“We do a lot of training with partner nations, such as Chile and Colombia, so I am able to teach them in Spanish and give them the training they need,” said Cattaneo.
And while Cattaneo loves his job, he had to sacrifice much for it.
“I will always be proud that I am from Argentina,” said Cattaneo. “But the United States is my country now, and I am proud of that. So when I enlisted, I gave up my dual citizenship. I wanted to do something meaningful for my country.”
Cattaneo is called to serve the United States, but the value of military service was instilled in him by his grandfather, a musician in the Argentinean army.
“My grandfather taught me about the honor of serving your country,” said Cattaneo. “I’ve been so fortunate to have him attend some of my graduations and promotions.”
Cattaneo is proud to be an American Airman because of the opportunities the United States offers.
“It’s amazing how much is available here,” said Cattaneo. “I love the toy stores because growing up in Argentina, you couldn’t just go get even a simple toy, and much less the little drones they [children] fly around now.”
Toy stores aren’t the only opportunities Cattaneo is proud America offers.
“I think the special observances – like Hispanic Heritage month or Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month – are so important,” said Cattaneo. “They celebrate one of the best things about the United States. We have so many different people from different cultures and we share these cultures. Everyone has something different to bring to the table.”
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