ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 201927Z MAR 00 ZYB MIN PSN 288940J31
 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//SN//
 
TO ALNAV
 
UNCLAS
ALNAV 018/00//
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV//
 
SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH 2000//
POC/CDR RUTH MOHR/693-0696//
 
RMKS/1.  "AN EXCEPTIONAL CENTURY FOR WOMEN...NOW IMAGINE THE FUTURE"
IS THIS YEAR'S THEME FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH - MARCH 2000.  AS WE
CELEBRATE THE 13TH ANNUAL OBSERVANCE IN THIS YEAR 2000, IT IS
APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ANTICIPATE OUR
FUTURE.
 
2.  WOMEN IN THE 20TH CENTURY HAVE CONTRIBUTED IN INNUMERABLE WAYS TO
AMERICAN SOCIETY.  WOMEN SAILORS AND MARINES, AS WELL AS THEIR
CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS IN GOVERNMENT, HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
IN BOTH TRADITIONAL AND NONTRADITIONAL AREAS OF AMERICAN LIFE.
 
3.  LET US FIRST HIGHLIGHT THE MULTITUDE OF FEMALE PROFESSIONALS
FOUND IN OUR CIVILIAN WORKFORCE.  WOMEN COMPOSE 31.6% OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY'S CIVILIAN WORKFORCE - TOTALING OVER 57,000.
THEY ARE REPRESENTED IN MANY FIELDS, INCLUDING ENGINEERING, MEDICAL,
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, HUMAN RESOURCES,
ACCOUNTING, LOGISTICS, AND SOCIAL WORK.  THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
ARE VITAL.  THEY HAVE BEEN STEADFAST AND DEVOTED WORKERS IN
BOTH PEACE AND WAR; NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
 
4.  WOMEN SAILORS AND MARINES HAVE AN INCREDIBLE AND RICH HISTORY.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NURSE CORPS IN 1908 AND THE AUTHORIZATION
TO ENLIST WOMEN IN 1917 WERE PIVOTAL EVENTS, RECOGNIZING THAT WOMEN
NOT ONLY WANTED TO SERVE, BUT COULD CONTRIBUTE CONSIDERABLE SKILL
AND DEDICATION.  HOWEVER, IT WAS WORLD WAR II THAT REALLY MOBILIZED
GREAT NUMBERS OF WOMEN -- 91,000 WOMEN ACCEPTED FOR VOLUNTEER
EMERGENCY SERVICE (WAVES) IN THE NAVY AND OVER 19,000 WOMEN IN THE
MARINE CORPS.  AND WOMEN CONTINUED TO SERVE THROUGHOUT THE REST
OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY -- 9,000 NAVY NURSES SERVED IN KOREA, AND
4,449 NAVY WOMEN DEPLOYED DURING THE GULF WAR.
 
5.  NOW IS A PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THAT JUST
OVER 50,000 WOMEN SERVE IN THE NAVY TODAY AND OVER 10,000 WOMEN SERVE
AS UNITED STATES MARINES.  MORE THAN 12,000 WOMEN SAILORS AND
MARINES SERVE ABOARD SHIPS.  WOMEN WILL REPORT ABOARD MINESWEEPERS
FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.  OUR WOMEN SAILORS AND MARINES, LIKE
THEIR DISTINGUISHED PREDECESSORS, CONTINUE TO SERVE PROUDLY,
HONORABLY, AND CAPABLY IN WHATEVER CAPACITY OUR DEPARTMENT OF THE
NAVY NEEDS.
 
6.  ALL NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACTIVITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO SPONSOR
LOCAL PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS, PUBLISH ITEMS OF INTEREST IN COMMAND
BULLETINS, AND SOLICIT INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION IN APPROPRIATE
OBSERVANCES OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.  PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS BY CIVILIAN AND MILITARY PERSONNEL IS ALSO HIGHLY
ENCOURAGED.
 
7.  FOR MORE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, CONTACT
THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR WOMEN'S POLICY (PERS 00W) AT
DSN 225-9232, COMM (703) 695-0232 OR CONTACT THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S
HISTORY PROJECT, 7738 BELL ROAD, WINDSOR, CA  95492, (707) 838-6000
OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.NWHP.ORG.
 
8.  RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE RICHARD DANZIG, SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.//
 
BT