The Washington Post recently wrote that two of fall's newest television series, "Heroes Reborn" and " You're the Worst" have included characters that are Hispanic veterans. Not only is this a unique step forward for the entertainment industry, it is also an excellent opportunity to increase the feeling of inclusion of minorities in the military.
The two shows have not only broken ground by including Mexican-Americans in their plots, but they fact that the characters are veterans addresses a very important military issue. The 2003 Demographics Profile of the U.S. Military stated that only 11.6 percent of servicemembers classified themselves as Hispanic. However, that number is expected to double by 2024. Currently, Hispanics are largely underrepresented in the military, but according to an NBC Latino article, all Armed Forces branches are actively seeking to recruit more Latinos.
The representation of Hispanic servicemembers on not one, but two, network television programs has the potential to be beneficial in a number of ways. Primarily, if the shows portray the Latino veteran characters well, it could increase the Hispanic community's support of the military recruiting and increase interest in potential Latino recruits.
Interested viewers can watch how it all plays out on NBC for "Heroes Reborn" and FXX for "You're the Worst."