ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 291402Z FEB 00 ZYB MIN PSN 046788J33
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS//NO5750//
NAVADMIN 039/00
 
SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH 2000//
 
RMKS/1.  MARCH 2000 MARKS THE 13TH ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF WOMEN'S
HISTORY MONTH, A TIME WHEN WE CAN ALL INCREASE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF AND
CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS WOMEN HAVE MADE TO THE NAVY AND THE
NATION.  THIS YEAR'S THEME IS "AN EXCEPTIONAL CENTURY FOR
WOMEN...NOW IMAGINE THE FUTURE."
 
2.  IT HAS INDEED BEEN AN EXCEPTIONAL CENTURY FOR NAVY WOMEN.  WOMEN
BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE NAVY WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
NURSE CORPS IN 1908.  SINCE THAT TIME, WOMEN HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE
A POSITIVE AND EVER INCREASING IMPACT ON THE NAVY.  IN WORLD WAR I,
SOME 12,000 WOMEN ANSWERED THE CALL TO ACTIVE DUTY AND GAVE
UNPRECEDENTED SERVICE.  THOSE WOMEN PAVED THE WAY FOR MORE
THAN 81,000 WAVES TO SERVE PROUDLY IN WORLD WAR II AND 9,000
WOMEN FOLLOWED IN THEIR WAKE TO SERVE DURING THE KOREAN WAR.  TODAY,
MORE THAN 50,000 NAVY WOMEN SERVE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ASHORE AND
AFLOAT, OFFICER AND ENLISTED, CONTINUING THE FINE TRADITION OF
EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE.
 
3.  FROM THE FIRST NAVY NURSE TO WOMEN WHO NOW SERVE ON SHIPS AT
SEA, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ALL THESE PATRIOTS HAVE, WITHOUT DOUBT,
MADE THIS AN EXCEPTIONAL CENTURY FOR WOMEN IN THE NAVY.  THE
FUTURE HOLDS UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITY AS WOMEN CONTINUE TO MEET THE
CHALLENGES OF SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY.
 
4.  ALL NAVY 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.
 
5.  FOR MORE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, CONTACT
THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR WOMEN'S POLICY (PERS-OOW) AT
(703) 695-9232/DSN 225 OR CONTACT THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY
PROJECT, 7738 BELL ROAD, WINDSOR, CA 95492, (707) 838-6000
OR VISIT THEIR WEB SITE AT WWW.NWHP.ORG.
 
6.  RELEASED BY VADM N. R. RYAN, JR., N1.
 
BT