ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 041615Z MAY 01 ZYB MIN PSN 637818J33
 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//SN//
 
TO ALNAV
 
UNCLAS
ALNAV 042/01
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV//
 
SUBJ/ASIAN-PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH - MAY 2001//
POC/MS MARGO SHORTER/OASN MRA/SPECIAL ASST TO DASN PP/LOC:X
/TEL:703-693-0696//
 
RMKS/1.  TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO, PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER SIGNED A JOINT
RESOLUTION DECLARING MAY 4-10, 1979 AS THE FIRST ASIAN/PACIFIC
AMERICAN HERITAGE WEEK.  ELEVEN YEARS LATER, PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH
EXTENDED THE WEEK-LONG TO A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION DURING MAY 1990.
ULTIMATELY, ON OCTOBER 23, 1992 BY PUBLIC LAW 102-450, THE ENTIRE
MONTH OF MAY WAS DECLARED ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
 
2.  THIS SPECIAL TIME OF OBSERVANCE PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PROMOTE AWARENESS AND INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC
AMERICAN CULTURE AND ITS UNIQUE DIVERSITY.  THROUGH EDUCATION AND
CELEBRATION ALL AMERICANS CAN REFLECT ON THE MYRIAD CONTRIBUTIONS
ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICANS HAVE MADE IN BUILDING OUR WONDERFULLY
DIVERSE NATION.  WE, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY (DON) BELIEVE
THAT THERE IS STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY AND DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE
INTEGRAL PART THAT ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICANS PLAY ON THE NAVY-MARINE
CORPS TEAM.  WHETHER SERVING AS ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS, RESERVISTS, OR
DON CIVILIANS, ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICANS CONTINUE TO EMBODY THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY'S CORE VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE, AND
COMMITMENT, JUST AS THEY DID IN THE PAST--WITH UNSURPASSED LOYALTY.
 
3.  THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION IS "ASIAN/PACIFIC
AMERICANS EMERGING TOGETHER."  THE TERM ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN
ACTUALLY ENCOMPASSES MANY ETHNIC GROUPS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS,
HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES.  AS WE STRIVE TO BECOME "ONE
AMERICA," THIS YEAR'S THEME APPROPRIATELY LENDS ITSELF TO A
CELEBRATION OF THE COLLECTIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THESE HETEROGENOUS
COMMUNITIES AND IS IDEAL NOT ONLY FOR ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH BUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
 
4.  ON 21 JUNE 2000, DURING A WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY, 22 ASIAN
AMERICAN WORLD WAR II SOLDIERS WERE FINALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR
HEROISM WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE NATION'S HIGHEST MILITARY AWARD, THE
MEDAL OF HONOR.  THESE LEGENDARY SOLDIERS WERE ALSO INDUCTED INTO
THE PENTAGON'S HALL OF HEROES ON 22 JUNE 2000.  EIGHT OF THE 22
SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN ACTION.  SEVEN HAVE DIED SINCE WORLD WAR II,
AND SEVEN ATTENDED THE INDUCTION CEREMONY.  OUR COUNTRY WILL BE
FOREVER INDEBTED FOR THE HEROISM THEY DISPLAYED IN PRESERVING
AMERICA'S PRECIOUS RIGHTS.
 
5.  I ENCOURAGE THE WIDEST PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE
NAVY AND MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY IN RECOGNIZING THIS SPECIAL
OBSERVANCE.  YOUR SUPPORT IS SOLICITED IN HOSTING PROGRAMS, SETTING
UP EXHIBITS, AND CONDUCTING APPROPRIATE OBSERVANCES.
 
6.  FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE AND MORE INFORMATION ON SPECIAL
OBSERVANCES OF ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH EVENTS, CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
REPRESENTATIVES.
 
7.  RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE ROBERT B. PIRIE, JR., ACTING SECRETARY
OF THE NAVY.//