She has distinguished herself on the battlefield, epitomized the Air Force’s Core values and represented the Hispanic community with dignity and pride, Joanna E. Vasquez joined the Air Force in February of 2003 out of Hawthorne, California at the age of 18.

Vital to Operation IRAQ FREEDOM, while assigned to the Detachment 5, 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Baghdad International Airport, Iraq as a Weapons Intelligence Team Analysts and to the 1st Intelligence Squadron, For Gordon, Georgia as a Cryptologic Lindquist, she saw how crucial communication is to building strong relationships. Therefore believes that as a contributor to bridging language gaps, especially while deployed, is the best part of her job.

Through her experiences, Vasquez has learned to be selfless in various aspects. “I have learned that heroes come in all shapes and sized and I have learned that regardless of people’s backgrounds, we all share common values, hopes and aspirations,” she says. “I have gained insight into what I am made of, by being challenged constantly to achieve higher goals.”

Challenges in her life include balancing her military life along with her educational goals, and family. “Becoming the guardian of my 16-year-old sister also presented a new challenge,” she says.

A senior dental officer at training center Yorktown, Yorktown, Virginia, for the United States Coast Guard, commander Smith joined the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) on August 26, 1996, assigned to the Indian Health Service. “The reason; the honor and privilege to serve the Lakota Sioux American Natives and be part of the USPHS – great job!” she says. After four years, on April 2000, she joined the U.S. Coast Guard in Cape May, NJ.

Smith has been distinguished for exceptional performance as senior dental officer. During September 2007 to September 2008, she demonstrated superior expertise and leadership in her field. She treated 1,100 patients, scored 99 percent compliance rating in her dental care peer-review and increased Training Center Yorktown’s dental readiness to 85 percent, which is one of the highest percentages for all Coast Guard dental clinics.

Although she loves her profession—dentistry, she also finds some aspects to be difficult, especially when it comes to funds and supplies which sometimes do not arrive on time. One of the biggest challenges is to focus on her career. “It is not only to do dentistry, but also to serve the fleet, and the USA,” she says. Tolerance, temperance, patience and discipline are several of the lessons she has acquired from military life, which she believes are great lessons, and “challenges that you have to take and pass.”

With 25 years of service, Lieutenant Colonel Kimberely Derouen serves as the Wyoming Military Department’s Equal Employment manager and is assigned as the Wyoming Army National Guard’s Equal Opportunity officer.

Choosing the military as a career was not a struggle, at an early age she knew what she wanted to do and it was 1983, at 18 years of age that Derouen enlisted in the California National Guard. “It was something that was in me,”

Throughout her career, she has served in five different states and has spent 12 years in the Army Reserves. Her position allows her to open doors for people where barriers exist, and she does it with pride. She enjoys training others about other cultures, and educating military and civilian employees of prejudice as it pertains to other ethnic groups, background, race or gender. Self-confidence, discipline, organization and overcoming fears physically and mentally is what Derouen has learned from military life. She learned to deal and overcome her disability and today she holds a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing from the Intra Americana Universidad de Puerto Rico, and is currently working on her PhD on marriage and family therapy.

Derouen is proof that no matter what the circumstances are in life, the opportunities are available to anyone. “You are only limited by your mind,” she says.

“I joined the Air Force because I was raised in a military family and learned at an early age that freedom has never been free and that the sacrifice of service men and women was, in great part, the reason America is such a strong and great nation,” states Colonel Madeline Lopez who has distinguished herself as Commander of Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Warner Robins at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

It was 1982, when through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, (AF ROTC) Commissioning Program at the University of Puerto Rico, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico that she decided to join the United States Air Force. “I decided to make the Air Force a career in 1986, just four years after I received my commission as a Second Lieutenant,” she says. “I was 21 years old when I made my formal commitment to the Air Force.”

Unlike many Latinas in the military, Lopez’ parents inspired her in her career choice. Her father, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Army for 20 years, earned a Purple Heart for his service in Korea, contributed in large part on her choice. “His enormous patriotism and selfless sacrifice inspired me to also want to serve my country,” she says. “He and my mother were both very supportive of my decision.” Admired and respected by her peers, she enjoys working with individuals from diverse backgrounds who also serve their country with pride and unyielding devotion.

System analyst and voluntary Hispanic Employment Program manager at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) information Operations in Columbus, Ohio, Maria Castillo is committed in expanding the recruitment and retention of Hispanic employees within the DLA. With more than 20 years of civilian experience she was the only woman in a group of 10 hired when she applied in 1982. “It was a complete new world, new rules, new language and a very different view of the world,” she says. “I realized the importance of the work being done in DLA, it is a way to give back.”

As the Hispanic Employment Program manager (HEPM) she assists other Hispanics in as much she can, as an IT specialist, working on a system that was fully implemented not that long ago there is always something new to learn, and as the manager for both duties, there is always a new challenge to face and a new strategy to devise. “It can be very frustrating or very rewarding.”

“First of all, get an education. Your education is something that no one can take from you. If you are educated then the lack thereof cannot be used as a reason to hold you back. Choose a career in a field that you enjoy. When you make a mistake accept it, learn from it then move on. Face any challenge positively and be persistent. Always deal with others with the attitude that everyone has something of value to contribute.

“I see Latinas making a huge impact. We are finding our voice, a very strong voice. We are committed and hard working. If you take a look at many of the leaders in local communities you will see many Latinas making a difference,” she says. “I know strong women that have opened the way not only for Latinas but for all Latinos. I see some strong young women continuing behind them and expanding the way. These Latinas are educated, innovative hard-working and they do not take no for an answer.

Upon leaving her post, she hopes to leave a strong Hispanic Employment Program that has assisted in a better understanding of Hispanics and the importance that diversity plays in DLA’s mission. “Ultimately I hope to leave an increase in the number of Hispanics in the workforce especially at the senior levels,” she says.

According to the Department of Defense, Hispanic Americans make up 10.2 percent or the active duty all-volunteer military force. In addition, they serve with distinction making up 4.9 percent of the officer corps and 11.2 percent of the enlisted ranks. Hispanic Americans make up 8.7 percent of the total force; 4.9 percent of the officer corps and 9.4 percent of the enlisted ranks. At any given moment, troops —1.4 million active soldiers, airmen, Marines and the 1.3 million reservists, put their lives at risk to safeguard freedom and way of life— are flying combat missions or conducting combat patrols in Southwest Asia, providing security and humanitarian and civil affairs support around the world, hunting terrorists in the caves of Afghanistan, standing guard over the Nation’s interest around the world, maintaining ships and submarines across the vast reaches of the oceans, they are also attending college, learning new skills, developing into leaders of character who will lead in the Service or as citizens.