National Hispanic Heritage Month

Depicted in the poster is Sergeant Consuelo Mary Hartsell. She left the service in 1946. The sisters were sent to boot camp at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, the only sisters and the only Latinos in the camp. Both were assigned office jobs at the Depot of Supplies of the 1st Marine Division in San Francisco. Hartsell was assigned a desk job overseeing supplies shipped to and from overseas. She was awarded American Campaign and World War II victory medals, as well as recognition for her honorable service.We celebrate her in correlation with National Hispanic Heritage Month, formerly known as Hispanic Heritage Week, has been celebrated for more than 50 years and dates back to 1968. In 1988, during the President Ronald Reagan administration the observance period, that was once only a week extended to a month and received its new name. Since then, National Hispanic Heritage Month begins every 15th of September and ends the 15th of October. During this month members pay respect to the Americans who sacrificed themselves for this nation. (Graphic by Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute)