Diane G. Untalan's presence in the United States began in several places: the Philippines, Guam, Spain, Hawaii and China.

Her story is similar to many Asian-Pacific Americans.

"Throughout our history, many of our islands and countries have been visited or subjected to foreign rule where our heritage becomes intertwined with many other different cultures," Untalan said May 25 at West Fort Hood.

May was Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month and the U.S. Army Operational Test Command hosted an observance honoring those cultures.

The command's celebration featured entertainment from the Pacific Heights Express dance organization; a martial arts demonstration by Earl Henderson, head instructor at America's Martial Arts Institute; food from local restaurants.

Untalan, who teaches eighth-grade science at Killeen's Charles Patterson Middle School and coaches volleyball and track, was the observance's guest speaker. She was recently named Region 12's Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Untalan was born in Hawaii to a father of Filipino descent and mother of Guamanian descent. She also comes from a military family, surrounded by current and former soldiers and sailors. Her husband, Maj. Russell Untalan, is assigned to the 48th Chemical Brigade. He is a native of Guam.

It is important to Asian-Pacific Americans that as they travel away from their native homes, they try their best to educate their children in traditional values, customs and beliefs "in order to try to keep us close to home — even when we are so far away," Untalan said.

Her father joined the Army in Guam in 1974 in an effort to flee the Philippines and possible martial law. He retired at Fort Hood after 22 years of service.

"I learned to make the best of the opportunity you are given in order to provide a better life for yourself when my father showed us how life for us in the U.S. could be so much easier and better for us if we just work hard enough at it, embrace the challenges and learn everything you can to create a better life for ourselves," she aid.

Untalan also talked about other lessons she learned from her maternal grandfather, who was a Japanese prisoner of war in Guam from 1941 to 1944, and her maternal grandmother, a wealthy Spanish family who eloped with her grandfather despite threats of losing her entitled wealth.