ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 301617Z OCT 00 ZYB MIN PSN 684259J34
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS //N05354//
NAVADMIN 280/00
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/PERS-00J//
 
SUBJ/2000 NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH//
 
RMKS/1.  NOVEMBER 2000 IS OBSERVED AS NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN
HERITAGE MONTH.  DECLARED PUBLIC LAW 101-343 IN AUG 90, THIS
NATIONAL OBSERVANCE CONTINUES THROUGH ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL
PROCLAMATION.
 
2.  THIS PERIOD IS SET ASIDE TO HONOR THE UNIQUE HERITAGE OF THE
FIRST CITIZENS OF AMERICA, AND THEIR MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS GREAT
NATION.  THE CENSUS BUREAU CURRENTLY PROJECTS THAT OVER TWO MILLION
U.S. RESIDENTS ARE OF AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKA NATIVE DESCENT.
TODAY, OVER 6,900 OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN SERVE ON ACTIVE DUTY AND IN
NAVY RESERVE COMPONENTS.
 
3.  MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF PROMINENT PAST AND PRESENT AMERICAN
INDIANS CAN BE SEEN TODAY.  THE HONORABLE BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL IS
CURRENTLY THE SENIOR U.S. SENATOR FOR THE STATE OF COLORADO.  CDR
JOHN B. HERRINGTON, U.S. NAVY, WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN INDIAN
ASTRONAUT SELECTED BY NASA IN 1996 AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS A MEMBER
OF THE ASTRONAUT SUPPORT PERSONNEL TEAM.  FINALLY, THE FIRST U.S.
DOLLAR COIN OF THE MILLENNIUM HAS THE IMAGE OF SACAGAWEA, THE NATIVE
AMERICAN WOMAN WHO ACCOMPANIED LEWIS AND CLARK ON THEIR EXPLORATION
OF THE AMERICAN WEST IN 1804.  THE IMAGE IS A REMINDER OF THE
EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES
HAVE MADE TO THIS COUNTRY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
 
4.  COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO OBSERVE NATIONAL AMERICAN
INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT MISSION COMMITMENTS
AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES.  MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION BY ALL CIVILIAN AND
MILITARY PERSONNEL SHOULD BE PROMOTED THROUGH PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS,
AND PUBLISHED ITEMS OF INTEREST IN COMMAND BULLETINS.  PARTICIPATION
IN LOCAL COMMUNITY OBSERVANCES IS ALSO HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.
 
5.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE NAVY WEB SITE:
WWW.BUPERS.NAVY.MIL/MENTOR.  POC IS LTJG SAD CARINO AT (703)
695-2651/DSN 225; E-MAIL:  P00J1@BUPERS.NAVY.MIL.
 
6.  RELEASED BY VADM NORB RYAN, JR., N1.//
 
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