R 142234Z SEP 10

ALCOAST 453/10
COMDTNOTE 1000
SUBJ: NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION
1. SHIPMATES, IN RECOGNITION OF THE RICH HISPANIC TRADITIONS,
CULTURE, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC-AMERICANS WHO HAVE SERVED OR
CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COAST GUARD WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION, THE
NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE OBSERVANCE IS HELD FROM 15 SEPTEMBER TO 15
OCTOBER EACH YEAR. UNLIKE ANY OTHER CULTURAL OBSERVANCE, IT BEGINS
MID-MONTH TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE OF FIVE LATIN
AMERICAN COUNTRIES (COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, AND
NICARAGUA) AND TO COMMEMORATE MEXICOS AND CHILES INDEPENDENCE
MOVEMENTS OF 16 AND 18 SEPTEMBER RESPECTIVELY. THIS YEARS NATIONAL
THEME IS HERITAGE, DIVERSITY, INTEGRITY, AND HONOR: THE RENEWED HOPE
OF AMERICA.
2. THE HISTORY OF HISPANIC-AMERICANS IN THE U.S. COAST GUARD CAN BE
TRACED AS FAR BACK AS THE EARLY 1800S, WHEN HISPANIC-AMERICANS
PERFORMED DUTIES AT LIGHT HOUSE STATIONS AS KEEPERS AND ASSISTANT
KEEPERS, SUCH AS KEEPER JUAN ANDREU WHO SERVED AS THE KEEPER OF THE
ST. AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE FROM 1824-1845 AND KEEPER JOSE A. RAMIREZ
WHO SERVED AS THE HEAD KEEPER OF THE WINDWARD POINT LIGHT STATION,
CUBA PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II. OTHER HISPANICS ALSO SERVED ONBOARD
REVENUE CUTTERS AND AS SURFMEN AT LIFE-SAVING SERVICE STATIONS ALONG
THE U.S. COASTS.
3. THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC-AMERICANS TODAY CONTINUE TO ENRICH
OUR SERVICE AND OUR NATION. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE USCG LAID TO REST
A PIONEERING HISPANIC-AMERICAN, A TRUE HERO, AND A GREAT SHIPMATE:
LCDR JOSE LUIS "JOE" RODRIGUEZ (RET). LCDR "JOE" RODRIGUEZ WAS THE
FIRST HISPANIC TO COMMAND A TACTICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM, THE FIRST
COAST GUARDSMAN TO EARN GOLD NAVY/MARINE CORPS JUMP WINGS, AND THE
COMMISSIONING COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE FIRST MARITIME SAFETY AND
SECURITY TEAM. IT IS WITH PRIDE THAT WE HONOR HIS LEGACY OF SERVICE.
ALSO, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO ON 09 SEPTEMBER, TWO OTHER SHIPMATES, LT
ERICKA KELLY AND MS. LONNIE SUAZO, WERE AWARDED LATINA STYLE
DISTINGUISHED AWARDS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MILITARY AND
HISPANIC COMMUNITY. LT JESSICA DAVILA WAS ALSO HONORED WITH THE
LATINA SERVICE AWARD FOR BECOMING THE FIRST FEMALE PILOT OF HISPANIC
ORIGIN IN THE U.S. COAST GUARD. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ANOTHER HISPANIC
WHO DISPLAYED UNPARALLELED DEDICATION TO THE COAST GUARDS DIVERSITY
EFFORT IS LCDR RICH ANGELET WHO RECEIVED THE MILITARY TIMES COAST
GUARDSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD IN EARLY AUGUST.
4. AS I TRAVEL THROUGH THE SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS OF CENTRAL
AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO OBSERVING
THE TRADITIONS OF OUR HISPANIC SHIPMATES WITH CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS,
MUSIC AND FOOD. THIS YEAR, I AM PARTICULARLY HONORED TO ATTEND THE
BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF MEXICO, KNOWN AS "EL
GRITO", TO COMMEMORATE 200 YEARS OF MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE. AS I SHARE
NAVAL CAMARADERIE AND COAST GUARD CUSTOMS WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS IN
MEXICO, I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A SPECIAL TOAST PARA NUESTROS
COMPANEROS HISPANOS DEL MUNDO (FOR OUR HISPANIC SHIPMATES OF THE
WORLD). SEMPER PARATUS.
5. ADM BOB PAPP, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.