Increase in Hispanic Enlistment
Hispanic immigrants have played an important role in the military of the United States since the American Revolution when Lieutenant Jorge Farragut Mesquida, an immigrant from Spain fought in the Battle of Charleston, South Carolina.
On July 3, 2002, President George W. Bush issued an order to speed up the process of citizenship for immigrants serving in the nation's military services. Immigrant service members can now qualify for citizenship after serving honorably for one year in the armed forces or for serving on active duty during an authorized period of conflict, among other qualifications listed under the Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 328.
One of the privileges that goes with American citizenship is the opportunity to become a commissioned officer in the Navy. A person can be drafted as a resident alien or he/she can join the Navy voluntarily as a foreigner, but can not become an officer unless they are a U.S. citizen.
The number of Hispanics in the Navy over-represent their percentage of the population. Today the United States Department of Defense faces a nationwide problem in recruiting men for the all volunteer Armed Forces because of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States Navy has implemented an aggressive recruitment programs directed towards this group. One of those programs is El Navy whose principal aim is to attract those who speak Spanish and as a consequence many Hispanics have joined the Navy as enlisted personnel and many others have applied for entrance to the Naval Academy.
Read more about this topic: Hispanics In The United States Navy
Famous quotes containing the word increase:
“When Americans look out on the world, they see nothing but dark and menacing strangers who appear to have no sense of rhythm at all, nor any respect or affection for white people; and white Americans really do not know what to make of all this, except to increase the defense budget.”
—James Baldwin (1924–1987)