ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — The United States of America is a nation steeped in rich history. Its citizens reflect a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and ideals. This diversity continues to shape the nation, and for the Armed Forces, often forges more cohesive teams. The Army is one of the most diverse organizations in the country. Every Soldier’s story, like thread built into fabric, is woven into the Army’s identity, creating a more ready force.
Hispanic Heritage Month, annually observed from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, provides the platform to nationally recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans, to both the Army and the nation. This specific time frame also reflects the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and Spain.
Since the Revolutionary War, Hispanic Americans have fought for this country, and alongside the men on the front lines, were women who would set the foundation for future generations of service members.
First of their name: notable Hispanic women in the Army
Technician 4th Grade Carmen Contreras-Bozak was one of the first Puerto Rican women to join the Women’s Army Corps. She served as an interpreter and was able to speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French. In 1943, Bozak was one of the 195 women who made up the first cadre of women sent overseas. She arrived in North Africa and was assigned to the Signal Corps, sending and receiving coded messages between Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s headquarters in Algiers and the battlefield in Tunisia.
Pfc. Carmen Garcia Rosado is also one of the first Puerto Rican women to join WAC. She was an educator, author, and activist for female veterans. Rosado wrote “LAS WACS-Participation de la Mujer Boricua en la Segunda Guerra Mundial,” the first book to document the experiences of the initial 200 Puerto Rican women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II.
In the late 1970s, Col. (Retired) Maritza Sáenz Ryan was accepted into West Point as a member of the third class that included female cadets. Ryan graduated from West Point in 1982 and was later commissioned as a second lieutenant in Field Artillery. She returned to West Point as a U.S. Military Academy Department of Law professor, eventually becoming the head of the law department in 2006. Ryan is the first woman and first Hispanic American West Point department head.
Brig. Gen. Irene Zoppi Rodríguez became the first Puerto Rican woman to be promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2017. Beginning her military career in 1985, Rodríguez has served as deputy commanding general for the U.S. Army South and as the director of the Army Reserve Engagement Cell for Individual Mobilization Augmentees. As a civilian, she serves as a program director for the National Intelligence University under the National Security Agency. Rodríguez has also served as a member of the Maryland State Board of Education, specializing in assisting military families and minority students.
Staff Sgt. Ariana Sanchez is one of the nine enlisted women to graduate from the Army’s Sapper School. The Sapper Leader Course became available to women in 1999. Sanchez immigrated to New Jersey from Ecuador at 17 and joined the Army to challenge herself. She earned her Air Assault Badge from Fort Liberty in 2017, before going on to graduate from SLC in 2019. Of the nine enlisted women to graduate, Sanchez is the only one to become an instructor.
In Fort Cavasos, Texas, M1 Armor Crewmember Staff Sgt. Cinthia Ramirez became the first Hispanic American woman to earn the title of master gunner. Ramirez graduated from the M1A2 Abrams Master Gunner Course in 2022. To earn the Master Gunner Identification Badge, a Soldier takes one of eight master gunner courses, such as infantry, aviation, or field artillery. Master gunners serve a critical role for a mechanized or armor unit, advising commanders and taking part in the planning, development, execution, and evaluation of all combat and gunnery-related training.
Hispanic Heritage Month with CECOM
The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Month observance with live performances, authentic food, and exciting vendors in the Myer Auditorium Sept. 25, 2024, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Celebrate Hispanic American heritage and their vital role in maximizing the strength and capabilities of the Army.
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