National Hispanic Heritage Month Virtual Observance

Let me tell you an immigration story, a story of heroism. It was 1916, and Marcelio Serna made his away across the Rio Grande from Chihuahua, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas.

He came here to build a better life for himself. For the opportunity to stay in this country—and to leave no question about his loyalty to it and his intentions to become a naturalized American citizen—he volunteered to join the Army and fight in  World War I.

When Private Serna arrived in Europe, he was offered a discharge because he was not an American citizen. Marcelio refused. He refused, knowing full well the brutality and horrors of trench warfare that were ahead of him. So just two years after setting foot in the United States, he climbed into those trenches with his unit—Bravo Company, 355th Infantry, 89th Division. And he fought like hell—for his brothers-in-arms … sus hermanos en Guerra … for this country, for all of us.

Private Serna would volunteer to go alone on dangerous scouting missions. On one of these operations, he advanced to hand grenade range of the machine gunner who’d killed 12 of his fellow soldiers. Tossing in four grenades, he killed six enemy soldiers, captured eight more, and neutralized the machine gun nest. On another occasion, again, alone, Private Serna killed 26 enemy soldiers and captured 24 more. They surrendered because they thought they were under attack by a much larger enemy force.

It was one man, Private Serna.

And when American soldiers wanted to execute the enemy soldiers he’d just captured, he wouldn’t let them. He protected the enemy and told his fellow soldiers it violated the rules of that brutal, bloody war.

Nothing could stop him, not until two sniper’s bullets hit him—one in each leg, just four days before the Armistice. Imagine how powerful that young man’s hopes and dreams must have been. Imagine how strong his faith in this country was, to leave his home behind, to leave behind his family, his friends in Chihuahua and cross that river. Just imagine the enormous courage it took that young private to perform so heroically in those bloody trenches—the plain grit to cross enemy lines, alone, and seek out the enemy; the intestinal fortitude to stand fast by his morals and ethics when challenged.

Because of his bravery, General John Pershing pinned the Distinguished Service Cross on his chest—the first Hispanic American to ever receive that award, an award second only to the Congressional Medal of Honor. And French General Ferdinand Foch awarded him the French Croix de Guerre.

Private Marcelio Serna got his American citizenship 12 years after getting back from Europe. Today, he’s taking his final rest with his brothers- and sisters-in-arms at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery, buried with full military honors.

Marcelio Serna came here to make a better life for himself, that’s true. But, in so doing, Private Serna made a better life for all of us. And his is only one story. There are thousands of stories like his, stories of Hispanic and Latino, Latina, and LatinX people in this nation who have dedicated their lives to serving and sacrificing for this country in the times when we’ve needed them the most.

That’s why President often says our nation’s most sacred obligation is to prepare and equip troops like Marcelio Serna whom we send into harm’s way, and then to care for them and their families when they return home. Because when someone signs up to serve our country in the military—like the more than 236,000 serving today—we make them a promise.

If you fight for us, we will fight for you. If you serve us, we will serve you. If you take care of us, we will take care of you when you come home.

Si luchas por nosotros, nosotros lucharemos por ti. Si nos sirves, nosotros te serviremos. Si nos cuidas, nosotros te cuidaremos cuando vuelvas a casa.

Our country as a whole makes that promise. It our job at VA—yours and mine—to keep that promise. And that means fighting like hell for them like they have for us. But when it comes to our Hispanic brothers and sisters … nuestros hermanas y hermanos hispanos… we’re coming up way short. Here’s what I mean, a few data points.  

First point. Right now, Hispanic Veterans represent over 8% of the more than 18.5 million American Veterans. By 2040, we estimate Hispanic Veterans will represent nearly 14% of all Vets. This year, 8.7% of completed benefits claims came from Hispanic Veterans—that’s growth over last year.

That’s good news. It’s a testament to the work of the folks in Center for Minority Vets, VEO, and focused efforts to reach minority and underserved Veterans. But when it comes to Hispanic Vets and VA health care, we’re coming up a little short—just about 7% of those we serve are of Hispanic heritage.

Second point. Right now, people of Hispanic heritage represent nearly 18% of our population. Over the next four decades, we expect that number to get to 27% of the American population. But people of Hispanic heritage represent just 7.3% of our VA colleagues.

All of which is to say, we’re all fighting like hell for Veterans. But let’s fight harder for our Hispanic Vets when it comes to their health care. Let’s fight harder to get more Hispanic people to VA to help serve our Vets, to work with us.

This Hispanic Heritage Month I’m asking all of you to join hands … to join me, join William [Vargas], James [Albino], and Karen [Basnight] in VA’s Hispanic Employment Program and let’s change that.

Let’s change it.

Hey, it won’t be easy. Nothing this important ever is, little of this magnitude ever can be. But what could be more important? What better way to celebrate our country’s Hispanic heritage than doubling down for our Hispanic Vets and employees serving them?

So, think hard about what you can do—individually and as a collective group—to help us reach every Hispanic Veteran and family member. Think hard about how you can reach—again, both individually and together—every one of them and encourage them to give their VA a chance. And, if they aren’t using VA because of some past poor experiences, help build the trust necessary, so they give VA another try.

One great way to do that is to get more Hispanic Vets to file for benefits under the new Toxic Exposure law, the PACT Act. And spread the word to your friends and family of Hispanic heritage.

VA’s hiring. What can you do to help us recruit more Hispanic men and women and get them to join you, join me in serving Vets? You know it—there’s no better mission in Federal government, and our Vets need them. We need them. Starting right now, let’s commit ourselves to fighting like hell for them, fight like we’ve never done before.

It is always my honor to spend time with all of you. Siempre es un honor para mí pasar tiempo con todos ustedes. Thank you for joining me in honoring our Hispanic Veterans, co-workers, volunteers, and fellow citizens making such an important difference for Veterans, and all Americans.

Monica [Rivera, VA Hispanic Association VP], thanks for that kind introduction. Gracias, Monica, por esa amable introducción. My thanks as well to The VA Hispanic Association, James Albino and the Center for Minority Vets team, Karen Basnight, and the good folks in the Office of Administration and Public Affairs who did the logistics and coordination heavy lifting.

Good afternoon, everyone. Buen dia a todos. Thank you.