Anna Menendez, a Hispanic-American dancer, stomped to the rhythms of the flamenco as she danced across the ballroom stage at McGill Training Center.
Throughout the dance, a recording of a male flamenco singer filled the ballroom. The singer wailed and crooned to the beat of the Latin music.
The festive performance was part of Fort Meade’s annual Hispanic Heritage Month observance hosted Sept. 28, by the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade and the Fort Meade Equal Opportunity Office.
This year’s national theme is “Embracing, Enriching and Enabling America.”
The cultural influence of Spain and the contributions of Hispanics to the nation’s military and society as a whole were the message of the 90-minute event.
“It’s interesting how much influence Spain has had on our culture and national identity from food to music,” said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Erick Galban Salinas of the Naval Information Operations Command Maryland, who is of Puerto Rican heritage. “It’s something we don’t think about.”
Bob Archuleta, the first American of Hispanic heritage to be appointed by the president to the Board of Visitors at the Military Academy at West Point, was the guest speaker.
The ballroom was decorated by the colorful flags of Central and South American countries, as well as photographic displays from these countries and Spain, Puerto Rico and Mexico. The displays also featured interesting facts about prominent leaders from each nation.
A lunch of Spanish foods, including paella and papa rellena, was catered by Salsa Grill, a Spanish and Latin-American restaurant. The event began with a stirring a cappella rendition of the national anthem by Sgt. 1st Class Meghan Pilar Whittier Habibzai, a vocalist with the Army Field Band. Chaplain (Capt.) Bryan Hedrick, of the 742nd MI Battalion, gave the invocation.
Lt. Col. Galen Kane, commander of the 741st MI Battalion, a subordinate of the 704th MI Brigade, welcomed the audience. In his speech, Archuleta focused on the contributions of Hispanic Americans.
“Hispanic Americans have been embracing the call of service since the start of this great nation,” Archuleta said. “This has been demonstrated by the large number of proud Latinos and Latinas who have dedicated their time and even their lives to service and combat.”
Archuleta said Hispanics also contributed to the founding of the nation. One little known fact, he said, is when the morale and financial conditions of the American Army fell dangerously low, the colonists looked to Cuba for funding.
Archuleta said money was collected from the public treasury and from private citizens in Havana. Archuleta then pointed to the achievements of two Hispanic Americans in the field of science.
Jose Moreno Hernandez, an engineer and former NASA astronaut, developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system, which aids in the early detection of breast cancer.
Ellen Ochoa is the first Hispanic director of the NASA Johnson Space Center and its second female director. She was the first Hispanic female astronaut in space when she traveled aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1993.
A combat veteran and former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, Archuleta acknowledged the achievements of his two sons, Brandon and Matthew, who are Army officers and graduates of West Point.
After leaving the Army, Archuleta continued to serve — in politics and with the police department. But his most important contribution, he said, was raising “a good family.”
“That’s what you have to do,” Archuleta said to the younger service members in the audience. “Make sure that they (one’s family) are the future of this great country.”
He then challenged the audience to consider the imprint they wish to leave.
“I challenge you all here today to think about the contributions you want to make and the legacy you want to leave,” he said.
After her flamenco performance, Menendez explained the cry of the flamenco singer is similar to Jewish cantorial music and the Muslim call to prayer.
She said that flamenco music and dance was developed by Gypsies from Spain, who traveled through North Africa where both Jews and Muslims lived.
“That’s why flamenco music has that deep guttural cry that you hear in the Muslim call to prayer and the Jewish cantor,” she said.
Menendez, a dancer with Young Audiences-Arts for Learning of Maryland, a nonprofit arts organization that sends art teachers to the state’s public schools, also performed classical Spanish dances during the event.
After the event, Maj. Alberto Castro of the 742nd MI — whose parents were born in the Dominican Republic — said he enjoyed learning about the origins of flamenco dance and that he appreciated the contributions of the Archuleta family.
“This is very important,” Castro said of the annual observance. “I can do a better job of introducing my children to their heritage. It’s a proud and important culture.”
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The numbers are startling.
The DoD’s 2015 fiscal report on domestic abuse in the military indicated that there were 251 unique victims of domestic abuse-related sexual assault who received Family Advocacy Program services.
Of the 251 alleged offenders, 189 of them were military service members. Enlisted service members accounted for 177 of the alleged perpetrators, 10 were officers and two were warrant officers. The remainder was made up of 49 family members, four non-beneficiaries, and nine federal civilian employees, contractors and retired service members.
“With domestic violence, there is no discrimination,” said Samantha Herring, a victim advocate for the Family Advocacy Program at Fort Meade. “It affects all of us.”
October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
At Fort Meade, the observance kicked off Sept. 29 with Garrison Commander Col. Tom Rickard signing the proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month before the Fort Meade Partner Commanders luncheon at Club Meade.
Katherine Lamourt, a victim advocate at Fort Meade, read the proclamation and announced that this year’s theme is “Speak up. Be part of the solution.”
After signing the proclamation, Rickard thanked Fort Meade’s Family Advocacy Program and Victim Advocacy Program staff members. He took the opportunity to tell the other Fort Meade leaders in the room the importance of speaking up about domestic violence.
“I think as leaders we all know the importance of communicating this down our chain of command,” he said. “Please get the word out because this affects all community members, and we need to understand the gravity of these situations.”
For Lamourt, the month-long observance has the potential to create a positive change in the Fort Meade community.
“It’s about preventing domestic violence and promoting zero tolerance for it,” Lamourt said. “It’s about encouraging everyone in the Fort Meade community to step up and take a stand. This is a national issue. The more we promote domestic violence awareness, the more we can save lives.”
The Victim Advocacy Program is available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 24/7 hotline number is 240-688-6918.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month events:
* Oct. 13: “Hands are Not for Hitting” from 10-11 a.m. at CDC II
* Oct. 19: Empowerment Workshop from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 2462 85th Medical Battalion Ave.
* Oct. 21: Domestic Violence Discussion from 3-4 p.m. at the Teen Center
* Oct. 22: Domestic Violence 1-Mile Walk during the Fort Meade Run Series from 8-9 a.m. at the Pavilion
