President Obama Swears in 25 New, Brave, Heroic Citizens!

Twenty-five members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force were sworn in as citizens in the East Room of the White House. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano delivered the oath of allegiance and President Obama congratulated the new citizens.
Our new citizens are from seventeen different countries and include a marine who has been awarded the Purple Heart and several winners of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Those sworn in today include:  WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!
-- Byron Oswaldo Acevedo, born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, enlisted in the Marine Corps in April 2010 from Providence, R.I. Lance Corporal Acevedo has served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and served in Helmand province, Afghanistan in a Quick Reaction Force and Aerial Interdiction Force. His personal awards and decorations include a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Nato Medal-ISAF Afghanistan, and an Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
-- Oluwatosin K Akinduro, born in Lagos, Nigeria, graduated high school in Houston. He joined the Army National Guard in search of new opportunities and a new challenge to lead by example.
-- Miguel Andrade, born and raised in the Cape Verde Islands, moved to the United States in the fall of 2008. Private First Class Andrade has distinguished himself, earning a coveted position in 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment's Scout Platoon.
-- Alla Victorovna Ausheva, born in Russia in March 2011, joined the New York Army National Guard in July 2011 and serves as a maintenance technician in Company G of the 427th Brigade Support Battalion. The unit supports the 1st Battalion 258th Field Artillery. She lives in Bayside, N.Y.
-- Francisco Jose Ballesteros de la Rosa, born in Mexico, joined the Marine Corps in December 2009. Corporal Ballestros' personal awards and decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
-- Oscar Javier Beltran Medina, born in Bolivia, enlisted into the United States Air Force in 2009 as a Vehicle Operator. Airman Beltran is currently assigned to Joint Base Andrews, Md. During his two-and-a-half years, Airman Beltran has completed college courses at Northern Virginia Community College and volunteered his time at Charlotte Hall Veterans home in Maryland.
-- Silvano Carcamo, born in Honduras, moved to Springfield, Ohio, in 1996. Specialist Carcamo enlisted in the Army in October 2009 and became a medic. His first duty station was Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division where he served as a line medic. During his deployment from March 2011 to March 2012 he earned several awards among them an Army Achievement Medal, Combat Medic Badge and a Navy Achievement Medal.
-- Luisa Maria Childers, born in El Salvador, moved to the United States at the age of 6. She joined the Army Reserves in 2009 and is a 72R, Parachute Rigger. Her goal is to ultimately become an Army Medic.
-- Mamadou Aliou Diallo, born in Conakry, Guinea, enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2011. Private First Class Diallo is an Online Message Board Clerk at Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
-- Terence Njikang Ekabe, born in Cameroon, enlisted in the Air Force in June 2011 as a 4N0/med technician. Airman Ekabe also helped raise money for Veterans' families, Airmen in need, and the Air Force Assistance Fund. His charitable giving extends beyond the United States to his home country where he raised $3,000 worth of toys, clothing and others items for the village children of Cameroon during Christmas.
-- Sergey Eliseev, born in Russia, has received numerous decorations and personal awards, including the Army Achievement Medal, Honor Grade from 88M10 AIT, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.
-- Andriy Olegovich Gener, born in Odessa, Ukraine, arrived in the United States on Sept. 10, 2001. Private First Class Gener is currently serving with 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division as a member of the Brigade Personal Security Detail in Fort Carson, CO for the Brigade CSM and the Brigade Commander. His awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon, and the National Defense Medal.
-- Daniel Arcenal Geneta, born in the Philippines, came to the United States in August 1994. Geneta joined the New York Army National Guard in 2006 because of the events of September 11, 2001. He is a squad leader in the 719th Transportation Company and in civilian life works as an account executive at Urban Associates, a New York City real estate company.
-- Alexey Isachenko, born in Russia, has received numerous decorations and personal awards, including being selected to Commandants List 88M10 AIT, the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon.
-- Yuxiong Jin, born and raised in China, arrived in the United States in 2008. Jin is enlisted in the US Army.
-- Carlos Eduardo Navichoque, born in Guatemala City, enlisted in 2009 in the Army. Specialist Navichoque deployed with the 2-14 Infantry Battalion to Iraq from March 2010 to August 2010 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his tour, he served as a Motor Transport Operator and was awarded the Combat Action Badge.
-- Faye Ubad Ngirchomlei, born in Palau, enlisted in the Army in 2008. In April 2009, Nigirchomlei was assigned to 511th Military Police Company at Fort Drum, N.Y., as Automated Logistic Specialist. She was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where she was responsible for ensuring the maintenance section supported outlying platoons, with supplies and other support services.
-- Aegean Pascua Obed, born in the Philippines, Obed currently serves as a Mobile Gun System crew member in A Company, 3-21 Infantry.
-- Praseuthsith Phimmasone, born in the Philippines, enlisted in the Marine Corps in March 2007. Private First Class Phimmasone currently serves in the 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group. Corporal Phimmasone was selected 6th Engineer Support Battalion's Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2009 and was also awarded Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter for third quarter of 2010. Sergeant Phimmasone's awards include a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, a Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, two Meritorious Masts, and a Letter of Appreciation.
-- Fatima Vanessa Rivera Fuentes, born in El Salvador, joined the New York Army National Guard in 2009 and has served as an aviation electronics technician working on UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. Fuentes came to the United States in 1999.
-- Guillermo Enrique Roche Rendon, born in Ecuador, went to middle school and high school in the US but had to drop out in the 11th grade to help support his family. In time, he earned his GED and also completed college courses. He joined the US Army as a Cavalry Scout. Private First Class Roche's awards include the Army Service Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal.
-- Sedrick Kwesi Sam, born in Ghana, serves as an Airman for the Air Force.
-- Hans Lemuel Pang Sy, born in the Philippines, moved to the United States with his parents and three siblings in 2005. He joined the US Army on Oct. 18, 2011.
-- Jhonathan Gerardo Zapata, born in Colombia, joined the Army in January 2012.
-- Cristian Felipe Zapata Gil, born in Colombia, moved to the United States at the age of 13. After Haiti's earthquake Zapata Gil decided to join the U.S. Army where he serves as a Watercraft Engineer.

Honoring All Veterans Today!

As the nation pauses today to honor the men and women who have put on the uniform and served their country in wartime and peacetime, consider this: There are approximately 23.2 million military veterans in the United States, according to the most recently available figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. That includes 18.3 million whites, 2.3 million blacks, 1.1 million Hispanics, 276,000 Asians, 160,000 American Indians or native Alaskans and 27,000 Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders. Some 1.8 million veterans are women. There are 9.2 million veterans age 65 or older; 1.9 million are younger than 35. Thirty-three percent of all veterans -- 7.8 million -- served during the Vietnam era. Some 5.2 million have served in the Gulf since 1990, while 6 million served during peace time. Around 5.5 million veterans have some type of disability; 3.4 million have service-connected disabilities.

American Hispanics have a proud history of serving in the US Military. Over 500,000 Hispanic soldiers served in World War II, and nearly 40 Latinos have won our nation’s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. More than 53,000 Hispanics were on active duty in 2003 and another 1.1 million are veterans of the U.S. military. Many have also been honored with American citizenship as a result of their military service; more than 25,000 immigrants who have served in the military have become U.S. citizens through a special wartime military naturalization statute.

Today, Hispanics make up 13.35 percent of the civilian labor force 18 to 44 years old, the typical age range for enlisted service. In Iraq, according to the Washington Post, Hispanics have a death risk about 20 percent higher than non-Hispanics. They are over-represented in the categories that get the most dangerous assignments -- infantry, gun crews and seamanship -- and make up over 17.5 percent of the front lines.

Veterans Day is a day to remember all of our Veterans, of ALL ethnicities in our Cultural Melting Pot, for their service to our Country. God Bless America and God Bless our Veterans!

Bush Cronies Deny American Latino Soldier´s Medal of Honor! His Mother Cries!

Sgt. Rafael Peralta died a war hero serving his country in Iraq. His mother Rosa cried when President Bush cited Peralta's heroism in a Memorial Day speech in 2005, saying the Marine "understood that America faces dangerous enemies, and he knew the sacrifices required to defeat them." Rosa was told her son would get the Medal of Honor in a November 2007 telephone call from an undersecretary of the Navy, who told her the nomination was to be forwarded to the White House.
Then, last Thursday, her memories of a grateful nation for her son´s heriosm were stolen from her. Rosa was told the nomination was denied by Defense Secretary Robert Gates because of questions about the final act. Gates, during his review, took the unprecented extra step of asking five other individuals to review the case - a former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, a Medal of Honor recipient, a civilian neurosurgeon who is retired from the military and two forensic pathologists who also are military retirees. The five were given medical reports that had not been available in the initial review. They thoroughly reviewed the case again, including inspecting the evidence and re-enacting the event, Whitman said. "Each independently recommended to the secretary that the evidence did not support the award of Medal of Honor," he said. Gates made his decision this month.

Details of Rafael´s Herioc Actions:

Peralta was shot several times in the face and body during a house-to-house search in Fallujah on Nov. 15, 2004, during some of the fiercest fighting of the war. According to witness accounts, Peralta lay mortally wounded on the floor of a house and grabbed a grenade lobbed by fleeing insurgents. His body absorbed the blast and he died immediately.
In a rare move, the Marine Corps Thursday released a redacted copy of the Medal of Honor nomination by Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski and an investigative report detailing the "friendly fire" shooting of the sergeant.
The report found sufficient evidence existed to believe that Peralta was probably shot by a fellow Marine and that a gunshot wound to the head and injuries to the head from a grenade caused his death. The nomination, which relies on witness statements, forensics, bomb fragment analysis and an autopsy, concluded that although Peralta was shot in the head, he made "a conscious, heroic decision to cover the grenade and minimize the effects he knew it would have on the rest of his Marine team."
The nomination details Peralta's actions in the final minutes of his life, with several witnesses recounting how the Marine lay face down and used his arm to pull the grenade to him. It also says a forensic analysis of Peralta's clothing and flak jacket show the grenade was underneath him when it exploded.

Rosa plans to appeal to Congress to award her son the nation's highest military honor after learning it was denied. She made the decision after a Marine general told her that her son would be awarded the Navy Cross rather than the Medal of Honor because the nomination was tainted by reports he was accidentally shot by a fellow Marine shortly before an insurgent lobbed the grenade. "I'm going to see what can be done, because I'm not satisfied with what they want to do now," she said. "The president spoke of him. So how is this now possible that they do this," Rosa Peralta said.

About Rafael:

Rafael was born in Mexico City on April 7, 1979 to Rafael and Rosa Peralta. He grew up as the oldest of four siblings, with sisters Icela and Karen, and brother Ricardo. Upon emigrating to the United States, he attended San Diego's Morse High School. After graduation, he began working for the California Conservation Corps, being selected as a crew leader within six months. The day he received his green card he enlisted, as planned, in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Last Letter from a Hero:
"Tomorrow, at 1900 hours, we are going to declare war in the holy city of Fallujah. We are going to defeat the insurgents. Watch the news, it's going to be all over. Be proud of me, bro, I'm going to make history and do something that I always wanted to do.... If anything happens to me, just remember I lived my life to the fullest and I'm happy with what I lived." -- Nov. 6, 2004 letter to brother, Ricardo, then 14

Update: SAN DIEGO, California (AP) -- A California congressional delegation asked President Bush on Friday to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to a Marine who was chosen to receive only the second-highest medal the Navy can bestow for valor. A copy of the letter given to The Associated Press was signed by a bipartisan group of five other representatives and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. It urges Bush to award the nation's highest honor, the same medal he gave to Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who was killed in 2004 after covering a grenade with his helmet.
"Intentionally absorbing a grenade blast to protect one's comrades in arms has been traditionally recognized by awarding the Medal of Honor. The sacrifice of Sergeant Peralta manifests the same devotion to one's comrade's and country as that displayed by Jason Dunham," the letter said.
The White House had no immediate comment Friday.

References:

Mother to ask Congress to award son Medal of Honor

Serve on Active Duty! Become a Citizen!

Since 2002, more than 37,000 aliens and non citizens who served on active duty have been provided expedited naturalization.

As I have previously reported, in Iraq, according to the Washington Post, Hispanics have a death risk about 20 percent higher than non-Hispanics.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, while Latinos make up 9.5 percent of the actively enlisted forces, they are over-represented in the categories that get the most dangerous assignments -- infantry, gun crews and seamanship -- and make up over 17.5 percent of the front lines.

As The Sun - San Bernardino reported on 8-23-08:

The Marines came from all over - Kazakhstan, Jamaica, Guatemala, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, El Salvador, Indonesia, the Philippines - but Monday evening threaded them together with one common theme. Their home is now officially the United States, a country they've defended overseas since the war on terror began. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials have naturalized more than 37,250 military members since Sept. 11, 2003, but this was the first ceremony held on a military base. President Bush signed the Expedited Naturalization Executive Order in July 2002, enabling non-citizens on active duty to immediately file for citizenship. Military personnel would normally have to serve a year before qualifying for citizenship.

Expedited Naturalization Executive Order Executive Order

Expedited Naturalization of Aliens and Noncitizen Nationals Serving in An Active-Duty Status During the War on Terrorism
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1440) (the "Act"), and solely in order to provide expedited naturalization for aliens and noncitizen nationals serving in an active-duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States during the period of the war against terrorists of global reach, it is hereby ordered as follows:
For the purpose of determining qualification for the exception from the usual requirements for naturalization, I designate as a period in which the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in armed conflict with a hostile foreign force the period beginning on September 11, 2001. Such period will be deemed to terminate on a date designated by future Executive Order. Those persons serving honorably in active-duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States, during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and terminating on the date to be so designated, are eligible for naturalization in accordance with the statutory exception to the naturalization requirements, as provided in section 329 of the Act. Nothing contained in this order is intended to affect, nor does it affect, any other power, right, or obligation of the United States, its agencies, officers, employees, or any other person under Federal law or the law of nations.
GEORGE W. BUSH THE WHITE HOUSE, July 3, 2002.

Letter from a Latino Veteran to the Governor of Arizona: "PLEASE STOP THE RACIAL PROFILING IN ARIZONA"

An Arizona Veteran, Latino blogger, and my new friend, George Velez, wrote the following letter to Az. Gov. Janet Napolitano:

My Angry Letter to Encourage Change
April 24, 2008 – 5:24 am
Dear Governor Napolitano,
I am first and foremost a proud American. I was born in America. I served in the Armed Forces for 6 years. My dad is a retired military veteran with three tours of duty in Viet Nam. Both of my parents legally immigrated from Peru in the sixties. I pay my taxes, and I exercise the right to cast my vote regularly. My two kids are both honor’s students in school. Our entire family has never been in any sort of legal trouble, and we love living in Arizona (since 1989).
However, and it’s a big however, I am beginning to question if I wish to continue living in Arizona. Namely the actions of Joe Arpaio’s saturation raids are forcing me to examine if living in Arizona might deter my family’s pursuit of happiness. Because of my Hispanic heritage, I have a fear that my kids, my brother, or I might get caught up in Arpaio’s dragnet. I find myself ensuring our vehicles are washed and clean at all times. I intentionally avoid any potentially ethnic areas of the city, and I am constantly preaching to my family to make sure they don’t forget to bring any ID cards along– just in case.
Having to live like this with the threat of getting racially profiled by officers of the law distresses me. I don’t mind complying with the law. In fact, my best friend from my military days in Georgia moved to Arizona in the early 90’s and presently is an officer in MCSO. I just don’t want my kids exposed to this sort of racism. The ends do not justify the means - especially to innocent, law abiding Arizona citizens.
I have read in news articles of your opposition to Arpaio’s tactics, and I applaud it. The purpose of this letter is to add one more voice of opposition and ask for your continued leadership in making Arizona a great state.

Respectfully,
George M. Velez

Millions of Hispanic Soldiers´ Proud Tradition of Service in the US Military

American Hispanics have a proud history of serving in the US Military. Over 500,000 Hispanic soldiers served in World War II, and nearly 40 Latinos have won our nation’s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. More than 53,000 Hispanics were on active duty in 2003 and another 1.1 million are veterans of the U.S. military. Many have also been honored with American citizenship as a result of their military service; more than 25,000 immigrants who have served in the military have become U.S. citizens through a special wartime military naturalization statute.

Today, in Iraq, according to the Washington Post, Hispanics have a death risk about 20 percent higher than non-Hispanics.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, while Latinos make up 9.5 percent of the actively enlisted forces, they are over-represented in the categories that get the most dangerous assignments -- infantry, gun crews and seamanship -- and make up over 17.5 percent of the front lines.

Millions of Hispanics have a Proud Tradition of Service in the U.S. Military, and thousands today are fighting on behalf of this nation, regardless of their citizenship status. Their bravery and sacrifice, along with that of their fellow soldiers, should be recognized and honored.