Naval Station Everett celebrated Black History Month Feb. 25. Raymond Miller, retired Air Force and Vietnam veteran, guest speaker at the event, spoke to the crowd of Sailors and civilians in the auditorium about black history and the changes in America today.

A nationally certified veteran service officer and veteran advocate authorized by the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Miller has done a lot for veterans. In addition to helping more than 300 veterans and their families go from homelessness to a comfortable stable home, Miller also played a big role in founding the Vets Place Northwest Welcome Home. The organization was created to help veterans and their families break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.

During his presentation, Miller talked about the need for Black History Month. He said a lot of people argue there is no longer a need for the annual celebration in a country with an African American president, but he disagrees.

“Black History Month is necessary as long as racial tensions such as the ‘Jena 6’ incident take place in this country,” said Miller.

He also believes that the annual reminder will be necessary until there is a stronger emphasis in African American history in the school systems.

However, Miller said the country is continuously progressing and things have gotten better, especially in the United States military. After his presentation, Miller was posed with a question about the difference between his time in the Air Force and the Vietnam War, and the military today.

He characterized today’s military as leading the way in a multi-cultural environment.

“We can see this in places like recruit training commands when young recruits can report to an African American recruit division commander,” Miller said. He explained this was not the case in the early years of our nation for many African American service members.

Naval Station Everett Commanding Officer Capt. Thomas Mascolo urged those in attendance to honor the achievements of service members in the past that made a difference.

“Diversity has always been the strength of our nation and is necessary if we want our armed forces to continue to grow and meet future challenges,” he said.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, created national Black History Week in 1926 to raise awareness in African American history. In 1976, just after the country’s 200th birthday, it was changed to Black History Month.