Hispanic Heritage Month

1. Hispanic Heritage Month Honoring Hispanic Americans: Essential To The Blueprint Of Our Nation

2. Introduction Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

3. HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH Hispanic Heritage Month stands out from other cultural observances in that it spans two different months: September and October. The date of this observance was chosen to coincide with important events in many communities, including several independence days throughout Latin America.

4. Theme/presentation This year’s themeis, Honoring Hispanic Americans: Essential To The Blueprint Of Our Nation. The presentation highlights the service of the Ruiz family (Cpl. Diana Ruiz, Airman 1stClass Diamantina Ruiz, Lt. Col. GeraldinaRuiz, and Maj. Lillie Werts-Smith), Sgt. 1stClass Leroy Petry, Tech. Sgt. Siddartha Sosa-Rodriguez, Sgt. Rafael Peralta and Mr. Jose Sánchez.

5. CORPORAL Diana Ruiz Historically, we have heard stories of patrilineal legacies in the U.S. military. The Ruiz family is a story of matrilineal legacy. Diana (Ruiz) Werts joined the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), in 1955, “to see the world.” After her first assignment in Chicago, IL, she was sent overseas and stationed in Germany. During her tour, Corporal Werts was a member of the Women’s Army Volleyball Team. “I was fortunate to travel to other European countries, sampling their cultures. Truly an experience not to be forgotten,” she recalls. Werts was honorably discharged from the WAC in 1958. Corporal Diana Ruiz

6. Airman First Class Diamantina Ruiz Encouraged by the experiences of her sister Diana, Diamantina (Ruiz) Jannone enlisted in the Air Force in 1960. During her career, she served as a flight traffic specialist with the Military Air Transport Service. She routed air traffic when President John F. Kennedy deployed thousands of troops to West Berlin, and she assisted in the transportation of soldiers and cargo en route to Vietnam. Airman 1stClass Jannone also participated in Showtime McGuire, an entertainment group of personnel from McGuire Air Force Base, NJ, and performed at northern bases including Thule, Greenland. Airman First Class Diamantina Ruiz

7. Lieutenant colonel Geraldina Ruiz In 1970, their sister, Geraldina (Ruiz) Zore joined the U.S. Army and attended Officer Candidate School. She was a WAC Detachment Commander and the first female commander to whom a male soldier was assigned. She served as a recruiting operations officer and was the first female account officer overseeing two finance officers and a forward support team. She went on to serve as an inspector general for a joint command and was the first female finance officer to be selected and serve as battalion commander. Lt. Col. Zore, who retired in 1994, believes that her success in traditionally male jobs has paved the way for other women to follow. Lieutenant Colonel Geraldina Ruiz

8. Major Lillie Werts-smith Lillie Werts-Smith, following the example of her mother Diana and two aunts, also chose to serve her country in the Armed Forces. In 1977, she joined the Air National Guard. Werts-Smith served until 1988, at which time she became a nurse in the Army National Guard. Her unit was activated during Operation Desert Storm. In 1997, Werts-Smith retired as a major after serving 20 years. Major Lillie Werts-Smith

9. Technical SERGEANTSiddartha Sosa-Rodriguez Most Airmen begin their military path as American born citizens. Sosa-Rodriguez was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and is an ordained Pujari (a Hindu priest) and a Chaplain Assistant with the U.S. Air Force. “Every immigrant that is able to come to the military and grow within the military should feel very, very proud,” Sosa said. “On top of all the natural obstacles that the military puts on us to make us stronger, we also have to deal with the language barrier and culture differences. It says a lot about the strength of people, no matter what country they come from.” Tech. Sgt. Siddartha Sosa-Rodriguez

10. Siddartha Sosa-Rodriguez As a Hispanic-American Hindu in a predominantly Christian career field, Sosa-Rodriguez brings a variety of life experiences that has allowed him to relate to Airmen from varied backgrounds and assist them with their spiritual well-being.

11. SERGEANT FIRST Class Leroy petry In 2011, Leroy Petry was the recipient of the U.S. military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. He is the second living, active-duty Soldier to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008, during his seventh deployment, Petry was part of a team to capture a Taliban target. Despite being wounded in both legs by gunfire, he continued to fight and took charge of the young Soldiers he was leading. When a grenade landed between him and his men, Petry grabbed the grenade. He saved the soldiers’ lives but the grenade exploded, severing his right hand. Sergeant 1st Class Leroy Petry

12. Leroy petry There were two things, Petry said, that he thought about as he healed, “My family, and my second family, the 2nd Ranger Battalion. I've got all the names of the 2/75 Rangers we’ve lost on my prosthetic arm.” Petry retired in 2014. During his career he deployed eight times in support of the War on Terror, with two tours to Iraq and six tours to Afghanistan.

13. Sergeant Rafael Peralta Rafael Peralta was born in Mexico, and immigrated to the United States. Upon becoming a permanent resident of the U.S. in 2000, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. While serving as a Marine, he earned U.S. citizenship. In 2004, during a combat tour supporting Operation Al Fajr, he was shot and mortally wounded. As his squad fired at the insurgents around them, an enemy grenade was thrown into their midst. Despite his wounds, Peralta reportedly pulled the grenade under his body. He died instantly, but saved the lives of his fellow Marines Sergeant Rafael Peralta

14. Rafael Peralta On July 29, 2017, the Navy commissioned the USS Rafael Peralta, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. At the commissioning, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Robert Neller, honored Peralta’s memory, “This marks the commemoration of a life and the immortality of a hero. Sgt. Peralta’s legacy will forever be part of this ship. All he ever wanted to be was an American, to serve his country.” The ship’s motto, FORTIS AD FINEM, which translates to “courageous to the end,” stands as a testament to Peralta’s dedication to his country and his fellow Marines. Peralta’s Navy Cross was donated by his mother and resides aboard the ship.

15. Mr. Jose SÁnchez, Senior Executive service From his Senior Executive Service position at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jose E. Sánchezis responsible for leading the development and strategy for both civil works and military programs for the Corps. Before being promoted to his latest position, he led the USACE in assisting Federal, State, and Local emergency management and response organizations as Director of Contingency Operations and Homeland Security, a position equivalent to a two-star general. Mr. Jose Sánchez

16. Jose sÁnchez In 2018, Sánchez was presented the Albert V. Baez Award at the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award Conference. This prestigious award is not given every year and only three other Hispanic professionals have ever received it since it inception in 1995. The Albert V. Baez Award was established to honor engineers and scientists with outstanding technical achievements and service to humanity. Sánchez was recognized for his leadership in the scientific and engineering field, his efforts to promote STEM in underserved communities, and his contributions during the 2017 historic storm season. 30th HENAAC Awards Winner

17. Conclusion Sharing the dream of equality and boundless opportunity, Hispanics have marched for social justice and helped advance America’s journey toward a more perfect Nation. Hispanics have had a profound and positive influence on our country through their strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service. This month, we celebrate the vital contributions of Hispanic Americans.