Latinos enlisting in record numbers

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 5/15/6 | Justin Berton

[SmithL]

Despite opposition to the Iraq war, pride motivates many to sign up for military duty -

Amalia Avila never supported the war. But after her first son, Victor Gonzalez, told her he wanted to join the Marines, she felt a mixture of fear, concern and, finally, pride.

"This war makes no sense to me," Avila said last week in her Watsonville home. "I'd ask him why he wanted to go, and he'd just say his brothers needed his help. ... But when Victor did get into the Marines, when that day came, I was so proud of him."

Avila paused to allow her tears. "It was a beautiful day."

It was also one of the last days Avila saw her son. Gonzalez, 19, who was born in Salinas shortly after Avila arrived in the United States from Mexico, served a little more than a month in Anbar province before he was killed by a roadside mortar explosion in October 2003.

The discord between Avila's unsettled feelings toward the war and her son's sacrifice reflects a growing paradox within the Latino community. A majority of Latinos believe the troops should come home as soon as possible, according to Pew Hispanic Center surveys, yet enlistment of Latinos has steadily risen in the past decade.

[winner3000]

That's why the pro-illegals movement loves to mis-represent the objectors as anti-immigrants. We in fact love LEGAL immigrants, especially those from Mexico. They do contribute tremendously to our nation and we are proud to have them.

[stopem]

"The discord between Avila's unsettled feelings toward the war and her son's sacrifice reflects a growing paradox within the Latino community. A majority of Latinos believe the troops should come home as soon as possible, according to Pew Hispanic Center surveys, yet enlistment of Latinos has steadily risen in the past decade. "

They think their to good to enlist?

Spoken like the liberal socialists they are , Cindy fans, they can steal welfare benefits but when it comes to supporting this country forget it than they are to good to do that.

[one more state]

This article doesn't say if these people are already citizens. The military is a great and respected way to become a citizen. I respect anyone who joins the military.

[grjr21]

They think their to good to enlist?

I find that it is sometimes helpfull to read the whole article.

Like where it says.

"... But when Victor did get into the Marines, when that day came, I was so proud of him. Avila paused to allow her tears. "It was a beautiful day."

"According to the Department of Defense, in 2004, the most recent year of confirmed data, Latinos made up 13 percent of new recruits. This is an all-time high, nearly twice the percentage of 10 years earlier.

Curtis Gilroy, director of accession policy for the office of the secretary of defense, said that in a national youth poll conducted last year, Latinos ages 18-24 simply showed a "higher propensity to serve" than other ethnic groups.
Gilroy said a full 25 percent of Latino respondents answered the question, "How likely is it that you'll be serving in the military in the next few years?" by marking the box "definitely" or "probably likely." Meanwhile, only 16 percent of African Americans and just 11 percent of whites showed the same interest.

"The remarkable thing that is consistent with Latinos is the sense of pride," Ditzler said. "More than any other group, they have a deep sense of pride about serving for this country." By comparison, Ditzler observed that his Asian American enlistees were more interested in job-training skills, while African Americans spoke of college tuition as the trade-off. Whites, the recruiter observed, were most intrigued by the "sense of adventure" the Army

[kellynla]

this coming from that bastion of patriotism, San Francissyco and the Chronicle where military recruiters are about as welcome as a ham hock at a bar mitzvah . LMAO

[Waverunner]

For an interesting study see the casualty by race study Al Sharpton commisioned in congress, he buried that one real quick. Didn't like the results, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and White Americans have higher percentage casualties vs number serving. Hispanics at the top.
When he commisioned the study he was sure Afro Americans were unduly burdened in combat. Wrong.

[grjr21]

HeHeHe.

Don't you just hate facts , especially when they get in the way of "Truth"

[MeanWestTexan]

No, it's a stupid question.

I support the war fully, but want the troops to come home as soon as possible, too.

Every Texas town has a wall of heros in the courthouse. Without fail, half are hispanic. They have a tremendous cultural sense of honor and history military service for America.

The fat liberals protesting don't speak for the majority of hispanics.

[MeanWestTexan]

To clarify my own first line, the "stupid question" was the one the media polled on.

[absolootezer0]

the story i heard about this one (from a friend who served in iraq) was that a lot of latino gang members were enlisting to get the military training, then going back home and teaching their little gang banger buddies what they learned.
not that all latinos are gang members, but that might partially explain why there is such a high number of latinos joining.

[mtntop3]

Yes, the enlistment has risen despite the (obviously continued) efforts of the S.F. Chronicle hacks and their like to deter it - along with deterring the entire national security effort, along with regularly vilifying all that America has stood for and stands for.

[hosepipe]

[ Don't you just hate facts , especially when they get in the way of "Truth" ]

The truth is most illegal and legal immigrants WILL BE democrats..
I don't care if they sign up for the Salvation Army..
The LAST thing America needs is one more democrat..

Especially as officers in the military..

[sean327]

"They think their to good to enlist?

Spoken like the liberal socialists they are , Cindy fans, they can steal welfare benefits but when it comes to supporting this country forget it than they are to good to do that."

What the hell are you talking about? Where in the article do you find that Latinos think they are to good to enlist?
Maybe my "Read between the lines decoder" is bad, because I sure as hell didn't get that from this piece.