Henry Villar

"Yes!…I am all things I have done, but I will be what I do TODAY!"

Alma Mater

This July 18th 2018 my class celebrated our 30th anniversary of the first day when we started our Navy journey in the “Heroica Escuela Naval Militar” (Heroic Naval Military School of Mexico) – HENM, our Alma Mater! Around 40 families gathered in the Naval Base located in Anton Lizardo Veracruz Mexico.

On that day, 30 years ago, approximately 600 new cadets arrived from every region of Mexico. Some of them left the first day, first week or first months, and those in the waiting list were called in. So, at the end, more than 900 young men tried to become Navy officers, but only 146 graduated after 5 years, on July 1st, 1993.

Going there to celebrate that day, remembering old memories , and getting updated in our respective lives brought us together again. This celebration happens only every 5 years. Some of us are already retired, some are still in the service, others are heroes who gave their life for their country and are waiting for us up there in heaven. But we are all a big Navy FAMILY.

After you enter the main gate guarded by cadets in the HENM, the first thing you see in front of the administrative building is is the bronze plate with the spirit and expectations that the school has for the Naval personnel:

“This is the Heroic Naval School of Mexico, noble for the purity of its traditions and heroic for the glorious deeds of its children. Its mission is to form officers for the Mexican Navy with the knowledge inherent in the naval profession, preparing them by strengthening bodies, minds and spirits, inculcating the highest concepts of honor, duty, loyalty and spirit of justice, so they can become honest citizens, capable of carrying with dignity, success and lordship the greatest responsibilities as guides and captains at the service of their compatriots.”

HONORDUTYLOYALTY, and SPIRIT OF JUSTICE is part of our character, personality, and work ethics. Yes! I know…A military institution is different than a for profit Corporation, an Enterprise. However, I find all these concepts and the lessons learned in my Naval/Military career highly applicable to any organization and corporation. Adapting them accordingly and aligning them with the leadership and company objectives and vision is critical for veterans to succeed.

Thank you Alma Mater, Heroica Escuela Naval Militar, for all you gave me, an Education, Character, Discipline, Leadership, and a sense of Duty to make a better world with radical ownership and sacrificial service. THANK YOU!

Photo: Class 88-93.

Video of the celebrations in our Alma Mater: https://youtu.be/5Vl8oeIbHys