FORT HOOD — Fort Hood recognizes the contributions and sacrifices of the Asian American Pacific Islanders who serve in the Army.
There are about 59,000 people who identify with the AAPI heritage who serve in the Army today.
Lieutenant Colonel William Davis remembered the sacrifices during World War II of the 442nd Infantry Regiment, made up of second-generation Japanese-Americans.
The ceremony, organized by the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, hosted guest speaker Amy Wong Mok who talked about what makes the cultures from Asia and the Pacific unique. Wok is the founder of the Asian American Cultural Center.
She discussed how the AAPI community communicates with others and how it might differ from other cultures. For example, she said people that identify as AAPI do not show eye contact and lower their heads to show respect.
“So I think to allow ourself to evolve and to incorporate other cultures into our life is one way of honoring and say you have value too," said Mok, when asked how we can honor the AAPI community.
The ceremony also featured dances from the islands of Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand, dances passed on from generation to generation.