America is just now beginning to realize how powerful our Hispanic community is in this country. Although the wake-up call for many may have been the impact it had during the last two Presidential elections, the fact is that Hispanic military service has been an extremely powerful tool in America’s tool-belt since before this country declared itself an independent nation. The military opportunities the Hispanic community has taken advantage of, and its contributions to our safety, have become the stuff of legend.
?Damn The Torpedoes?; A Hispanic War Cry
?Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead? is a war cry that has come to symbolize America’s reaction to attack. Few realize that it was Admiral David Farragut, Hispanic son of Jorge Farragut from Spain, who rallied his sailors with those words in the face of apparently insurmountable odds. After lashing himself to the rigging to keep from being flung overboard during the furious sea battle for Mobile Bay in 1864 during the Civil War, it was Admiral Farragut who determined the fate of the last sea port open to the Confederacy, sealing its fate, and preserving the Union.
In fact, the rank of ?Admiral? in the US Navy was created especially for Farragut as a way to elevate him beyond any existing rank, and to celebrate his contribution to preserving the Union in the Civil War in the same way that the rank ?General Of The Armies? was created for George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Admiral Farragut’s father, Jorge Farragut, was an officer in the US Navy during the War For American Independence, and began the tradition of Hispanic Navy service that has continued unbroken to this day. Currently, nearly one in six military recruits are of Hispanic heritage, and their contributions are recognized, celebrated, and well rewarded by the enormous number of high ranks they have attained.
Guts, Glory, Honor; A Hispanic Tradition
Hispanic military service hasn’t been confined to Hispanic Navy service by any means, and more Hispanic military personnel have received the Medal Of Honour, the highest battlefield decoration, than any other ethnic group in the military. Private France Silva was the first Hispanic to receive the Medal Of Honour when he and two sailors defended the entire civilian compound in the walled city of Peking, China, from June 28 to August 17, 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion. Hispanic contributions to our country’s safety in war and peace continue to this day, and have been formidable.
Hispanic High School Seniors’ Military Opportunities At An All Time High
The dramatic increase in Hispanic military service enlistment since 1997 reflects the increasing perception among Hispanics that military service offers unmatched opportunities for advancement, yet many remain unaware of the ongoing need for them in the military. Actively attempting to reach out to Hispanic high school seniors, military services continue to upgrade the opportunities available which will enable them to prosper post-service if they chose to separate from the military. From advanced college degrees in the sciences or medicine to training in technical trades such as electronics, mechanics, and computer design, their military experience becomes a guaranteed investment in their future without equal. No other employment can offer Hispanic high school seniors a brighter future, better pay, more generous benefits, or a more rapid path to advancement than military service. Acknowledged as leaders in the military by their long traditions of service, heroism, and leadership, Hispanics are actively sought for recruitment by military recruiters. Nobody does it better, and the military needs the best.
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