DVIDS – News – Where I’m from: Staff Sgt. Mateo Espinoza

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 and recognizes the lifetime contributions and rich culture of Hispanic Americans.

In keeping with this year’s theme, “Unidos – Inclusiveness for a Stronger Nation,” Team Wright-Pat is celebrating Hispanic American personnel who demonstrate strength through support.

Meet Sgt. Mateo Espinoza, a medical laboratory technician in the Occupational and Environmental Health Department of the US Air Force School of Air Medicine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

It performs industrial hygiene testing, contributing to the unit’s mission: To optimize the availability, health and performance of Airmen, enabling the modern warfighter to execute the mission regardless of the hazards presented by the environment or the task.

Born in Mexico, he shares how this year’s theme resonates with him.

“To me, that means … we can still use the similarities we share as Latinos to come together and unite with other cultures like ours to stand up to anything that seeks to harm the nation,” he said.

Espinoza also supports dosimetry operations at USAFSAM’s Air Force Radiation Assessment Team. AFRAT is part of the Joint Task Force-Civil Support, which conducts chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear response and all-hazards defense support for civil authority operations as part of the lead federal agency to save lives, mitigate human suffering and to prevent further injury.

As part of AFRAT, Espinoza participated in Guardian Response 2022 and trained alongside Mexican military officers invited by US military leaders.

“It was fantastic to see the Mexican armed forces side by side with the US forces training together,” he said. “It made me proud to be Mexican and I felt that both my American and Mexican sides were united.”

Guardian Response is an annual homeland emergency exercise that provides realistic disaster response training to sharpen the skills and enhance the capabilities of Soldiers. These exercises allow leaders to build stronger teams by raising unit readiness levels.

Hispanic Americans have made several contributions to US history, culture, and achievements. One individual who inspires Espinoza is the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

“She inspires me to always find beauty and greed within myself,” he said.

Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with important dates in many communities, such as the various independence days in Latin America.

Although several cultures have similar faith histories, Our Lady of Guadalupe has historical ties to Mexico and is one of Espinoza’s favorite traditions.

“It’s a time to celebrate, yes, but it also helps me remember how much my mother has been able to give,” he said. “As a single mother, she made sacrifices raising me and my siblings.”

According to Gilbert Cisneros Jr., the first chief diversity and inclusion officer at the Department of Defense, 17 percent of active duty service members and 8 percent of federal civilians within the DOD are Hispanic Americans.

Espinoza joins thousands who served before him and serve today for the safety and security of the nation.

This concept of unity and togetherness that gives strength is one that has long been held by DOD, leaders say, and is a driving factor in U.S. efforts for inclusion and equal opportunity.