ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 311317Z OCT 00 ZYB MIN PSN 696402J27
 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//SN//
 
TO ALNAV
 
UNCLAS
ALNAV 086/00
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SN//
 
SUBJ/NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH 2000//
POC/MARGO SHORTER/SPECIAL ASST/ODASN(PP)/LOC:PENTAGON
/TEL:(703)693-0240//
 
RMKS/1.  BY PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION, THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER IS
 
DECLARED NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH.  THIS MONTH
PROVIDES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BROADEN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE RICHNESS
OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND TO SHOW APPRECIATION FOR THE SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO OUR COUNTRY'S
FREEDOM AND TO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
 
2.  IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR SHARED HISTORY, IT IS FITTING THAT THE
LIKENESS OF SACAJAWEA AND HER INFANT SON ARE REFLECTED ON THE FIRST
U.S. DOLLAR COIN OF THE MILLENNIUM.  THIS BRAVE SHOSHONE WOMAN
SERVED AS A GUIDE AND INTERPRETER FOR CAPTAINS LEWIS AND CLARK ON
THEIR EXPLORATION OF THE AMERICAN WEST.  ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION OF
NATIVE AMERICAN PATRIOTISM CAN BE FOUND IN THE DEEDS OF THE
LEGENDARY NAVAJO CODE TALKERS.  THE CODE TALKERS WERE RECRUITED INTO
THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DURING WORLD WAR II TO TRANSMIT
ORDERS, TACTICAL INFORMATION, AND OTHER VITAL INFORMATION IN THEIR
NATIVE LANGUAGE OVER PHONE LINES.  THE CODE TALKERS WERE SO
EFFECTIVE THAT THEIR MESSAGES WERE NEVER DECIPHERED.  THESE ARE
MERELY TWO EXAMPLES OF THE UNIQUE ROLES THAT NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE
PLAYED IN SHAPING OUR GREAT NATION.
 
3.  AMERICAN INDIAN SOLDIERS, SAILORS, MARINES, AND AIRMEN HAVE
FOUGHT HEROICALLY IN ALL WARS AND ARMED CONFLICTS OF THE TWENTIETH
CENTURY.  APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FOUR NATIVE AMERICAN MEN ARE
VETERANS.  TODAY, NATIVE AMERICANS CONTINUE TO SERVE WITH
DISTINCTION ON THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS TEAM OF SAILORS, MARINES AND
DON CIVILIANS, WITH UNSURPASSED DEDICATION TO OUR CORE VALUES OF
HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT.
 
4.  IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH, LET
US REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR COMMITMENT TO ONE ANOTHER--A COMMITMENT
REINFORCED BY THE OATHS WE TAKE, THE TRAINING WE RECEIVE, AND THE
RISKS WE ASSUME TOGETHER.  THE LEGACY OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN REMINDS
US THAT THERE IS STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY.  IN THE WORDS OF KOTE KOTAH
(CHUMAS) "THERE IS NO 'BETTER' OR 'WORSE,' ONLY DIFFERENT.  THAT
DIFFERENCE HAS TO BE RESPECTED WHETHER IT'S SKIN COLOR, WAY OF LIFE,
OR IDEAS."  I ENCOURAGE WIDEST PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS SPONSORED BY
THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY IN RECOGNIZING THIS SPECIAL
OBSERVANCE.  EACH INSTALLATION IS URGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS, CREATE
EXHIBITS, PUBLISH ITEMS OF INTEREST IN COMMAND BULLETINS, AND
SOLICIT INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION IN APPROPRIATE OBSERVANCES OF THIS
MONTH.
 
5.  FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE AND MORE INFORMATION ON SPECIAL
OBSERVANCES OF AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH EVENTS, CONTACT YOUR
LOCAL EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY REPRESENTATIVES.
 
6.  RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE RICHARD DANZIG, SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.//
 
BT