AUTHOR: VIRGIL FERNANDEZ
“HISPANIC MILITARY HEROES” is a book written in English by Virgil Fernandez who is a Hispanic professional, expert in this field being that he’s been in the armed forces of this country and has been a true leader for disabled veterans, himself being one of them. To this day the book hasn’t been translated into Spanish, and it’s a shame because Fernandez has been able to compile biographies and a profound specific study of many outstanding Hispanic military personnel. He also lets us know a little bit more on life in the military, to which many of us is unknown. He also gives a lot of facts and dates on real and historical conflicts in which this country has been involved all throughout it’s history, from the American Revolution to the current war in Iraq, and also mentioning outstanding Hispanics in the astronaut field and others that have given contributions and dedicated a lot of hard work so that the Hispanic immigrant can be recognized and dignified. In this book the reader will not find an answer that as Hispanics we may have about the armed forces, nor the answer to the most talked about topics
of the war in Iraq or the war on terrorism, because that is not the intention of the writer. It’s more of a recognition to a lot of Hispanics who have given a lot of themselves, even sacrificed their own lives for the loyalty to this country, even when many of these weren’t even citizens of the United States. It also gives a better idea as to why many young Latinos join the Army, Air Force, Navy or Marines, being that one of the main reasons why these young people join these groups is mainly because of the opportunities they represent. Opportunities that seem very attractive to many of these young people regardless of their nationality, race or ideological beliefs, and which are accepted by be it a women or a men, Caucasians or minorities. The reason lies more on the economic situation of the family, because it is a key factor that influences any youth so that they can have access to a better education, also many of these young people feel attracted to the discipline that is instilled the strong sense of responsibility and loyalty that comes with it. This sense of loyalty is something that is attracting to the readers because here you realize that in the majority of cases the soldier isn’t thinking of himself or herself, this is something that humbles them and sets them apart at the same time. These are valiant, bold, brave souls who are not looking for popularity and with the conviction that their cause is just and that if they die, they will die with dignity.This book is very interesting and entertaining because it is very easy to comprehend and every biography is a story that in many cases seems incredible and sometimes even hard to believe. One example is the case of Sergeant Roy Benavides who received the Medal of Honor from former president Ronald Reagan and who on that occasion, referring to Benavides said, “If a movie was made from your story, no one would believe that it could actually happen.” It’s also a relevant book because it tells of the story of Hero Street in Silvis, Ill. which is a significant part of this region because of its history and should not be forgotten by the people in this area especially the Hispanic community.In conclusion, it brings to my attention that many of our young people, in their search for identity find themselves attracted by strong emotions and many of them find this in the military, the security, discipline, and opportunity of a better education and also honor.