About ANSO

ANSO History
The Association of Naval Services Officers was created because of concerns by Hispanic officers that they were not fully represented in the officer corps and, more specifically, there were too few Hispanic applicants for the various officer programs. Historically, the Honorable Edward Hidalgo, then Secretary of the Navy, and having served during WWII, convened the Hispanic Officer Recruitment Conference (HORC) in December 1980 to closely examine issues, develop initiatives and resolve problems that confront the Naval Services in attracting qualified Hispanics for officer programs. One of the recommendations was the establishment of an organization of Hispanic Naval officers that would link the Hispanic community and the Sea Services in order to attract quality Hispanic Officer Candidates. Association of Naval Services Officers was formally established on February 12, 1981.

ANSO Mission
To assist officer recruitment and retention efforts in the Hispanic Community; support and nurture our junior enlisted personnel desiring to apply for Officer programs; and foster the professional growth and development of Hispanic Sea Services personnel through mentoring, networking, training, and educational programs.

ANSO Vision
We are a professional organization, the acknowledged leader in recruiting, developing, and retaining high-quality Hispanics in the Sea Services, continuously harnessing the strength of a diverse workforce to optimize readiness in defense of our nation, and to positively influence the Hispanic Community.

ANSO Core Values

Leadership
We are leaders. We are committed to leading and mentoring our Officers, Enlisted, Civilians, and Youth – individually and collectively. We add value and maintain relevance to our Sea Services and community by enhancing integrity, respect, and moral courage throughout our members and those we lead.

Excellence
We are committed to excellence. We strive for continuous improvement and seek to be a change agent for innovations to improve the readiness of the Sea Services through the recruitment, retention, and professional development of Hispanics. We hold ourselves and our members accountable for our actions and results.

Dedication
Dedication is our foundation. We fervently strive to facilitate and achieve greater purpose and meaning for Hispanics in service to our nation, to members of the Sea Services, and to the Hispanic Community. We stay the course, and seek to be a long-term, sustaining, and relevant influence for our Services and members.