Human Resources Develop Council reaches out to community at LULAC

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Amaani Lyle
  • 459th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AFNS) --  With more than 70 U.S. Air Force reservists present, attendees didn't have to look far to find a blue suiter at the League of United Latin American Citizens convention and exposition July 17 in the San Juan Convention Center here.

But reservists were quickly outnumbered when more than 1,000 local high school and college students converged on the convention center to learn about career and educational opportunities available to them and engage in youth program activities.

Military members and civilians spoke candidly to the Latino students about their respective roads to success by way of the armed forces or federal service. For the Air Force Reserve, direct community outreach through LULAC is just one facet of the myriad programs that comprise the Human Resources Development Council.

Capt. Joy Atkins,a LULAC attendant and a HRDC member from the 459th Air Refueling Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., explained that the HRDC involves "in-reach" to sustain strong Airmen morale through encouragement, motivation and retention. This, in turn, becomes outreach, which creates accessibility to the military through the positive experiences Airmen share with the community.

"If we are successful in taking care of our Airmen, we build strong representatives who can go out into the community and make a difference for people starting out in life," Captain Atkins said.

The captain said the HRDC has allowed her to attend many events as the "face of the Air Force Reserve" and mentor young people who are both in and out of the military.

The captain said her Air Force journey began 17 years ago, and she seemed unashamed to admit her initial reason for joining. "I wanted to buy a car," she said with a chuckle. Since that time, Captain Atkins said HRDC has significantly made her career more fulfilling and helped to clarify some public misconceptions about serving in the Air Force Reserve.

"Some people have had the impression that I wear war paint or climb trees at work, because all most people really know and see is the Army," Captain Atkins said.

The captain said HRDC has facilitated her interaction with youth, and even fellow military members in other careers and branches, an advantage she described as "invaluable."

Prof. Elizabeth Ramirez, a Colegio Universitario of San Juan English-as-a-second-language instructor, said her students, many of whom live in low-income housing, are often unsure they'll ever have a chance to seize opportunities for a more enriched life.

"Many of these young people battle self-esteem issues because of where they live and how they grow up," Professor Ramirez said. "They don't think they'll ever get the chance to make a better life for themselves or their families - speaking to people in the military helps change their mindsets."

The networking and mentoring principles of HRDC is exactly what reignited15-year-old Gerardo Garcia's passion for joining the Air Force Reserve, said Master Sgt. Henry Padua, who met the Carolina, Puerto Rico, high school student during the LULAC convention.

Sergeant Padua, a first sergeant at the 514th Maintenance Operations Flight, McGuire Air Reserve Base, N.J., happened to bump into the tall, lanky young man and asked him what his aspirations were.

His response lacked certainty. Gerardo, a Carvin School student, said a teacher once told him he was "too tall" to be a pilot, thus "dashing his dreams" of ever joining the Air Force.

Moreover, Gerardo said his friends and family were less than supportive about his curiosity in the military, and some of his pals even made fun of him.

"People thought it would not be possible because of my height and how hard it is to become a pilot," Gerardo said shyly. "But Sergeant Padua and the recruiters I met here told me that there are many possibilities in the military."

With 30 years of Air Force experience, Sergeant Padua said his reasons for continuing to engage with Gerardo were simple.

"It's important that any young person is well informed about the opportunities before them," he said. "Being able to share the knowledge I have to help someone make a decision that will affect the rest of their life ... man, it gives me goose bumps."

Brig. Gen. Stayce D. Harris, assistant to the commander, U.S. Africa Command, and HRDC member, said she shares Sergeant Padua's sentiments about giving back to the community by building strong Airmen within the force.

"HRDC is all about creating and exposing your Airmen to opportunities in the wing, opportunities in the civilian capacity and affording them the opportunity to grow as human beings," the general said.

Of her attendance at the 2009 LULAC convention she noted, "There is such a proud heritage and legacy of military service in the Latino community, so they really appreciate us being here."

The general said the annual convention creates a symbiotic dynamic between the military and the community. 

"The benefit is mutual," he said. "We benefit from sharing our experiences and answering the community's questions and the community benefits because they can bring their youth here to explore opportunities and learn more about the military."

General Harris said she knew of a mother and son who traveled quite a way to attend a LULAC convention so that he could glean advice and mentoring from people serving in the Air Force Reserve.

"They lived in Texas, but traveled by bus to Washington with the sole purpose of finding someone who could personally to them about what it would take to become a pilot," General Harris said. "They knew that LULAC would be a great avenue to meet exactly the right people and get the most accurate information - that's a powerful example of the type of networking and guidance possible at these meetings."

The general, who hosted a Women's Luncheon during the LULAC convention this year, said she is eager to see the Air Force active duty community to adopt HRDC.

"This is an incredible program in which everybody wins," she said. 

Editor's note: This is the final installment of a three-part series: Air Force makes a difference through LULAC.