For My Country? Latinos in the Military

The question posed in the title of this important report has no easy answer. Young Latinos are disproportionately represented in the military when compared with population statistics, and it is clear, on the one hand, that they are often targeted by military recruiters as they complete secondary schooling. Yet it is also the case that many Latino military personnel stand proudly by their decisions to enter the branches of the United States services. One central figure in the report, Lance Cpl. Diego Sosa, recounts his combat experience, his recovery from serious wounds and one additional reason for his enlistment and service: acquiring U.S. citizenship. Interviews with students opposed to the Iraq war and to recruitment practices, with teachers, anti-war activists, recruiting officers and career counselors offer a wide spectrum of opinions and concerns. For providing in-depth analysis and a range of viewpoints on an issue crucial to Latino youth and their communities, For My Country? Latinos in the Military receives a Peabody Award.