| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Monday, December 24 2001 |
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| As thousands of U.S. servicemen spend the holiday season away from their families, I can't help but wonder how many soldiers have names like Juan, Roberto and Jose. How many of them come from Latino families who came to this country seeking a better life for their children? Do their parents worry about making sure they have all of their immigration documents updated in addition to worrying about whether or not their sons and daughters will come home alive?
Hispanics have served honorably in the U.S. military dating back to the Civil War. Now that America is once again at war, more Hispanics - including some who are undocumented - would like to serve in uniform but are prevented from doing so for a variety of reasons.
The fastest-growing minority in the United States is grossly underrepresented in all but one branch of the military. Hispanics make up 12 percent of the U.S. population. But they comprise only 8 percent of the Army, 9 percent of the Navy and a pitiful 5 percent of the Air Force. Only the Marine Corps, with a 12 percent Hispanic enrollment, has adequate representation.
Overall, Hispanics make up 8 percent of the entire U.S. military, and a woeful 4 percent of U.S. military officers are Hispanic. While their enlistment numbers are low, their casualty numbers are high. Latino soldiers are often the first to arrive on the front lines, the first to die and the last to return home.
In 1917, during World War I, Puerto Ricans were granted statutory U.S. citizenship and began serving in the U.S. military along with Mexicans. The government even established a training facility at Camp Gordon, Ga., to provide English classes for Spanish-speaking soldiers.
An estimated half a million Hispanics served in the military during World War II. Among them was Marine Pvt. Guy "Gabby" Gabaldon, a Japanese-speaking Hispanic from Los Angeles who received the Silver Star for capturing 1,500 Japanese soldiers and civilians on the island of Saipan in 1944.
During the Korean War, the 65th Infantry Regiment from Puerto Rico took part in nine major battles against Chinese troops. The Puerto Rican soldiers - nicknamed the "Borinqueneers" - earned 3,800 Purple Hearts for valor in combat.
The Vietnam War saw the outstanding bravery of Roy Benavidez, a Mexican-American Army sergeant from Texas who won the Medal of Honor for saving eight Special Forces soldiers during a jungle battle in 1968. Benavidez, who died in 1998, was the inspiration for a Hispanic GI Joe doll.
Lt. Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Jr. was the first American pilot taken as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and he remained a prisoner longer than anyone else - eight and a half years. A native of Salinas, Calif., Alvarez was the first member of his family to graduate from college.
Some 20,000 Latinos served in Desert Storm. They fought bravely in the ground war against Iraq. In 1993, Domingo Arroyo, a Marine from Puerto Rico, was the first of 44 American soldiers killed in Somalia.
Recognizing the contributions Hispanics have made over the years, the U.S. military is finally realizing that it needs to attract more Hispanics. To that end, it has started a pilot program to recruit Hispanics with limited English skills. These future soldiers will receive seven months of English classes before beginning basic training. Beginning in January, the Navy will offer its enlistment exam in Spanish in Los Angeles, San Antonio and Puerto Rico.
The military would also be wise to boost the promotion of Hispanics within the military, to serve as role models to Hispanic youth and as an incentive for more young Hispanics to join. High-school graduation programs tied to military service would also help Hispanic youngsters seeking to get an education and serve their country at the same time.
During this time of renewed patriotism, Hispanics from all parts of this country want to serve America. America should allow them to do so. |
