ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 301450Z APR 02 ZYB MIN PSN 662025J21
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS //N05354//
NAVADMIN 119/02
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/N1//
 
SUBJ/ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH - MAY 2002//
 
RMKS/1.  MAY 2002 MARKS THE 23RD ANNUAL NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF
ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.  THE PRESIDENT HAS PROCLAIMED
THIS MONTH EVERY YEAR SINCE 1979 TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND
ACHIEVEMENTS OF ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICANS.  THE NATIONAL THEME IS
"UNITY IN FREEDOM."
 
2.  MORE THAN 11 MILLION AMERICANS OF ASIAN/PACIFIC HERITAGE (4.1
PERCENT OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION) ARE HELPING TO BUILD OUR VIBRANT
NATION TODAY.  IT IS PROJECTED THIS NUMBER WILL DOUBLE BY 2025.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 24,000 ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICANS (ENLISTED
AND OFFICER) ON ACTIVE DUTY.  SEVERAL DISTINCT ETHNIC GROUPS HAVE
BEEN CONSOLIDATED UNDER THE CATEGORY OF "ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN."
ETHNIC GROUPS FROM CAMBODIA, CHINA, INDONESIA, INDIA, JAPAN, KOREA,
LAOS, MICRONESIA, PHILIPPINES, POLYNESIA, THAILAND, VIETNAM, AND MANY
OTHER ASIAN AND PACIFIC LANDS HAVE UNITED TO PROVIDE OUR NATION WITH
THEIR DISTINCT CULTURE.  FROM THESE MANY COUNTRIES, THERE HAVE BEEN
FOUR NAVY FLAG OFFICERS:  VADM ROBERT KIHUNE, USN (RETIRED), RADM
MING CHANG, USN (RETIRED), RADM GORDON CHUNG-HOON, USN (RETIRED) AND
RDML ELEANOR MARIANO, MC, USN (RETIRED).  ALMOST 8.4 PERCENT OF
TODAY'S MASTER CHIEFS ARE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICANS.  OF THESE
ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN MASTER CHIEFS, 94 PERCENT OF THEM ARE FILIPINO
AMERICANS.  THIS IS THE SECOND LARGEST MINORITY REPRESENTATION ONLY
BEHIND AFRICAN AMERICANS.
 
3.  NAVY COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO CELEBRATE ASIAN/PACIFIC
AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH THROUGH PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS, PUBLICATIONS,
AND PARTICIPATION IN MILITARY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS RECOGNIZING THE
DIVERSITY OF AMERICAN HERITAGE.  VISIT THE WEB SITE AT
WWW.BUPERS.NAVY.MIL/MENTOR FOR INFORMATION ON CULTURAL HERITAGE
MONTHS.
 
4.  THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WILL BE CELEBRATING THEIR OBSERVANCE
FOR ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH ON 22 MAY 02 IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE FEDERAL ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN COUNCIL (FAPAC) CONFERENCE
ON 21-23 MAY 02 IN WASHINGTON, DC.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE FAPAC
CONFERENCE, VISIT THE WEB SITE WWW.FAPAC.ORG.
 
5.  RELEASED BY VADM NORB RYAN, JR., N1.//
 
BT