What is the level of Hispanic participation in the U.S. military?
Latinos have served with distinction in the U.S. military for generations. Forty-three Latinos have won our nation’s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. As of 2007, 1.1 million Hispanics were veterans of the U.S. armed forces. According to a spokesperson from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, approximately 45,000 noncitizen immigrants are now serving in the U.S. military, and hundreds of thousands have served throughout the country’s history. Sean Bowlin, “Team Randolph celebrates ‘Hispanic Heritage Month,’” Randolph Air Force Base, September 26, 2008,http://www.randolph.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123116383 (accessed November 5, 2008); U.S. Census Bureau, “Facts for Features, Hispanic Heritage Month”; U.S. Department of Defense, “Servicemembers Receive ‘Outstanding Americans by Choice’ Award,” American Forces Press Service, http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=47576 (accessed November 5, 2008).
