ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 261425Z MAY 00 ZYB MIN PSN 049724J26
 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//SN//
 
TO ALNAV
 
UNCLAS  //N01420//
ALNAV 046/00
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV//
 
SUBJ/MEMORIAL DAY MESSAGE FROM SECNAV//
 
RMKS/1.  IN 1868, THREE YEARS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR ENDED, THE SHOCK
FROM THE CONFLICT'S STAGGERING LOSS OF LIFE REMAINED SO GREAT THAT
THE NATION SOUGHT A WAY TO COLLECTIVELY MOURN ITS LOSSES.  ORIGINALLY
KNOWN AS DECORATION DAY, MEMORIAL DAY WAS ESTABLISHED TO COMMEMORATE
THE DEAD FROM THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES.  SINCE THEN, WE HAVE
FOUGHT MANY WARS BEYOND OUR OWN BORDERS, NONE OF WHICH HAVE BEEN
COMPARABLE TO THE CIVIL WAR IN TERMS OF CASUALTIES.
 
2.  IN OUR MOST RECENT CONFLICT IN KOSOVO, ITSELF A CIVIL WAR IN THE
FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, NOT ONE AMERICAN LIFE WAS LOST TO ENEMY FIRE. THE
COMPARISON REVEALS AN APPARENT TREND, OVER THE YEARS, OF FEWER
CASUALTIES.  THAT IS, OF COURSE, AN APPEALING NOTION.  BUT SUCH A
COMPARISON RISKS THREE THINGS.  FIRST, IT ASSUMES THAT CONFLICT
TODAY IS GENERALLY LESS RISKY FOR THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN IT.
THOSE WHO HAVE DIED IN THE PAST YEAR, MANY WHILE SIMPLY TRAINING FOR
COMBAT, WOULD CHALLENGE THAT NOTION, AS WOULD THEIR FAMILIES.
SECOND, IT OVERSTATES OUR ABILITY TO PREDICT AMERICA'S FUTURE ROLE
IN THE WORLD, AT A TIME WHEN INTERNATIONAL CHANGE IS BOTH RAPID AND
COMPLEX.  FINALLY, IT CONCEALS A GREATER, MORE IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
THOSE WHO MORE RECENTLY ARE SPENDING THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE TO
AMERICA AND ITS VALUES ARE CHERISHED FOR WHAT THEY GIVE.  THEIR OWN
SACRIFICES ARE IN THE BEST TRADITIONS OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT AT MOBILE
BAY, BELLEAU WOOD, MIDWAY, INCHON, KHE SANH AND IN THE LIBERATION OF
KUWAIT.  ALL OF US SERVE WITH THE BELIEF THAT SUBORDINATION OF SELF
FOR THE NATION IS WORTH PERSONAL SACRIFICE.
 
3.  I HOPE THAT THROUGH YOUR OWN OBSERVANCES OF MEMORIAL DAY YOU
WILL REMIND THE PUBLIC WE SERVE THAT SECURING OUR CHERISHED FREEDOMS
HAS GREAT RISK, AND ENTAILS GREAT LOSS.  AS WE REMEMBER OUR LOST
SHIPMATES THIS MEMORIAL DAY, I COMMEND EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR OWN
COMMITMENT TO SERVICE.
 
4.  RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE RICHARD DANZIG, SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.//
 
BT