Contempo Magazine Blog

This week Presidential hopefuls, John McCain and Barack Obama both appeared before the controversial La Raza Unida Conference in San Diego. (A complete set of videos of both candidates is on our magazine community page.)With recent polls showing a virtual tie and western states with significant Hispanic populations teeter-tottering on who they favor there is much at stake. Both candidates discussed the need for immigration reform and how their economic proposals would help Latinos. There was a however, a notable difference in their approach.

Senator Barack Obama , who spoke first, specifically refused to hold a town hall session with members of the audience attending the conference and even refused to be questioned by officers of La Raza in a public forum. The next day John McCain apologized to the audience for the “insults” to Hispanics from the Republican Party and discussed how he had almost committed political suicide by joining with Senator Ted Kennedy in sponsoring the failed comprehensive immigration reform after which he received a standing ovation. After his address he volunteered to to hold a town hall type meeting and take questions from the audience. In fact, according to Carla Marinucci of the San Francisco Chronicle, he walked away from his secret service agents right in to the crowd. He was asked questions about the “shame of raids that take children (American citizens) away from their parents (illegal aliens)” and whether immigration reform will come in one bill. He answered the questions and kindly asked the questioners if they had any follow-up.

Although I was not there, watching the video it seems to me that John McCain was being very sincere. He did not make promises in the clouds but pointed out a reasonable path for immigration reform. Mr. Obama still has a lot of work to do if he wants to get a majority of the Hispanic vote including learning to listen to Hispanics not just talk to them. John McCain, at least on this day, showed himself to be the “Maverick” we respect and perhaps took a step forward in winning more Hispanic votes.

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Okay first of all I have to admit that I am a Hispanic male who can be addicted to watching novelas. In fact I often try not to watch them because once you see an episode or two you are hooked for months even though you can often predict how they will end but you can never ever figure how they get to the ending. But Televisa is doing something a little different with “La Rosa de Guadalupe”. Each episode is a whole one hour story in itself dealing with faith.

In this episode, the heroine,”Jacinta”, finds that her infant daughter has disappeared in a mysterious fire after which her husband never returns. Jacinta holds on to the belief that some how her daughter is alive and of course eleven years later is proven right. Her reverence for the Holy Mother is a sustaining force in her loss. To be honest there was a lot cliche which we come to expect from novelas but there was something more.

The reverence of La Madre de Dios is a powerful force that gives an always buoyant unyielding hope to millions of Hispanics. On American English language television such a story would be seen as bizarre and perhaps unbelievable but on Univision it is a portrayal of the true character of a people. The love of family and the willingness to undergo incredible hardship is no doubt fortified by the indomitable conviction that life will improve if not for us than for our children. The example La Virgen set by suffering through her son’s crucifixation is taught to us at an early age and at least I would argue helps make us who we are.

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The co-pilot, call sign “Mando” watched as his passengers, President
George Bush and the First Lady, approached on March 8, 2004.
He was not alone. In addition to the rest of the flight crew he had
riding with him a long proud history of tradition. The day of his first
“Lift” had arrived. That tradition began in the 1800’s when his ancestors,
the Avilas and the Contreras helped bring the Rio Grande Valley
into a new century.

“First Lift”Photo by Karen Nutini

The Avilas had long been in the Donna area. His grandfather, Tranquilino
Avila, was a deputy sheriff from 1946 until his premature death
in 1956. At that time, there were no death benefits, so his son Miguel,
one of 15 siblings, decided to join the Marines because he could not
afford to go to college. Then courting Arcelia Contreras, granddaughter
of Epifanio Contreras (the City Marshall for Ebenezer) which later
became the City of Alamo. From her family, Arcelia learned the value
of education and planned to attend college. She was not initially
impressed with young Miguel, whom she described as “thinking too
much of himself.” Growing up, she saw many family members leave
to join the armed services, including her brother who she did not see
for four years during World War II.
Over the next three years, (they did write to each other) while she
was completing college she learned that he had distinguished himself
as a Marine Non-Commissioned officer by the early 1960’s. Young
Miguel matured in the military and was awarded honors for leading
the Marine detachment protecting the American embassy in Colombia.
Miguel Avila never forgot the hardship a family can go through by
losing a father, so after serving in the Marines, he pursued a career in
the life insurance industry, successfully being recognized as a the top
national salesman for John Hancock. Ultimately, he won the heart
and hand of Arcelia.

Miguel Armando Avila, nickname “Mando”, was born on July 26,
1971 as the middle child of Miguel and Arcelia. While growing up, he
often played with older and bigger uncles. As often happens in large
families, he became the little guy that the older ones playfully picked
on, but he nevertheless was ready to compete with them. Some of
them played for the 1961 Donna High School football team, which
won the state championship who instilled in him, his parents believe,
the will to compete and to achieve. At the same time, he was always a
generous person. His mother recalls how he would make sure all the
kids in the neighborhood where invited for parties and that no one was
ever left out.
Miguel cannot recall exactly when he decided to join the Marines.
His family does recall a time at age eight, when he was given a tour of
a jet plane cockpit and proclaimed he was going to fly for the Marines
one day. After high school and a year of training at the Marine Military
Academy in Harlingen, he matriculated into the Corps of Cadets
at Texas A&M University.
His years at Texas A&M University can be described as no less
than outstanding. Thanks in part he says to the rigid requirement that
underclassmen in the Corps study every night from 7 to 10 pm, he
graduated cum laude with a 3.25 grade point average. As a junior, he
was selected to the elite “Sul Ross Volunteers”. They are the oldest
student organization for the State of Texas and act as the official escort
for the Governor of Texas. On several occasions Cadet Avila escorted
the Late Governor Ann Richards and First Lady, Barbara Bush. In his
final year, 1993-1994, at Texas A&M University he served as the Deputy
Corps Commander and also received the Doherty Award for
Most Outstanding Overall Cadet. Fellow classmates say that he was
an inspiring leader because of the way he identified with all cadets.
While attending the university he worked part-time at a gym to make
ends meet and also to help keep in shape. One day while jogging,
Ramiro Galindo, the owner of the gym introduced him to the Republican
candidate for governor. Little did he know that 10 years later their
paths would cross again.
To get to the position he held in March of 2004, “Mando” had to
complete 2 years of flight school and have over 1500 hours of exceptional
flying time in Marine helicopters. On June 30th of 2003, he was
awarded the Navy and Marines Achievement Medal for his role as
a frontline operations officer and flight operations officer for Operations
Infinite Moonlight and Eager Mace.
In August of 2003, Captain Avila joined the Presidential Helicopter
Unit, the famed HMX-1. He began a heavy training schedule that
lasted from August 2003 until March 8, 2004 when he had his first
“Lift” on “Marine One”. That morning he had met his parents at the
airport. His mother, now a retired Spanish History teacher, has severe
problems walking due to chronic knee ailments. He asked her if she
wanted a wheelchair but she refused because she did not want to inconvenience
her son or make him late. For reasons she cannot explain,
she had no pain that day in her knee and was able to walk normally.
Across from the White House is an area called the Ellipse, near the
Washington Monument he situated his parents to watch the events
for his first “Lift”. When he approached the White House south lawn
for landing he flew over his parents and gave his mother the “Gig Em
Aggies” thumbs up sign.
The events of that First Lift were fortuitously captured by coincidence.
Noted military photographer Karen Nutini happened to be
at the White House and caught the event on film and later gave it to
Captain Avila. (Thanks to Copy Zone in McAllen for providing an
oversize scanner used to produce this story)
During his four-year assignment to HMX-1 (the maximum time a
gifted pilot may stay with the unit), then Captain, now Marine Major
Avila visited 6 countries, 23 states, and 37 cities. Part of his duties
included being assigned as the “WHLO” or White House Liaison Officer.
Working with the Secret Service, Air Force One team, and other
authorities this involved the detailed planning of logistics and security
for all presidential trips. As an advance team leader Major Avila arranged
and planned the first ever Presidential Helicopter landing in
New York’s Central Park.

Despite being a part of the “Marine One” Team, Major Avila humbly
refers to himself as just another “Marine”. Although he has flown for
two Presidents at once, kings, and princes, he says the greatest thrill
he gets is when a group of young Marines gets into his helicopter and
looks at him with confidence.

Since completing his tour with HMX-1, the Major has been attending
Command and Staff School to get ready for further promotion. He
was the only Marine representative chosen for the prestigious Western
Hemisphere Cooperative for Security School, which is a high level
think tank for all Western Hemisphere allies of the United States. It’s
possible he will be appointed to Lt. Colonel in 2009 which will put
him into a strategic and operational administrative position but will
regretably reduce his flying time.
I spoke to him while he was on a road trip taking a little time off and
getting his car from the east coast to the west coast. Soon he will be
joining the HMM-161 Greyhawks training in Yuma Arizona. While
there, he will be updated on the latest intelligence on enemy tactics before deploying to Iraq.
When asked how it felt to overfly a combat zone he told me that anytime anyone
is in a helicopter, combat zone or not, there is a possibility of danger. Although he
has never crashed, from time to time he has had to make emergency landings due
to equipment problems or other conditions. He believes that one of the greatest
weapons the Marines have is that they are serious students of war and tactics, that
they use not just their muscles but also their wits in battle. Training, knowledge
of their equipment, trust in their buddies, and a keen understanding of the enemy
gives them the edge.
I asked him what would he like for us to say in the article. He remarked that
going to Texas A&M was the most invaluable experience in his life. The Aggie
experience taught him how to “make opportunities for oneself”. Everywhere he
goes in the military he meets fellow Aggies who are playing a vital role. An old
tradition of wearing the Aggie ring on the left hand even over the wedding ring
(by the way ladies Major Avila is still single) has been renewed by Aggie military
members. This tradition goes back to before World War II and reoccurred in the
Korean War when Aggies played a role in the U.S. military forces caught in the
Chinese onslaught at Chosen Reservoir, and continues today. It’s significance, no
doubt, a reminder of the Marines unbreakable commitment
to each other in moments of life or death.
His favorite food is the caldo de pollo made by his mom.
The most important days of the year are Mother’s Day,
Father’s Day, and of course the Aggies vs. Texas football
game. Major Avila likes A&M’s chances this year. Both
Tejano and Country Western music sounds are in his music
collection. (I wonder if Vincente Fernandez realizes
he has been played on the Presidential Helicopter). He
does hope to marry some day and is on the look out for a
woman with a good personality, confidence, and a streak
of independence.
He has promised his parents he will be back from the
war. It is understandably hard for his mother to talk about
what could happen to him but at the same time she says
she is happy he is doing what he wants to do and knows
he is well prepared. In fact, the most fearfull moment for
her was when he first soloed over water because to her he
seemed so young and inexperienced at that time.
Well things have changed alot for Major “Mando” Avila
since that first solo flight and since the 9/11 attacks. One
look at Major Avila and you know our armed forces are
ready, willing and able in their calling to defend our country.
He along with many, many other Upper Valley young
men and women are preparing for new tours of duty in
the Middle East. We ask all our readers to wish these fine
young and brave members of the United States Armed
Forces, Gods speed and a safe return home.
We want to thank the Major and all his family and
friends in the Donna area who provided information and
photos for this article. Major, we expect to see you home
as soon as possible for a well deserved rest.

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