A Life of Service After Service
I really appreciate what I learned in the
Air Force. Everything from mission
focus, to prioritizing logistics, to
analyzing datapoints prior to making
decisions, and more. But the most vital
lessons had to do with service and leadership, and how
they are intertwined. That is why I have strived to be a
servant leader in my life after active duty. One example
is my work on helping to advance the creation of a
National Museum of the American Latino.
America would be unrecognizable without the over
500 years’ worth of indispensable Latino contributions
to the building, shaping, and defending of this nation.
Latinos continue to play a vital role in every aspect of
society. Unfortunately, the information and stories about
Latino contributions to our nation’s history are
underrepresented. It is for these reasons that a National
Museum of the American Latino, on the National Mall,
as part of the Smithsonian Institution—is important. In
December of 2020 (my last month as Chairman of
the “Friends” group), we finally had the museum’s
authorization bill passed in Congress and signed by the
President of the United States, and the process for
creating the museum is well underway.
In all my travels associated with the museum
initiative, I was always surprised at the lack of
awareness of Latino contributions to the military.
Latinos have fought in every war we have ever had.
There are thousands of Hispanic surnames etched on
the Vietnam Memorial Wall, and there have been young
Latinas and Latinos serving and sacrificing on our
behalf in the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq.
When I was Chairman of the statewide Virginia
Board of Workforce Development, I noted the
challenges service members transitioning to civilian life
had in finding jobs, or training and educational
opportunities, so I created a military transition
committee. As Chairman of the Dulles Regional
Chamber of Commerce, I encountered veterans trying
to start their own businesses, but needed help and
encouragement. As a service-disabled veteran, I
experienced firsthand the difficulties in navigating the
bureaucracies to access the benefits I had earned.
What these experiences taught me is that
everyone can make a difference, and where there is a
need, it is our duty to step up and fill the void. That is
why I created and recently launched a new national
nonprofit organization called the American Latino
Veterans Association (ALVA) (www.alvavets.org). ALVA
is focused on workforce development/job placement,
entrepreneurship, resources/benefits, advocacy, and tell
those incredible stories of Latinos in the military
throughout history and their families. I invite you to join
ALVA as a member and support us.
As someone who grew up poor in a broken home,
and in one of the worst neighborhoods in New York
City, I still feel blessed to have been born in the one
country where the outcome may not be guaranteed, but
the opportunity is. The least I could do is find ways to
give back to my country and my community. I implore
you to find ways to do the same.
By Danny Vargas
Founder/Chairman/CEO, American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA)
President, VARCom Solutions
U.S. Air Force Intelligence Veteran
Raul “Danny” Vargas is an award-winning noted
business and community leader. He is a proud
U.S. Air Force Intelligence Veteran. He is the
Founder/Chairman/CEO of the American Latino
Veterans Association (ALVA) and President
of VARCom Solutions (a marketing, public
relations, and professional services firm). He is
Chairman Emeritus of the Friends of the
National Museum of the American Latino, after
having led a national, bipartisan effort to
successfully pass the authorization bill in
Congress. He is the Secretary of the
Virginia State Advisory Committee to the US
Commission on Civil Rights and Chairman of
Leadership Fairfax.
LS
Veteran’s Perspective
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