On Veterans Day 2009, the Middle Tennessee Hispanic Democrats honor the service of all U.S. veterans. MTNHD President Fabian Bedne reflects on the life and death of Major Libardo Caraveo:

"I was reading the biographies of the victims of the horrible tragedy at Fort Hood, and one in particular struck me: Major Libardo Caraveo, a 52-year-old psychologist from Mexico who moved to the U.S. as a teenager and earned his way to a Ph.D. at the University of Arizona. It caught my attention that Caraveo's biography mentioned being born in Mexico and coming to the U.S. knowing little English."

"It brought me to tears to see the moving comments below the news story of Caraveo's tragically abbreviated life. Family and colleagues commemorated his joy of living and his barrier-busting accomplishments. They all mourn his loss, along with the rest of the country."

"I was also born outside the U.S., and English wasn't my first language. Part of my work in the Middle Tennessee Hispanic Democrats is about highlighting the contributions and the potential of immigrants and people who arrive here who aren't yet bilingual. I can't help but be inspired by the life of Major Libardo Caraveo and the military commitment to his adopted country for which he gave his life."

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