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 MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii - Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders dominate the demographics of Hawaii. Their rich, cultural
heritage is found not only in Hawaii, but all over the world. Like
most commemorative months, Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month
began as a congressional bill. It was signed in June of 1977, and
the first 10 days in May were designated as Asian Pacific Heritage
Week. It wasn't until President George H.W. Bush's term that the
commemorative week was extended to its current place on the
calendar.
Among the Pacific Islanders on Oahu wearing the
Marine Corps uniform is Sgt. Aysia Acfalle, an administrative chief
with the Base Inspector's Office aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
She was born at Naval Medical Center San Diego, and comes from a
family with a military background and strong Guamanian roots. She
found herself following in her father's footsteps by balancing the
Marine Corps traditions and ethos with her native culture.
“A
lot of my family members were Marines,” Acfalle said. “My dad is a
former Marine, who served in Operation Desert Storm, and my brother
is a Marine.”
Acfalle moved to Guam as a child, and after
spending a considerable amount of time there, adopted many of the
common traditions and courtesies indigenous to the Pacific Islands
before returning to the U.S.
“There are a lot of (customs) in
Guam that I didn't really see in the U.S,” Acfalle said. “(I saw
more) holding the door open for people, giving the proper greeting,
and saying hello (to somebody) you don't know.”
Fortunately
for Acfalle, the Marine Corps' chivalry instilled within Marines
meshes with some of her heritage's. However, some do not, and she
must find ways to marry institutional expectations with personal
ideals.
“I find myself struggling with the age (barrier),”
Acfalle said. “In my culture, anything an adult or elder says- goes.
You don't argue with it, that's just how it is. In our culture, age
is the rank structure.”
It is not uncommon for a service
member within any branch of service to rank higher than somebody
older and at times, the age gap can be considerable.
“When I
joined the Marine Corps, my first challenge as a young corporal was
when I had a 35-year-old lance corporal under my charge,” Acfalle
said. “I found it difficult telling somebody who is older than me
what to do.”
Through her own experiences, Acfalle remedies
this internal conflict by being open-minded and unassuming of
Marines. Young or old, she realizes that everybody has their own
experiences.
“(I) have to be respectful of those older than
me, because although they're a (lower) rank than me, they have
experienced more in life than I, and I use that as a tool,” she
said. “Although the Marine Corps is a (nonstop) commitment, there
are a lot of things in life that you can implement into your Marine
Corps life. Whatever (my elders) have learned through their life,
that I wasn't even alive for, they can share that with me and allow
me to be a better Marine.”
Marines from all walks of life,
ethnic backgrounds and cultures tie the Marine Corps together,
forming a homogenous fighting force. The
Marine Corps prides itself
on its obedience to orders and its traditional background, however
that does not mean Marines have to sacrifice their heritage. Rather,
they must find a balance.
By U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Adam Korolev
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
The U.S. Marines
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