ARLINGTON, Va. - The newest National Guard Heritage painting was unveiled as part of the celebrations of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at the Army National Guard Readiness Center here.
Titled "Tragedy in Paradise—The Recovery of Flight 801" the painting depicts the Guam National Guard's role in responding to the crash of a Korean Airlines Flight 801 in August 1997.
"One of the more memorable call-ups of the Guam National Guard occurred in the shocking aftermath of the crash," said Army Brig. Gen. Walter E. Fountain, acting deputy director of the Army National Guard, during the event. "With no notice, Army and Air National Guard members from Guam went into action. They traversed steep slopes with thick sword grass to reach the crash site and assist civilian first responders in emergency response."
The crash made worldwide headlines and the response of the Guam Guard allowed for quick assistance to those who needed it.
"In large part because of the partnership between the civilian first responders and the Guard members, 26 of the 254 on board survived the crash," said Fountain.
For many, that incident may stand out as the perhaps the most high profile mission the Guam Guard has participated in, however, Soldiers and Airmen from Guam have also served in deployments to the Horn of Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas.
"As we celebrate today the (Guam Army National Guard's) 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment is deployed to Afghanistan as Task Force Guam and it represents the first time they've deployed as a battalion together," said Fountain.
The event also honored all of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and served as a way to further cross-cultural ties and understanding.
"We want to make sure we are the best unit we can be," said Phil Nash, a writer, lawyer and cross-cultural communications professor who served as the keynote speaker at the event. "That means improving the capabilities, making you strong and bringing in all the language abilities, cultural understandings that make you the best force you can be. "
Nash pointed out some of the population statistics of those from Asian and Pacific Islander backgrounds as a way to show the largeness and variety of that cultural heritage.
"When you look at the world as a whole, about two-thirds of the people in the world are of Asian ancestry," said Nash, adding that many look at that as one large group, rather than a collection of many different groups.
"There are 30 Asian and 24 Pacific Islander groups and there are some, such as the Hmong, that have no national home—some are in Laos, some are in Cambodia and other places," said Nash. "Each of them has a different culture, languages, culinary traditions."
And Nash used the opportunity to point out that finding the best individual for the job or mission—regardless of his or her cultural background—is a key to strong leadership.
"It's very important to look beyond that and say I see a man here, I see a woman here and somebody of a different background. What can this person share with us? It's important to see that," he said.
Part of that also involves avoiding the simple answers, he said.
"You have to be careful about simplistic answers," Nash said. "People will give you "the answer" on how to deal with people. Well, there is no "the answer." Part of your training as leaders and aspiring leaders is to understand that you have to keep learning. You have to keep learning about the people you're with."
And, another aspect is looking at those around you and what they may have to offer.
"It's not a matter of waiting from somebody at the top to say ‘I want you, you and you,'" said Nash. "Rather, it's a matter of looking laterally at the people sitting next to you and saying ‘That woman has language skills. That guy over there has leadership skills. Maybe we should encourage that person to go get some extra training.' We need to make sure we help each other rise up in leadership."
In the end, it comes down to drawing circles, instead of lines to cross, said Nash.
"We have learned to draw a circle that draws everybody in," he said. "That's important not just for our armed services but for everybody. How can I draw a circle to bring you in so that you and I, together, can build this unit, this armed service and this country into the best that it can be?"