Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

1. Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month May

2. Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month The observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is an occasion to remember the patriotism of AAPIs who have served, or are currently serving, in the Department of Defense and our nation. May was chosen as the observance month to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 10, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the transcontinental railroad completion on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks of that nation-unifying railway were Chinese immigrants.

3. Theme/Poster The Federal Asian Pacific American Council has chosen this year’s theme to be “Unite Our Vision by Engaging Each Other,” encouraging AAPI civic engagement and leadership. Asian/Pacific Islanders encompass an extremely diverse group of cultures, ethnicities, races, and languages. They include all Americans who trace their ancestry back to the Asian continent and the many Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. FAPAC

4. Presentation The Office of Personnel Management defines engagement as “An employee’s sense of purpose that is evident in their display of dedication, persistence and effort in their work or overall attachment to their organization and its mission.” This presentation highlights four individuals, who through their engagement, have positively impacted our mission: Sergeant Jesse Nathanael Aliganga, Brigadier General Balan R. Ayyar (Retired), Captain Kwang-Ping Hsu, and Rear Admiral Ming ErhChang. Statement from Office of Personnel Management

5. Sergeant Jesse Nathanael Aliganga Sergeant Jesse Nathanael Aliganga, a U.S. Marine Security Guard at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, had a promising future as a Marine. On Friday, August 7, 1998, he was killed by a massive car-bomb explosion at the embassy that occurred almost simultaneously with the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Photo courtesy U.S. Department of State Sergeant Jesse Aliganga

6. Jesse Aliganga Aliganga joined the Marines in January 1995. He was sent to Nairobi in February 1998, after he completed Marine Security Guard School in Quantico, Virginia. Trained as a communications specialist, he had previously held posts in Okinawa, Japan, and Camp Pendleton, California. “He was so proud to be a Marine—something he was bound and determined to do,” his mother, Clara Aliganga, shared when she received her son’s Purple Heart Medal during a memorial service at Quantico, Virginia, in August 1998.

7. Brigadier General Balan R. Ayyar (Retired) General Balan R. Ayyar is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He served in a variety of joint, command and staff positions at the major command, combatant command, and Office of the Secretary of Defense level. He was a White House Fellow and served in the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He is the recipient of many prestigious medals for his leadership, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star Medal. He retired after serving 27 years in the Air Force. Photo courtesy the U.S. Air Force General Balan R. Ayyar

8. Captain Kwang-Ping Hsu Kwang-Ping Hsu was the first foreign-born cadet of the Coast Guard Academy. In the first 10 years of his career, Hsu achieved the rank of lieutenant commander and earned two Coast Guard Air Medals for exceptional air rescue efforts. He became an accomplished polar aviator, serving tours as a helicopter detachment commander for icebreakers in the Arctic and Antarctic. Captain Kwang-Ping Hsu Portrait of Captain Kwang-Ping Hsu

9. Kwang-Ping Hsu Hsu also participated in some of the most unique and important missions in Coast Guard history. He was known for his excellent skills as a pilot and rescuer, but people also admired his sense of humor and willingness to show compassion. His record of service extended over 30 years. Hsu passed away and was buried in Arlington cemetery in 2007. His son David, a former Army Special Forces officer with combat tours in the Pacific and Iraq later wrote, “Dad always viewed his life as nothing less than extraordinary—a journey beyond any he could have imagined due to the opportunities of America and the Coast Guard.” Kwang-Ping Hsu

10. Rear Admiral Ming Erh Chang In 1980, Ming Chang became the first naturalized Asian American naval officer to reach flag rank. A graduate of William and Mary and the Naval Postgraduate School. He served as the Commanding Officer of the USS Rathburne, USS Reeves; Chief of Staff, Carrier Group THREE; Chief of Staff, Commander THIRD Fleet; and Commander Cruiser Destroyer Group TWO. As a rear admiral, he served as Deputy Commander, Weapons and Combat Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Ming Erh Chang

11. Ming Erh Chang Chang concluded his career serving as Department of the Navy Inspector General. He proudly served on active duty for 34 years. Upon his retirement from the Navy, he became vice president and corporate director of the Pacific Region at Raytheon International. He passed away in October 2017. Ming Erh Chang

12. Conclusion This month, we recognize the Asian American and Pacific Islanders role in shaping our country as well as, the contributions they have made and continue to give to our country. Today they continue to make an immeasurable impact in defending our nation and humanitarian efforts around the world.

13. End Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida April 2019 All photographs are public domain and from various sources, as cited. The information in this document is not to be construed as an official DEOMI, U.S. Military Services, or Department of Defense position.