FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the nation celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The timing is historically significant as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Chile all celebrate the anniversary of their independence in mid-September.
During a Defense Logistics Agency Energy Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on Oct. 4, the Acquisition Workforce Development Team and Supplier Operations will recognize the contributions of DLA Energy employees. Learn more about one of those employees, Marcel Ocampo, in this interview.
What is your position title and role? I am the chief of DLA Energy Business Process Support Directorate’s Planning Division at DLA Headquarters on Fort Belvoir, Virginia. I lead a team of 10 business process analysts responsible for providing guidance and technical solutions to all DLA Energy demand and supply planners meeting the fuel requirements of Warfighters in the U.S. and overseas.
Years of Service (civilian? Military?): I served for 25 years in the Air Force. I was enlisted for almost 15 years before attending Officer Training School and getting my commission. I retired as a Captain and then joined DLA in June 2012. I worked as a consultant for the Defense Intelligence Agency for a year before coming back to my logistics background.
What is your ethnicity? I am Hispanic (Bolivian-American) and was born and raised in La Paz, Bolivia.
What do you think about when you hear Hispanic Heritage Month? I think about the opportunity to recognize all the people that paved the way for someone like me to be in the position I am.
How do you plan to celebrate the month? I plan to celebrate having fun with my family and friends while enjoying Bolivian food.
What advice would you have given yourself 10 years ago? Stop trying to plan every aspect of your life…just enjoy the ride and have fun!
What is the best piece of advice you can give someone? Always do your best, no matter how big or small the task at hand. Do not just do it because someone is always watching but because it is the right thing to do.
What personal accomplishments are you most proud of? I am proud of having made a difference in the life of many people while teaching technical training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. When I was a Staff Sergeant, I taught the Air Transportation Apprentice course from 1993-1998. I never knew how much my experience and words mattered to young and seasoned airmen until I heard it from them.
Do you have a personal motto or a favorite quote? Yes, if it is meant to be, it will be.
How has your family’s Hispanic ancestry/origins influenced your life? It helped me realize that I had to work hard for everything in my life because nothing was going to be easy or handed to me for free.