIONAL 
HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEK.  TWENTY YEARS LATER, THIS OBSERVANCE WAS 
EXPANDED TO A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION IN WHICH AMERICA CELEBRATES THE 
TRADITIONS, ANCESTRY, AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES OF THOSE WHO GREW UP IN, 
OR TRACE THEIR ROOTS TO SPAIN, MEXICO, THE COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL AND 
SOUTH AMERICA, AND THE CARIBBEAN.

3.  THE STRENGTH OF OUR NAVY AND NATION COMES FROM THE DIVERSITY OF OUR 
PEOPLE.  BY 2010, THERE WILL BE AN ESTIMATED 47 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE 
UNITED STATES WHO ARE OF HISPANIC ORIGIN.  IT IS PROJECTED BY 2050, 
HISPANIC AMERICANS WILL REPRESENT 24 PERCENT OF OUR NATION'S WORKFORCE.

4.  TODAY, MORE THAN 63,000 HISPANIC OR LATINO SAILORS AND CIVILIANS 
SERVE HONORABLY IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.  EVERY DAY, IN EVERY FACET 
OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, THESE TALENTED SAILORS AND CIVILIANS WORK, SERVE, 
AND SACRIFICE FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND FELLOW CITIZENS.  THEY BRING UNIQUE 
TALENTS AND EXPERIENCES THAT ENHANCE OUR SERVICE CULTURE.

5.  HISPANICS HAVE SERVED BRAVELY IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY THROUGH 
EVERY WAR AND CONFLICT SINCE THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.  DAVID GLASGOW 
FARRAGUT, SON OF A SPANISH IMMIGRANT, IN RECOGNITION OF HIS CIVIL WAR 
SERVICE, BECAME AMERICA'S FIRST FULL ADMIRAL IN 1866.  IN 1864, SEAMAN 
JOHN ORTEGA WAS AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HIS HEROIC ACTIONS ON 
BOARD USS SARATOGA.  DURING WORLD WAR II, EUGENE A.
VALENCIA JR. SCORED 23 VICTORIES IN THE PACIFIC FLYING HELLCATS, 
BECOMING THE NAVY'S THIRD RANKING ACE OF ALL TIME.  NAVY PILOT, 
COMMANDER EVERETT ALVAREZ WAS SHOT DOWN OVER VIETNAM AND SURVIVED WITH 
HONOR OVER EIGHT YEARS OF TORTURE AND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT BEFORE BEING 
RELEASED.  IN 1979, EDWARD HILDAGO BECAME THE FIRST HISPANIC TO SERVE 
AS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY AFTER A LONG AND DISTINGUISHED LEGAL AND NAVAL 
CAREER.

6.  ALL COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE 
AND AWARENESS OF HISPANIC CULTURE AND CONTRIBUTIONS BY CELEBRATING 
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, AND 
MANY OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE TO PLAN YOUR EVENT.  AN 
ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION BY THE NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND CAN 
BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE:
HTTP://DEOMI.ORG/EOADVISORTOOLKIT/DOCUMENTS/HISPANICAMERICANSINUSN.PDF.

7.  COMMANDS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO SUPPORT THE NAVAL SERVICES HISPANIC 
AFFINITY GROUP, THE ASSOCIATION OF NAVAL SERVICES OFFICERS (ANSO), A 
COMMUNITY OF OFFICERS, ENLISTED, AND CIVILIANS.  ANSO IS ACTIVELY 
SOLICITING NEW MEMBERS AND FORMING CHAPTERS IN MANY MAJOR FLEET 
CONCENTRATION AREAS.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANSO VISIT 
WWW.ANSOMIL.ORG.

8.  MORE INFORMATION ON DIVERSITY CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND OBSERVANCES 
IS AVAILABLE AT THE NAVY DIVERSITY WEB SITE:
WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/COMMANDSUPPORT/DIVERSITY.

9.  POINT OF CONTACT IS LT MATT COPARE, OPNAV N134, AT (703) 695- 
6203/DSN 225 OR VIA EMAIL AT matt.copare@navy.mil.

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

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