DAVENPORT, Iowa -- "Equality and inclusivity are not experiments. They are American values." On October 15, Brig. Gen. Richard B. Dix echoed the sentiments of the Secretary of the Army, Eric Fanning, as he addressed Quad Citians at the sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Month closing ceremony.
The commanding general of headquarters Joint Munitions Command joined the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council 10 just off the banks of the Mississippi River to highlight the accomplishments and impact of Hispanic-Americans in the local community, Armed Forces and to the nation.
Numerous local veterans and veterans' organizations contributed to the event as Patriot Guard riders, members of the color guard, and bagpipers. For the first time, local first responders were also acknowledged at the ceremony for their role in keeping Quad Citians safe.
Ringing a bell of remembrance, the council lays a wreath in the river for members of each service, and now also first responders, in a somber display of appreciation for their sacrifice.
"The significance (of laying the wreaths) is because we're closing Hispanic Heritage month. It's a way to honor and pay respect to both active military and those that may be retired, and those who made the greatest sacrifice with their life to honor our country," said Matthew Casillas, president, LULAC Council 10.
Dix provided thoughts on the significance of Hispanic-Americans in the military and their undeniable place within the fabric of the nation.
"This year's national theme - Embracing, Enriching and Enabling America -- aptly captures that spirit as we come together to celebrate all that Hispanic-Americans have contributed to our nation and Army," said Dix.
"Hispanic-Americans also enjoy a unique and storied history in our Army -- serving and fighting in every war since the nation's birth.
"In World War I, a young Mexican-American Soldier, Private David Barkley, became the first Hispanic-American posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Since then, 44 more Hispanic-American Soldiers have been awarded our nation's highest combat honor," he said.
At JMC headquarters on Rock Island Arsenal, the Hispanic Special Emphasis program coordinated a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration that recognized and honored the histories, cultures, and contributions of citizens with ancestors from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Through educational and cultural awareness events including food tastings of tradition-rich recipes, a photo content capturing the essence of Hispanic culture, and employee spotlights, JMC offered a sneak peek into the unique perspectives of their colleagues.
JMC's large Hispanic Heritage display added the visual impact needed to remind the command that by celebrating diversity there is a sense of common unity.
During his remarks, Dix also recognized a young man he met just prior to the start of the event. A young Noah Savala took the initiative and introduced himself to Dix. A budding baseball player, Dix encouraged Savala to continue to pursue his dreams and keep education at the forefront.
"I met Noah Savala and I was impressed with this young man. He told me he's a great baseball player, and one day he's going to be a professional baseball player."
"I truly believe the children are our future and we are all the better for having loved, nurtured and guided them," said Dix.
"America's diversity has always been one of our greatest strengths, and our Army, too, is much stronger because of its diversity. We must continue to ensure that every member of the force has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. Together, we must continue to strive for equality and treat everyone with dignity and respect," he said.
"We do what we do so that Noah and my daughter can be anything they want to be."
LULAC Council 10 makes their mark on the future through outreach with students and the community as a whole.
"LULAC Council 10 is the largest council in the Midwest and one of the oldest. LULAC has really always been involved in Civil Rights as one of the platforms, but also education is one of our primary focuses of our organization.
"Our local council - in recent years - has focused on voter registration, getting people involved, and signing up to vote, as well as being educated about the voting process and the candidates.
"The second side of that is education. We know that education is a key component, so we've raised money over the years. We given out more than half a million dollars to area high school students entering college. And, now we're giving away money to current college students. This past year, we gave out almost $35,000 - which is the most we've (ever awarded)," said Casillas.
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The U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command produces small-, medium- and large-caliber ammunition items for the Department of Defense. The primary mission of JMC is to manage the production, storage, issue, and demilitarization of conventional ammunition for all U.S. Military Services. JMC is the sustainment and logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition and provides a global presence of technical support to U.S. combat units wherever they are stationed or deployed.
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