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A message from League of United Latin American Citizens
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View as web page:
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October 24, 2023
Contact: David Cruz - (818) 689-9991 Mobile
[email protected]
LULAC ANALYSIS: THE WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY FOR BRANDON
CASERTA ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR MILITARY
=============================================================================
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Salutes Historic
Achievement of THE BRANDON ACT, That Will Save Service Members' Lives
Washington, D.C. - Patrick and Teri Caserta walked up to the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier at Arlington Ceremony Monday and placed a wreath commemorating the
sacrifice of their son, Brandon Caserta. Brandon Caserta was a 21-year-old naval
squadron flight electrician who had been chronically bullied and abused by a
toxic command that denied his requests for mental health services. THE BRANDON
ACT now provides new hope for service men and women during a mental health crisis
or even before when they may be contemplating self-harm because of factors they
have not shared with anyone.
"The honor bestowed at Arlington Cemetery upon Brandon Caserta and his gold star
parents, Teri and Patrick, signals a historic moment in our country," says Roman
Palomares, LULAC military and veterans committee chair. "LULAC shares with our
nation's military leaders this momentous act of coming together to acknowledge a
great loss but also a great victory. We can now move forward as one to ensure the
safety of our brave men and women in uniform and, in turn, our nation's defense
readiness. This is our duty and commitment today and for future generations."
Present at the wreath-laying ceremony were many elected and military dignitaries,
including Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a key Senate Armed Services Committee member.
He is one of the original co-sponsors of THE BRANDON ACT that helped lead its
bipartisan passage in Congress in 2021. In attendance to escort the Casertas in
the wreath-laying ceremony was Robert D. Hogue, Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary of the Navy for Manpower & Reserve Affairs. Also in the escort party
was Mr. Gilbert Cisneros, immediate past Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel
and Readiness, now a congressional candidate from California. Rafaela Schwan
represented LULAC as Chief Operating Officer.
"This remembrance of our son's courage and sacrifice lifts our hopes for the
future," says Teri Caserta, president of the Brandon Caserta Foundation. "Nearly
every day since his passing, we are in touch with military members and their
families needing help with a mental health crisis. They don't know what to do or
where to go without suffering consequences to their careers but are afraid that
doing nothing will only lead to a worse outcome. Standing before the Tomb of the
Unknown was a bittersweet experience because, as a mom, I miss Brandon dearly.
Yet, I now feel empowered to do even more in his name. THE BRANDON ACT is the
help he didn't get, which will benefit thousands of other service members like
him. We will continue speaking loudly and boldly about mental health in our
military and work with every branch to ensure the law is enforced at every
level."
"THE BRANDON ACT is now the law of the land in our military and should be
vigorously enforced," says Patrick Caserta, co-author of the legislation signed
by President Biden in December 2021. "From JROTC programs to the Veterans
Administration, and at every step and level of military service in between, we
can and must teach THE BRANDON ACT as a way to save lives. There is no shame in
asking for help during a mental health crisis, and our son's moment of decision
now makes it possible to get that help without barriers or reprisal. We must now
focus on informing everyone we can about THE BRANDON ACT and be willing to defend
mental health care access as a right. Doing so will only make our nation's
defense stronger and more resilient. Teri and I are prepared to devote the rest
of our working lives to this worthwhile mission."
LULAC and the Brandon Caserta Foundation are in talks with every military service
branch, exploring ways to collaborate in community education outreach that builds
renewed trust in military service to help increase military recruitment for
service and career pathways. Our shared commitment is to ensure that the service
members who dedicate their lives to the protection of our nation have access to
the mental health care they need without fear, ensuring that no more lives are
lost in silence.
# # #
About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and
oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans
and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000
councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and
advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of
today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org [ [link removed] ] .
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