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Title A name given to the resource Arvin Morell #14 https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/faf14faaff55d9a44d8d9cc28443439d.jpg 266d2824bac4b243720c580336868499 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Skye Jalal Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Arvin Morell OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Morell_Arvin.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Arvin Morell 00:45:17 Latino Lorain Latino Veterans Fall 2023 Oberlin College Libraries oberlin Arvin Morell Skye Jalal 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/ns064606n Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title="Alvin Morell" src="//media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/br86b364d/embed" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; English 0 Introduction Okay. I am Skye Jalal and I'm interviewing Arvin Morell to talk about his life as a part of the Latino Veterans Oral History Project. Thank you Mr. Morrell, for agreeing to be interviewed. Can you please state your name and birthdate? Jalal introduces Arvin Morell who is being interviewed for the Latino Lorain Veteran History Project, which is a collaboration between the Lorain Historical Society and Oberlin College. The interview takes place in the Lorain Historical Society. Latino Lorain Oral History Project ; Lorain Historical Society 0 33 Early Life Can you begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up? Arvin Morell talks about growing up in South Lorain. He was born to parents who arrived from Puerto Rico on work assignment in 1951. He speaks about his father, who worked for Ford Motor Company, and his mother who was a stay-at-home parent before working for Dalton Sewing Factory for 10 years. He talks about growing up with 4 brothers and 1 sister, and the importance of spending time outdoors in their upbringing. He also talks about how his parents instilled a value for going to church in him at a young age. This value is still important to him today. Puerto Rico, early life ; Ford Motor Company ; Dalton Sewing Factory, ; childhood ; parents 0 182 Religion and Children Absolutely. I'm no longer in, in the Catholic church, but I belong to a House of Praise International, what they consider born again Christian. I've been serving the Lord actually this year will be 32 years. I accepted Jesus Christ when I was 30 years old. Mr. Morell is no longer a part of the Catholic Church, and is now a member of the House of Praise International. He speaks about how both of his sons, Seth and Justin, were raised in the church. Mr. Morell shares a childhood memory of Friday trips to the grocery store with his mother. On these days she would allow him and his brother to pick out special treats such as pop tarts and cereal, and visit restaurants such as Burger King, McDonalds, and the Casey’s hamburgers on 21st street in Lorain. Children ; religion ; Christianity ; Catholicism ; House of Praise International 0 345 Decision to Enlist How did you first begin to think about military service? Mr. Morell talks about his family’s connection to the Ford. Both his father and older brother worked for Ford for many years, and he assumed during high school that he would work there as well. However, layoffs began at Ford in 1979, a year before he graduated high school in 1980. This left him to find alternative plans. His friend, Jack Lowe, had joined the Marine Corps in 1979 so Morell figured that he would as well. &#13 ; Arvin Morell and his friend from “up the street”, Angelo Capello, joined the military together as a part of the Buddy System. Morell talks about the comfort of going into bootcamp with somebody who he grew up with. He also talks about coming from a military family himself. His oldest brother, Tony Morell was drafted into the Vietnam War. Another older brother, Ray Morell, went into the Air Force in 1979.&#13 ; Ford Motor Company ; U.S. Marines ; layoffs ; Buddy System 0 500 Early Military Service And where did you do basic training? Mr. Morell talks about going into basic training at Parris Island, right out of high school at age 18. His service lasted for four years, from August 15th 1980, to August 14th, 1984. He speaks more about the experience of going into the military with Angelo Capello, a friend from Lorain who he already knew. He says that this eased the experience of leaving home for the first time. &#13 ; Morell talks about how the military shaped him, specifically about how it taught him discipline. He says that the Marine Corps turned him “from a boy into a man.” In an anecdote about shaving his head, he explains how the military “wants you to be one person” and the importance of being responsible for the whole community. Parris Island ; enlistment ; discipline ; U.S. Marines 0 719 Engagement and Early Marriage Right. I have some questions now about your time in service. Arvin talks about his relationship with his now-wife Glenda, throughout his time in service.The two of them were highschool sweethearts, and got engaged at age 19 during his second year of service. Marrying Glenda allowed her to travel with him, when he wasn’t stationed overseas. &#13 ; He proposed to her by payphone while stationed in Naples, Italy. He talks about the difficulty of being separated from her, the letters that the two of them would send to each other while he was away, and how he spent their first wedding anniversary stationed in Beirut, Lebanon. He shares that he kept the coins from the payphone he used to propose, and had the three of them put together as a 25th wedding anniversary gift. The three coins symbolize himself, Glenda, and God together as one. spouse ; letters ; high school sweethearts ; Naples, Italy ; Beirut, Lebanon 0 932 Military Travel What was the most challenging part of your service? Mr. Morell talks about his experiences traveling while in the military. He shares that he appreciated being able to see places that he would have never seen otherwise. However, it was still difficult to be brought away from his wife. He was surprised to find Spanish spoken in different places around the world. His favorite place to visit was Naples, and he found himself able to communicate with the Italians through Spanish. His wife would either stay in Lorain, or Camp LeJeune in North Carolina while he was overseas. Travel ; Camp Lejeune ; Naples ; spouse ; Spanish 0 1082 Military Jobs and Military Discharge And what was your role, working with the ships? Mr. Morell explains his job in the military as a field wireman switchboard operator, and the process of connecting the switchboards for military communications. He talks about his decision to leave after fulfilling his obligation of four service years. He discusses not wanting to go overseas for a third time as being a main factor is his decision to leave the military. military jobs ; overseas deployment ; military communications ; discharge 0 1224 Returning to Lorain and a Career with the U.S. Postal Service Did you come back to Lorain after? Mr. Morell talks about returning back home to Lorain following his service. He discusses working at the Post Office for 32 ½ years, as a letter carrier in the towns of Elyria, North Ridgeville, and Oberlin Ohio. He talks about how the discipline and punctuality learned through the military became a part of his everyday life, and work as a postal carrier. He also talks about how his original family values of “discipline” learned by his parents, were continued through his time in the military. He says that the military “molds you into what they want you to be.” In an anecdote about “sea-rats” or sea-rations, he explains how the military taught him to become adaptable in different environments. civilian life ; U.S. Postal Service ; discipline ; c-rations (c-rats) 0 1459 Feelings About the Military How has your military service impacted your feelings about war, and the military in general? Morell talks about living in the Beirut building, a year before the 1984 bombing. He shares how his military experience affects his feelings about athletes kneeling for the flag at sporting events. He says that he flys the flag proudly everyday, and that to him it means “freedom, democracy, liberty, and justice for all.” To him, the American flag means that everybody is equal, though it may not always be that way in real life. He shares how he still is willing to sacrifice his life for the country, regardless of those who may not think of him as an American. athletes kneeling ; American flag ; citizenship ; democracy ; freedom ; liberty ; justice ; equality ; racism ; discrimination ; Hispanic ; patriotism ; Beirut bombing (1984) 0 1637 Closing Thoughts What message would you like to leave for future generations, who will view or hear this interview? Morell shares his message for the upcoming generation: “We live in a wonderful country.” He shares how the Marine Corps made him the person he is today, and his great respect for all people who serve in the military. He talks about his positive experiences with the VA system. He discusses the importance of the VA, and of presidential support for veterans. He talks about his life as a one of service, both in his military time and in working as a postal carrier for 32 years. He says that his name, Arvin, means “friend of the people.” He says that he loves God and that he loves people. U.S. Marines ; VA programs ; postal carrier 0 1854 Sharing Photos and Souvenirs I had a couple souvenirs that I'll share. Okay. Arvin Morell shares a series of photographs and souvenirs from his time in service. He shares several images from his time in Beirut, Lebanon, and talks in more detail about living in Beirut before the 1984 bombing. He shares a commemorative jacket that he had commissioned after his service, embroidered with the astrological signs of himself and his wife, and all of the locations he traveled to. He talks about his two sons, who currently work at the post office and as an air traffic controller, and three grandchildren. He closes the interview by reading “Christmas in Beirut”, a poem by his fellow service member, Walt Kennedy. Travel ; Beirut bombing (1984) ; family ; Beirut 0 Oral History In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Morell_Arvin.xml LL_Morell_Arvin.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Arvin Morell Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023-10-28 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/73f1c01c3f86b4d579e996be61dcb5f9.jpg 6115e25d0cef15eaef09b8e40c1a1789 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Walter Thomas-Patterson Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Mike Ferrer OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Ferrer_Mike.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 Mike Ferrer 01:31:07 Latino Lorain Latino Veterans Fall 2023 Oberlin College Libraries oberlin Mike Ferrer Walter Thomas-Patterson 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/9c67wm83m Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title="Mike Ferrer" src="//media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/6682x398c/embed" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; English 77 Introduction Hello my name is Walter Thomas-Patterson, and I am here with Mike Ferrer to interview him as part of the Latino Veterans Oral History Project, and for the record can you state your name and birth date Ferrer states his name and birthdate. The interview setting is the Lorain Historical Society.&#13 ; Lorain Historical Society ; Latino Veterans ; Oral History Project. 0 78 Childhood in New York City Where were you born and where did you grow up Ferrer discusses his early life and his family growing up as being one of four boys living. His family lived in the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens in New York. He stated that his biological father was mostly out-of-the-picture ; Ferrer recalled one time when his father picked him up from school, which was a notable event. Ferrer stated that his mother was from Sabana Grande, a small town in Puerto Rico ; she was the one who mainly raised him.&#13 ; &#13 ; His upbringing in New York during the 1960s was chaotic. He recalls "playing on the roofs of Manhattan, gangs everywhere, people threatening to take your lunch money,” and that his schooling was marked by inconsistency: “we switched schools every year, year-and-a-half maybe.” Ferrer stated that his schools in New York were predominantly African-American. He stated that in reference to his childhood in New York City: “you never think you’re having a bad childhood when you have so many crumpled buildings to play in.”&#13 ; Manhattan, New York ; Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico ; childhood ; Lorain. 0 79 Childhood in Lorain, Ohio We came to Lorain for a very strange reason. The family moved out of New York City after one of his brothers started robbing department stores and was eventually caught by police. His mother, determined to not have another one of her children descend into crime, decided to move the family to Lorain, Ohio, where his grandmother lived.&#13 ; &#13 ; Ferrer explained that his upbringing living in South Lorain was “docile” compared to the streets of New York. Ferrer recalls being amazed by the grassy lawns that dotted the sidewalks in his neighborhood, and his perception of less crime. His mother remarried while they were in Ohio, and Ferrer started working for his Uncle who owned a bakery.&#13 ; &#13 ; Ferrer added that more broadly during his childhood, his family tended to avoid discussing difficult or uncomfortable topics ; “we never dealt with issues, we never discussed problems,” he stated. The general expectation was to toughen up and face the circumstances you were given, he reiterated.&#13 ; &#13 ; He stated that during high school, although he had trouble with tardiness, he was able to immerse himself in theater and take classes on Shakespeare and Greek.&#13 ; Migration ; crime ; family ; theater ; friends ; high school ; Shakespeare 0 153 Race in his Early Life How was race talked about in your early life? He mentions that he never remembers being subject to racism in New York: “I do not ever remember being subjected to racism. It was always ‘punk kid,’ but never ‘punk, Puerto Rican kid.’&#13 ; race ; racism ; New York City ; African-Americans 0 222 Life in College What was your experience in College? Ferrer says that he did not consider applying to college, and he envisioned himself staying near his home and playing basketball post-high school. However, his mother and his English teacher worked together and applied to Bowling Green State University for him. Ferrer recalled receiving a letter in the mail with his acceptance.&#13 ; &#13 ; During his time at Bowling Green, Ferrer became involved in the Latino Student Union at Bowling Green, where he wrote speeches and other literature for their activities.&#13 ; &#13 ; He noted that he became more distant from his Puerto Rican identity in College, stating that he struggled to reconcile the version of obedience that his mother and relatives taught him when speaking to authority figures (teachers and cops): “they always looked down at the ground,” which Ferrer assumed meant “they were either afraid or they were ashamed to be Hispanic.” Ferrer explained that his perception of hispanic subservience troubled him during college, and that as a result, his Puerto Rican identity became a source of shame. “I don’t wanna be Hispanic in college because I’m not subservient to anybody.” Ferrer clarified that his name gained a variety of ethnic connotations as a result: “so Ferrer was either French or Italian. . . but never Puerto Rican.” He says that the only people that knew he was Hispanic were his fellow classmates in the Latino Student Union.&#13 ; College ; Bowling Green State University ; Latino Student Union ; Hispanic identity 0 282 Military Service It was my last semester, and we were partyin. Ferrer said that he struggled during his final semester in college ; he was failing his courses and hanging out with friends who would party late into the night. One day during his final semester, he stumbled upon a military recruiter stationed on his college campus, and recalled addressing the recruiter: “yo man, if you can get me out of this semester in a week, I will join the military.” Ferrer said that his decision to join the military was not motivated by a patriotic duty ; rather, he saw it as an opportunity to escape his current circumstances. He traveled to Ft. Jackson in North Carolina to prepare for Basic Training, which he described as quite comfortable relative to what came next.&#13 ; &#13 ; After his time in North Carolina, Ferrer traveled to Ft. Campbell Kentucky for Basic Training for six weeks. He recalls being roused from his barracks early in the morning and whisked onto a bus to Fort Campbell. Upon arriving at Fort Campbell Kentucky, he recalled encountering drill sergeants for the first time, who rushed on the bus and started yelling. This experience was emblematic of what the next six weeks became for him. According to Ferrer, this time, “was the scariest time of my life, but it was also the first time I understood what discipline was.”&#13 ; &#13 ; Later, Ferrer recalled how his time in Basic Training helped him clarify the difference between obedience through fear, which his mother instilled in him, and obedience through discipline, which he began to internalize during basic training.&#13 ; 0 329 Joining the Commander and Chief's Guard When I get back to the barracks, there is this guy standing by the shower. During his time in advanced individual training, which came after basic training, Ferrer was recruited to join the Commander and Chief’s Guard, which is the personal escort of the United States President. Ferrer recalled receiving a top-secret White House Clearance for this job.&#13 ; &#13 ; Ferrer said there were a number of different roles he was expected to carry out on a daily basis. He took part in ceremonies and events involving the president. He saluted the president if, for example, the president was entering or leaving a specific area. He was also expected to march by the presidential motorcade.&#13 ; &#13 ; If a U.S. soldier was killed in action, his unit was expected to carry the casket of the deceased. Ferrer participated in Arlington National Cemetery Memorials and remembers standing by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Once a year, he took part in putting flags in front of every single gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery, which he remembered being an especially tedious task.&#13 ; &#13 ; In addition to his roles in Washington D.C, Ferrer remembered participating in ceremonies in Virginia to welcome foreign dignitaries to the United States, who arrived at different Virginia military bases. He remembered the tremendous amount of preparation and attention-to-detail he had to practice to be prepared.&#13 ; &#13 ; Beyond his ceremonial roles, Ferrer participated in a traveling show called the “Spirit of America.” as part of the Commander and Chief’s Guard. They would travel the country and perform military reenactments of the Revolutionary War—dressing up as colonial and British soldiers and firing their prop muskets at one another. Ferrer recalled the elaborate choreography and presentation skills that these shows involved.&#13 ; &#13 ; Serving in the Commander and Chief’s Guard was a sought-after position, and Ferrer said that if soldiers dropped their rifle, then they were transferred out of the unit Korea. This was a common occurrence for many soldiers, Ferrer stated, because they could easily pass out if they locked their knees while standing.&#13 ; &#13 ; Ferrer eventually left the Commander and Chief’s Guard after his daughter was born. &#13 ; Commander and Chief’s Guard ; Arlington National Cemetery ; Washington D.C. 0 396 Leaving the Military When I got out, I decided I’m gonna go back to college. Ferrer explained that after being discharged from the military, he was more mature ; he received straight A’s in his final semester and graduated. He said that his experience in the military was transformative because of the lessons it taught him about discipline. He started grant-writing for local organizations, but initially struggled to find his calling. Fortunately however, he was offered a job as director of the youth center in Lorain. Even though he took a significant pay cut, he quickly fell in love with his job. Most notably, he started a theater program that ran successfully for fifteen years.&#13 ; 0 442 Lessons from the Military Can you describe how your time in the military informed your work? “In the military, you cannot fail,” Ferrer declared, “You assume that every mission you were given, you were going to do.” The rigid nature of the military command structure, where failure was not an option, motivated his later desire to work with underprivileged kids in Lorain who were vulnerable to joining organized crime. Ferrer inserted this sense of order into his teaching practice. Additionally, he incorporated the physicality of military instruction into his positions as a community organizer in Lorain.&#13 ; &#13 ; Ferrer described that on a psychological level, his ability to distance himself from negative and destructive thoughts that would previously feel overwhelming were another critical lesson from the military. His ability to dissociate from feelings of anger is a key psychological practice that he has passed on to his mentees.&#13 ; Military discipline ; theater ; workforce development agency ; mentorship. 0 503 Perception of Military I think any experience can be good or bad, it depends on who your mentors are ; who your associates are ; who you hang out with, how easily it is for people to get on your head. Ferrer emphasized that the military was not a cure-all for society ills, but it was an opportunity for building character and responsibility. It helped develop young people’s sense of pride, but crucially, only if those buy into the structure that it provides: “It’s what you make of it,” Ferrer said. Ferrer added that from his perception, the military played a crucial role in removing kids he knew from toxic home lives, where they were especially vulnerable: "In my book, the military has saved 27 kids.” Ferrer summarized that he doesn’t attach a value-judgment to the military, rather, it gives people an opportunity, and they can choose what they want to make with that.&#13 ; Family ; military and character building ; opportunity 0 572 On Himself as a Latino and a Veteran Now everywhere I go and everything I do, there is not a person I know who doesn’t know that I’m Puerto Rican. Ferrer said that his views on race have changed as compared to when he was younger. He says he had a better understanding of how unconscious bias impacts treatment of Latinos in the United States, and said he was frustrated by how people lack a recognition of their own bias. He stated that he does not experience racism in his life. On the topic of military in politics, Ferrer said he tries to remain neutral ; he said that on a personal level, he carries his own beliefs on the military.&#13 ; Race ; racism ; unconscious bias 0 623 Closing Thoughts No one teaches me as much as these young people. Ferrer described the kinds of lessons he had learned throughout his life in service, as well as the values he seeks to uphold. He said that he sees himself “as a life-long learner,” and the enduring relevance that young people hold in shaping his own life. He said that his life-long dedication to service has only energized him to continue working with kids as long as he can.&#13 ; LCCC (Lorain County Community College) ; senior citizens ; service. 0 659 Message to Future Generations What’s your message for future generations? Ferrer emphasized the importance of listening to your heart and finding friends that care about you. Ferrer said it is crucial to be able to distinguish between acquaintances, or people you just know, to real friends, who can aid you during a difficult time. He described showing his mentees optical illusions that challenge their decision-making abilities ; it takes time for the viewer to see the various pictures within the illusions, and through this process, Ferrer said he helps them realize the downside in jumping to conclusions: “Let things filter in,” Ferrer emphasized, “Don’t trust family for everything. Friendship ; mentorship ; family 0 Oral History In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Ferrer_Mike.xml LL_Ferrer_Mike.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mike Ferrer Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023-10-28 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/4961b0b6d1055a0594c7050ff7bf9e8a.jpg 8d6ebdb2d3275bf1987c361470659786 https://latinolorain.oberlincollegelibrary.org/files/original/7b75d8c40dc002391939b2b8b0cf66ac.jpg 8d6ebdb2d3275bf1987c361470659786 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Stephanie Mata Granados Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Raul Garcia OHMS Object This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer) https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garcia_Raul.xml OHMS Object Text The field contains the OHMS Index and/or Transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable within Omeka 5.4 0203-10-28 Raul Garcia 01:14:27 Latino Lorain Latino Veterans Fall 2023 Oberlin College Libraries oberlin Raul Garcia Stephanie Mata Granados 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/xw42n792v Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title="Raul Garcia" src="//media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/j3860697r/embed" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; English 0 Introduction Hello. I am Stephanie Mata Granados and I'm interviewing Raul Garcia to talk about his life as part of the Latino Veterans Oral History Project. Thank you, Mr. Garcia, for agreeing to be interviewed. Could you please state your name and your birthdate? Stephanie Mata Granados introduces Raul Garcia who is being interviewed for the Latino Lorain Veteran History Project, which is a collaboration between the Lorain Historical Society and Oberlin College. The interview takes place in the Lorain Historical Society. Latino Lorain Oral History Project ; Lorain Historical Society 0 36 Family So the first question I have for you today is just if you could ask, if you could tell me, um, where you were born and where you grew up. Raul Garcia discusses his early life in Lorain and his experiences with his parents and 5 siblings. US Marine Corps ; Utah ; Mexico ; siblings 0 201 Early Life Then what about just life in general for you and your family? What was that like growing up? Mr. Garcia describes growing up in Lorain as a place with people of “all nationalities.” He also discusses community clubs, organizations, and life in Lorain during the civil rights movement. The Gents multicultural club ; civil rights ; Lorain 0 313 Dance and Music What were some of the things that you would do besides parties? Like, what was, like, would you guys organize in some way? Raul Garcia shares that weekly dances were a major way that Mr. Garcia’s club, The Gents, would create community. dance ; the Gents 0 409 Mentors and Role Models And what about some of your mentors or role models? Did you have any growing up? So like, could you tell us more about them? Mr. Garcia talks about some of his role models growing up, including President John F. Kennedy, his uncles, and brothers. Additionally, Mr. Garcia points out that TV’s glorification of the military contributed to people’s perception of the military as cool. &#13 ; &#13 ; John F. Kennedy ; Better American ; family ; TV 0 540 Coming Back From War When my uncles went in, I think they were both drafted. They come out, uh, better people. Mr. Garcia recalls that his uncles and brother came out of war as better people, but they also didn’t talk about their experiences in war. However, he did witness them being verbally mistreated by people who didn’t approve of their participation in war. Mr. Garcia also shares about his inability to talk about his service, except with his old squadrons. Korean War ; Vietnam War ; secret missions ; FaceBook ; social media 0 840 Service Beyond the Military Yeah. So thank you for that. I appreciate hearing about like, early life and then delving into a little bit later, but that's awesome. Yeah. I'd love to hear it all. Um, yeah. So we kind of talked about how you first began to think about military service, like through your role models, like, um, people on TV and your uncles. Was there anything else you would like to share about that?&#13 ; Mr. Garcia says he wanted to serve his country because it’s something he loved to do. In fact, he continued to serve his country in other ways after he stopped serving in the military. corrections officer ; military police ; post office ; human services 0 1025 Time in the Military So speaking specifically about your service, what was the branch that you entered and why specifically that Mr. Garcia shares that he was in the navy, in which he traveled the world and came across different living conditions. He remembers having a good time during his basic training, although this wasn’t the case for all the men there. US Navy ; Hawaii ; Alaska ; Hong Kong ; Australia ; Italy ; Spain ; FaceBook ; Great Lakes ; Chicago 0 1484 How Background Impacts Service What were some of the emotions that you had during boot camp? For Mr. Garcia, basic training and boot camp felt like a playground, especially because of the way he was brought up. basic training ; bootcamp ; orders 0 1769 Being Away From Home Was the basic training your first time away from home? Mr. Garcia shares that basic training was the first time that he was away from home and it was wonderful because he was able to see the world and how other people lived. leaving home 0 1842 Memorable Stories of Service What is your most vivid, vivid memory of your time? Training or in school? Raul Garcia remembers when his aircraft caught on fire while he was serving in the US Air Force. US Air Force ; emergency landing 0 2124 A Favorite Part of Service Oh God. when you start walking home. I don't know. Um, but yeah. Uh, thank you for talking about that aspect of your life. Now we would like to talk more about your wartime service, which you've been talking about already, but just some further questions. Mm-Hmm. Um, we talked about a little bit about what you loved most about your time in Hawaii, maybe. Was there any other, like best part of your service overall or like your favorite part of service overall? One of Mr. Garcia’s favorite parts of his service was in Adak, Alaska. He shares a specific favorite memory of bald eagles that were following him. &#13 ; Adak, Alaska ; submarines ; Russia ; bald eagle 0 2339 Difficult Times of Service What about, um, like, oh, like you said before, there are good and bad parts of, of life. That's life, so it's great to hear about that, like favorite memory. But what about, was there like a time that wasn't so great? Or maybe that was difficult, like a challenge? Mr. Garcia recalls that one of the hardest parts of his service was flying in the military planes. Regardless, it was challenging and made him stronger because it taught him where his limits were and therefore taught him who he was. He finds comparisons between this lesson that he learned in the military and the lessons that he and his wife give their daughter.&#13 ; military planes ; submarine ; family ; college ; help 0 2758 Leaving the Military How did it feel ending service? Mr. Garcia describes that when he left the military he continued to do some work in Europe, but eventually had to leave to start planning his life. He mentions that he and other veterans on FaceBook say the same thing, including that if they could, they would go back and serve on their aircrafts. Mr. Garcia also mentions that his service never ends because of constant reminders of his experiences in the military. &#13 ; Military service ; reserves ; Rome ; Italy ; Spain ; FaceBook ; Fourth of July ; Veterans Day ; Dreams ; Lorain 0 3210 Legacy With that, with like generations coming, we were talking about this earlier, but do you feel like generations after you are also joining the military? Or do you feel like you're setting that example? Raul Garcia shares that his son is now interested in joining the military as well. Mr. Garcia explains how military service for Latinos is intertwined with Latino values of family, respect, and protection. He also discusses how family sets the foundation for people. son ; uncles ; grandfather ; Mexican Revolution ; protecting family ; respect 0 3460 The Impact of Military So we would like to know how your experiences in the military changed you. Mr. Garcia shares that being in the military made him into something he always wanted to be. Lorain ; US Military ; travel 0 3662 Life Lessons Speaking of life lessons, we've talked a lot about different ones that you've learned that have. Are there any others that you'd like to share? Mr. Garcia shares the life lesson of respecting your family as much as possible and to not turn on each other, but instead to resolve problems, something that was reinforced in the military. He also tells a personal anecdote of a time when he embraced this life lesson. respect ; family ; military ; sailor ; help 0 4060 Military Service’s Impact on Feelings Surrounding War and Military We'd also like to know more about how your military service impacted your feelings about war and the military in general. Raul Garcia talks about how the military has strengthened the ways that he interacts with current war and the concept of protection. war ; home ; gratitude ; prepared ; protect 0 4305 Advice for Future Generations I appreciate all the wisdom that you have. I mean, brought here today. Uh, one of the final questions that we have is what message do you want to give to future generations that may come across this interview, that will watch this interview? Mr. Garcia’s advice to future generations that will watch this interview is that you learn by making mistakes, and when those mistakes happen, just get up and keep going. He wishes everyone good luck. mistakes ; personal growth 0 4391 Last Remarks Awesome. Uh, so just to wrap up, I wanna ask you if there's anything else that you would like to talk about, um, or that you want people to remember about your story, your family, um, before we end the interview? Mr. Garcia shares that he tells his kids that they should serve their country at least for a year or two. This is a way of giving a part of yourself to your country and community and it’ll make you a better person. service ; national service ; community 0 Oral History In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Garcia_Raul.xml LL_Garcia_Raul.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. 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