Service members to embrace multicultural event June 22

90Th Missile Wing Public Affairs --
The 90th Missile Wing, along with the 153rd Airlift Wing, is hosting a Joint Service Multicultural Event at the Trail’s End Event Center June 22, with the opening ceremony starting at 10:30 a.m.

“We are hosting all our diversity events into one because of the high ops tempo we have here at the 90th Missile Wing,” said James Hunt, 90th MW Equal Opportunity director. “We can collectively recognize all the observances of the ethnic groups and organizations here that make team Warren so strong.”

In the past, more than seven cultural and diversity events were held throughout the year, focusing on a particular culture or group. This event will celebrate all different groups within the wing together.

“We hope that people coming to the event will have a better understanding of the different cultures and better understand the diversity that’s on this base,” said Master Sgt. Carlos Barter, 90th MW EO NCO in charge. “We wanted to help explain how one culture is not more important than the others, but how they collectively help us together.”

Booths set up by base organizations – such as the chapel, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Asian Pacific heritage, Women’s History, Pride Awareness and Native American heritage group – will be at the event to provide information and answer any questions at their particular booth.

“I think it’s very important that we partner with our brothers and sisters of the Air Guard and Army Guard because we operate in a joint environment,” Barter said. “Today, it is about the collective effort. We support them and they support us.”

We are grateful the 153rd AW wants to be part of making this event a success, added Barter.

Dances from the Asian Pacific heritage group and Native American heritage group will be performed throughout the day. Bouncy houses and activities will also be available for children to enjoy. Food and beverages will be served showcasing a diversity of foods from different cultural backgrounds.

“When you understand a person’s history, I think you can appreciate them a little more,” Hunt said. “The whole goal here is to help us become stronger, better teammates.”

For example, the U.S. Air Force was first branch to allow African Americans to serve in unsegregated units and since then, has only added in its efforts to diversify its greatest asset--its Airmen.

“We feel the enormous support we get from everybody here at the 90th Missile Wing, this is a team effort,” Hunt said. “It’s exciting for me to see how we come together when there is something for the 90th Missile Wing to do, and we do it with class. It’s a combined effort and everybody puts forth their very best to make it happen.”

The Joint Service Multicultural event is open to anyone with base access. For more information, contact the EO office at 773-6060.