Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 1 Line: 26

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Mr. Leyva was born in El Paso, Texas and grew up in Arizona and New Mexico. He graduated from Las Cruces High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1963. Mr. Leyva retired from Federal Service on August 31, 2000, with 34 years of combined service. At the time of his retirement, he was a Human Resources Manager with the Minerals Management Service (MMS), Department of the Interior (DOI) in Washington, D.C. During his career, he held many responsible managerial and staff positions within Human Resources Development, Management, and other Administrative areas.

Mr. Leyva enlisted in the U. S. Air Force in 1963 and retired in 1984, as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8) with the title of Vice Commandant, Tactical Air Command Non-Commissioned Officers' Academy West, Bergstrom AFB, TX. During his Air Force career, he was an Instructor Loadmaster on the C-130E aircraft and has more than 2300 flying hours to include 194 combat hours. His military decorations included the Distinguish Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air medal, and the Air Force Commendation medal.

In 1987, Mr. Leyva entered Federal Service in Washington, D. C., with the Financial Management Service (FMS), Department of Treasury, as a Support Services Supervisor (GS-12). In 1988, he was assigned collateral duties as the FMS first Hispanic Employment Program Manager (HEPM). During his tenure as a Hispanic Employment Program Manager, he was elected to the positions of National Council of Hispanic Employment Managers Vice Chair (1990/91) and Chair (1991/92).

In 1991, Mr. Leyva was promoted to GM-13 and reassigned to the MMS as the manager of the MMS Executive/Manager/Supervisor Development Programs. He again was assigned duties as the MMS HEPM. He also was awarded the 1991 HEPM Council's Outstanding Service Award for his exceptional work with the U. S. Office of Personnel Management and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. While at MMS, Mr. Leyva became a charter member of the DOI Hispanic Employees Association. He crafted the association's Constitution and Bylaws and secured the DOI Secretary's approval for the association. For his efforts, Mr. Leyva was elected as the first Chair of the association.

In 1994, Mr. Leyva was detailed to the DOI Office of National Service and Education Partnership. He implemented and managed the first DOI and Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Summer Intern Program. For the following year, he redesigned the program and implemented it as the DOI Minority Intern Program, with two new major requirements for the new program. The new requirements were that the majority of the interns would be placed at the DOI various field locations and the partnership of three major minority student organizations with Hispanic, African American, and Native American representations. This program is still the DOI cornerstone for all of its student programs. Additionally, Mr. Leyva crafted a DOI/HACU Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partnership support of Executive Order 12900, Education Excellent for Hispanic Americans and served as the DOI MOU administrator.

During his Federal career, Mr. Leyva was involved with numerous organizations and activities involving workforce diversity and the advocacy of equal employment opportunities. He held numerous positions in these organizations among them, Chair, National Hispanic Employment and Education Foundation, and President and Vice President, National Image Inc., Washington, D.C. Chapter. He was also a member of the National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives Inc., the Federal Managers Association and the American Society for Training and Development.

Mr. Leyva holds a bachelor of science degree in Management with a minor in Education Administration and Methodology and a master of science degree in Administration.

He is the very proud father of two sons, Michael and Victor. He makes his home in San Antonio, TX.

Editor's note: The National Air and Space Society files contain listings of Mr Leyva's US Air Force assignments, awards and decorations, education, and dates of promotion.