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Show Of? C7 ':::: a 0 Sept. 17, 1992 13 Hilltop Times Month highlights Hispanic heritage As part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Hilltop Times profiles Hispanic members in the Hill work force to introduce them and their unique heritage to their i ' John Medina ; John is a technology specialist in the Technology and Industrial Support Directorate. He has worked for the Air Force for seven years. He was recently selected into the Air Force Logistics Career Enhancement Program which identifies the most highly skilled logisticians in the Air Force for career broadening and developmental opportunities, education and training. John began his civil service career at Tooele Army Depot, moving on to the Bureau of Reclamation, Weber Basin Job Corps Program, prior to hiring on il .v 'V. ;; Vx . '"-:,- x" Mia,Q '"'ill I oH turn ; Xli ( ' r)' iA . r . W. v4 at Hill in 1985. He is deeply involved in his church and community. He served as director and regional coordinator of Cursillos de Christiandad movement in his church for 10 years. He also served as the parish council president. His involvement also includes coaching church basketball, and playing and managing basketball in the Salt Lake County Recreation League. John is currently Chapter President of IMAGE de Utah, a national organization concerned with the employment and education of Hispanics in the state and federal section. He served as the chairman of the first-eve- r Hispanic Unity and Youth Leadership Conference in April 1992. In May 1992, he received the national IMAGE President's Award for his efforts in improving the status of Hispanic Americans in the areas of employment, education and civil rights. He enjoys fishing, sports and loves to cook, especially Mexican food. He also likes talking with senior citizens and youth because they either have learned so much or have a lot to learn. "I have gained a genuine respect for my Hispanic heritage and culture, especially New Mexican traditions and folklore," he said. He added that he is very committed to la familia and teaching kids the high values of respect and appreciation of life. t John and his wife, Michele, live in Roy. They have three daughters and four grandchildren. ' .!'.!. - ! Photos by Neil Word Working heritage - V- ' Top, SSgt. Eric ) - Bar-rer- a checks the local weather conditions to update any pilots in the area. JLeftobo- U i - . - U y . Medina discusses new'i Equal Employment Opportunity laws with Win iai$, Loretta co-work- er Lockhart. Below, Merry Stowell discusses a check- pre-inspecti- list with base housing Nrr, t - . & m ,mmmmm .1' m,, tt V- - resident Angela h fV ;:K rf ( f Marcu. " t 1 Merry Stowell Merry is a housing inspector for the base housing unit of the 2849th Air Base Group. She has worked for the Air Force since 1983. Before becoming a housing inspector, she worked in forms and publications and the computer library section. Merry was born Dec. 25 (a Christmas bambino) in Harlingen, Texas. Her parents came from Mexico by crossing the Rio Grande when her mother was eight months pregnant with her older brother. Her parents built a homemade shack of scrap lumber and tarpaper. Merry can remember when her mother used to sing a Spanish lullaby as she would look at the stars above because there was only a partial roof. Before Merry was 3 years old, her parents separated and eventually divorced. Merry and her older brother had to learn to take care of themselves at a very young age because their mother couldn't afwhile she worked. ford to pay for baby-sittin- g For three years after leaving Texas, Merry, her two brothers and her mother became migrant farm workers, traveling to California, Michigan, New Mexico and Colorado for seasonal farm work. She learned the meaning of hard work at an early age through picking tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cherries, hauling heavy sacks of green beans to the end of the rows for trucks to pick up, and lifting boxes of tomatoes for stacking. Working the fields was very exhausting, but from it Merry learned a great deal about challenges and how to hold on to one's dreams. She has used these experiences throughout her life to give her the ambition to provide a better future for herself and her children. Her mother taught her to always take pride in how you do things and give more than your best. Merry has been involved with numerous organi- zations and fund-raiser- s throughout her life. They include: the Chicano Student Association, Special Olympics, La Raza, and the Governor's committee board for retarded citizens. Pee-We- e She is the Hispanic Employment Program manager for the 2849th ABG. She has also coached girls' basketball and softball teams and has held var-- " ious positions in her church. She is also currently vice president of the PTA board for special education for Monte Vista Elementary School. Merry's hobbies include designing and sewing clothing, crafts, music, reading and watching comedy shows. "Home Improvement" and "Roseanne" are her favorite shows. She enjoys all sports, particularly running. She is married and the mother of three children: two boys, ages 17 and 14, and a very special daughter, 15, who was born with disabilities. About her daughter, Merry says, "She might have disabilities, but not inabilities." Merry and her family live in Syracuse. ' i i ' ." t ' 'J ' J , K ' 1 ' I w4, i SSgt. Eric Barrcra Eric is in training at the Hill AFB control tower. He has been in the Air Force since June 1979. After graduating from Cooper High School in 1979, Eric joined the Air Force. He was a security policeman until 1986, when he began cross training to become an air traffic controller at the Air Traffic Control School in Biloxi, Miss. His training continued at Little Rock AFB, Ark., where he was a ground control approach controller. He successfully completed this training after eight months. Then, in September 1991, he was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, which is one of the busiest radar facilities in the Air Force. Then, because of his youngest son's health, Eric was transferred to Hill in May 1992. He has taken advantage of the training offered by the Air Force. So far he has completed leadership school, electronic combat classes, base installation security systems class and law enforcement classes. At the moment is working toward a bachelor's degree in airways management. A4 Eric's hobbies include golfing, reading, racquet-ball- , dancing and spending time with his family. Eric and his wife, Anna, live in base housing with their two sons: Michael and Zachary. |