Photos

240910-N-PU282-1006

Rear Adm. Guido Valdes, commander of Naval Medical Forces Pacific and director of Defense Health Network Pacific Rim, speaks during the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s 2024 Hispanic Heritage Observance at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., Sep. 10. Valdes, a Puerto Rico and Miami native of Cuban descent, shared how his Hispanic heritage, shaped by values of family, faith, and language, influenced his Naval career and leadership in Navy Medicine. He highlighted the importance of taking risks, seizing opportunities, and giving back – principles he learned from his parents’ journey to the United States. (Navy photo by Arsenio R. Cortez Jr.)