Kilma S. Lattin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kilma Sibimoat Lattin
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| Born | October 30, 1978 |
| Allegiance | United States |
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Branch
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 United States Army |
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Rank
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Sergeant (2001-2002) Second Lieutenant (2002-2004) First Lieutenant (2004-2006) |
| Unit | 145th Aviation Regiment 1/18th Air Cavalry |
| Awards | Soldier's Medal for Valor |
| Alma mater | University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) (BA) University of Southern California (USC) (MBA) |
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Kilma Sibimoat Lattin, born on October 30, 1978, is an important Native American leader, a successful businessman, and a former soldier. He belongs to the Pala Band of Mission Indians, a Native American tribe in San Diego, California. From 2006 to 2012, he was chosen many times to serve on the tribe's Executive Committee and Tribal Council, helping to lead his community.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kilma Lattin was born in La Jolla, a part of San Diego, California. He grew up partly in La Jolla and partly on the Pala Indian Reservation. He finished La Jolla High School in 1996.
He went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in History from UC Santa Barbara in 2002. While in college, he was part of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, which trains future military officers. Later, Lattin earned a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Southern California.
Family Military History
Kilma Lattin comes from a family with a strong history of serving in the military. His grandfather, Roy A. Lattin, Sr., was a Private First Class in the United States Marine Corps. He bravely fought in a famous battle called the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II.
Military Career
Lattin began his military service in the U.S. Army. He served as both a Non-Commissioned Officer, reaching the rank of Sergeant, and as a Cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps. His first assignment as a Sergeant was with the 3-140th Aviation, a unit that flew large CH-47 Chinook helicopters in Stockton, California.
In 2002, Lattin became an Aviation Officer in the United States Army's Air Cavalry. He was stationed with the 1-18th AIR CAV in Los Alamitos, California. He learned to fly two types of helicopters: the OH-58 Kiowa and the powerful AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. He served in the 145th Aviation Regiment at Fort Rucker. In 2006, he was honorably discharged from the Army due to a knee injury he got while serving.
Heroic Act: The Soldier's Medal
In April 2003, while on his way to flight school training at Fort Rucker, Lattin saw something terrible. A woman on the side of the road was covered in flames. It turned out she had an accident with a gas lawnmower. She panicked and ran, which made the fire spread even more.
Without thinking, Lattin quickly jumped out of his vehicle. He bravely pushed the woman to the ground and used his own body and the freshly cut grass nearby to put out the flames. During this heroic act, Lattin got second-degree burns on his face, arms, and neck.
For his bravery, the City of Enterprise, Alabama, gave him a Distinguished Citizen Award. Even more importantly, the Commanding General Officer of Fort Rucker presented him with the Soldier's Medal for Valor. This medal is given to soldiers who show great heroism when they are not in combat.
Citation for the Soldier's Medal
The President of the United States of America recognized Second Lieutenant Kilma Sibimoat Lattin for his heroism on April 17, 2003. He risked his life to save a woman who was completely on fire. Even though he was injured, Second Lieutenant Lattin used his body to put out the fire and save her life. His quick and brave actions, putting himself in danger to help another, show true heroism and are an example of being "Above the Best." His actions brought great honor to himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Native American Leadership and Advocacy
Kilma Lattin has also been a strong leader and advocate for Native American communities.
Technology Leadership
In 2020, Lattin helped start a company called OurWorlds. This company focuses on education technology for Native Americans. OurWorlds has won awards from important events like South by Southwest Edu in 2022 and the San Diego County Engineering Council.
Tribal Leadership
Starting in 2006, Lattin took on many leadership roles on the Pala Reservation. He served on the Tribal Council and various other boards. He also represented his tribe at important meetings like the National Congress of American Indians and the National Indian Gaming Commission. In 2012, he worked with John Tahsuda, a high-ranking official in Indian Affairs, to help create policy ideas for the 2012 Presidential Campaign.
Pala Skatepark Project
In 2007, Lattin led a big project to build a new skatepark for the Pala Reservation. He helped raise $600,000 for the project. He hired a famous skatepark designer, Wally Hollyday, to create the park.
The new Pala Skatepark is 22,000 square feet and includes bowls, ramps, rails, and a kidney-shaped pool. It was finished in 2018 and became part of the existing Pala Reservation sports complex. The skatepark was even featured in a traveling exhibit called "Ramp It Up: Skateboard Culture in Native America." This exhibit was shown at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and then toured nationally from 2012 to 2015.
Native American Veterans Advocacy
Lattin also started the Pala Veterans Organization. This group gives Pala veterans a place to meet and share their experiences with other veterans. He also came up with the idea for and produced a documentary film called Defending The Homeland. This film is about the service of Native American veterans in the military. It won a Regional Emmy Award in 2013.
See also
- KPRI, a radio station owned by Native Americans in southern California
- List of Native Americans of the United States
