ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 192005Z OCT 01 ZYB MIN PSN 467428J31
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS //N05354//
NAVADMIN 279/01
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/N1//
 
SUBJ/2001 NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH//
 
RMKS/1.  NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH WILL BE OBSERVED
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.  ESTABLISHED BY PUBLIC LAW 101-343
IN AUG 90, THIS NATIONAL OBSERVANCE CONTINUES THROUGH ANNUAL
PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION.
 
2.  DURING THIS MONTH, WE CELEBRATE AND HONOR THE FIRST CITIZENS OF
AMERICA AND THEIR MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS GREAT NATION.  THE
CENSUS BUREAU CURRENTLY PROJECTS THAT MORE THAN TWO MILLION U.S.
RESIDENTS ARE OF AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKA NATIVE DESCENT.  TODAY, NAVY
IS SERVED BY MORE THAN 7,100 NATIVE AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN ON ACTIVE
DUTY AND IN RESERVE COMPONENTS.
 
3.  THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS A LONG AND HEROIC HISTORY OF
MILITARY SERVICE IN DEFENSE OF OUR NATION, INCLUDING THREE NAVY
MEDAL OF HONOR AWARDEES.  CDR ERNEST E. EVANS WAS HONORED FOR
HEROISM AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF USS JOHNSTON (DD 557) DURING A SEA
BATTLE OFF SAMAR ISLAND IN OCT 1944.  IN OCT 1966, BM1 JAMES
E. WILLIAMS WAS HONORED FOR HEROISM AS A RIVER PATROL BOAT CAPTAIN
DURING COMBAT IN VIETNAM.  LT MICHAEL E. THORNTON WAS HONORED FOR
HEROISM AS A NAVY PATROL ADVISOR DURING COMBAT IN VIETNAM IN OCT
1972.  OUR VESSELS HAVE HONORED NATIVE AMERICANS, AS WELL.  THE USS
CLARK (FFG 11) WAS CHRISTENED IN HONOR OF ADMIRAL JOSEPH (JOCKO)
CLARK, A NAVAL OFFICER OF CHEROKEE DESCENT WHO SERVED FROM 1913 TO
1953.  USS CLARK WAS DECOMMISSIONED ON 15 MAR 00.  THE SUCCESSES
OF THESE FINE SAILORS AND ALL THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US ARE INSPIRING
AND HAVE SERVED AS MENTORS FOR PRESENT DAY NATIVE AMERICANS SUCH AS
RADM MICHAEL L. HOLMES, USN (COMMANDER, FLEET AIR MEDITERRANEAN),
THE HONORABLE BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL (SENIOR U.S. SENATOR FOR THE
STATE OF COLORADO), AND MR. NEAL A. MCCALEB (INTERIOR DEPARTMENT'S
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INDIAN AFFAIRS, HIGHEST RANKING AMERICAN
INDIAN IN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION).
 
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.PERSNET.NAVY.MIL/MENTOR.  POC IS LT 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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