FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Sept. 24, 2015) -- Fort Drum Soldiers, Civilian Employees and other community members gathered to celebrate Latin-American culture and the people who have brought it to the Army and the rest of the nation, during the Hispanic Heritage Month observance Sept. 16 at the Commons.
Col. Bryan Laske, Fort Drum garrison commander, said the Hispanic community has had a profoundly positive impact on the Army.
"The attributes you find in the (Hispanic) community -- hard work, family and faith -- and their customs and character all help the Army grow and continue to be a better force," Laske said. "We start (celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month) in the middle of September, and it runs until the middle of October. That's not just because that time is open on the calendar."
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Chile all celebrate their independence during that timeframe, Laske said, which is a time of great pride for the Hispanic community.
The observance was dedicated to Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Raul "Roy" Perez Benavidez, who received the award in 1980 for his "extremely valorous actions" on May 2, 1968. Maj. Anthony Oliveras, 10th Mountain Division's chief of plans and operations, said he was proud to be of Hispanic descent and he was inspired by the distinguished legacy of Hispanic Americans who came before him.
"We celebrate a particular ethnic heritage for two purposes," Oliveras said. "The first is to inspire those of us that share that particular heritage to pursue greatness, to live up to the character and dignity of the notable figures of that ethnicity. The second is for those of us who are not of that particular ethnicity to acknowledge the significant contributions those ethnicities and races have made to our collective heritage as a nation."
Those who built the Hispanic American legacy faced barriers because of their ethnic or race, but they overcame those obstacles, Oliveras said. They paved the way for others to succeed.
Oliveras said his father, Jesus Oliveras, who served during the Vietnam War, saw racial barriers erode during his deployment. His father said the mission and survival seemed to erase racial prejudice, Oliveras said. His father saw "friendships form between whites, blacks and Hispanics" after what occurred during convoys and patrols.
Because of people like his father, Oliveras said he was able to have a different experience in the Army. He said he never faced any racial obstacles during his career.
"We all can share in the pride of these achievements, because my heritage as a Hispanic American is also your heritage as an American," Oliveras said. "My heritage as a Hispanic American Soldier is also your heritage as a U.S. Soldier."
During the observance, many facets of Hispanic American cultures were shared: song, three distinct styles of dancing, and a sampling of Latin American food, which was served at the end of the ceremony.
Capt. Rafael Dominguez, 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade's aerial movement officer, and his wife Nauel Dominguez, along with Sgt. Anthony C. Alvarez, an avionics system repair supervisor for B Company, 277th Aviation Support Battalion, and Miriam Lee, demonstrated their dancing skills in the forms of bachata, merengue and salsa.
Dominguez said the observance was a great opportunity to show pride in his heritage and to share his culture with other Fort Drum community members.
Meanwhile, Alvarez said he enjoyed the opportunity to showcase Latin-American dancing.
"I love dancing," Alvarez said. "I'm here to share that love and to show people the diversity of Latin-American dancing and how to appreciate it."
Pfc. Cristina Vargas, an aviation operations specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th CAB, who volunteered at the event, said she sincerely appreciated the observance.
"It's really important to hold an event like this," Vargas said. "It's important to remember the history of Hispanic service in the Army, and how many Hispanic Americans seek out service in the Army."
Residents of Puerto Rico may not know the English language well, Vargas said, adding that many non-English-speaking Puerto Ricans have learned the language for an opportunity to serve in the Army.
Another volunteer at the event, Pvt. Brandon Godfrey, an aircraft maintainer assigned to D Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th CAB, said he was fulfilling an obligation to the Fort Drum community by being there.
"Our community, which includes a number of Hispanic Americans, have used our respective cultures and traditions to come together, and I think sharing our culture with each other will help us become a closer community."
Community and family are important factors in Hispanic American culture, said Spc. Enoelio Otero, an Apache helicopter crew chief with D Company, 1-10 Aviation, 10th CAB, who sang the national anthem during the ceremony.
"There are many Army values that I see throughout the Hispanic American culture," Otero said. "It's inspiring to learn about role models who broke through barriers using our culture. I think it's cool to bring awareness to that and communicate our culture with others."
The event, which was organized by Sgt. 1st. Class Oscar Vazquez, 10th CAB equal opportunity adviser, was meant to educate Fort Drum community members about Hispanic American contributions to the Army and the country throughout history.
"Diversity is something we should celebrate," Vazquez said. "The theme we want you to know is 'Hispanic Americans: Energizing Our Nation's Diversity.'"
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