R 021628Z NOV 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 619/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/DOD OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH NOVEMBER 2010//
POC/R.D. RICHARDSON/SGT/CMC (MPE)/-/TEL:DSN 278-9371 /TEL:COMM (703)784-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. FROM THE BIRTH OF THE UNITED STATES, NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE WITH DISTINCTION.  THROUGH THEIR CULTURE OF CHARACTER AND COURAGE, NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE PROUDLY SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS.  THIS MONTH, IN OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, WE HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY.  THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S OBSERVANCE IS "LIFE IS SACRED -CELEBRATE HEALTHY NATIVE COMMUNITIES."
2. NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN EVERY WAR AND CONFLICT SINCE THE FOUNDING OF OUR NATION.  DURING WORLD WAR II, ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF ABLE-BODIED, NATIVE AMERICAN MEN JOINED THE MILITARY, AND NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN MILITARY AUXILIARIES, NURSE CORPS, AND WAR-RELATED WORK IN NUMBERS PROPORTIONATELY SURPASSING THEIR COUNTERPARTS. FROM STANDING ROCK RESERVATION ALONE, AT LEAST FIFTY LAKOTA WOMEN ENLISTED IN THE MILITARY.  UNITS LIKE THE 297TH PLATOON AND THE SECOND ALL-NAVAJO MARINE CORPS PLATOON ANSWERED THE NATION'S CALL TO SERVICE AND OFFERED THEIR LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND STRENGTH TO SUPPORT THE WAR EFFORT.
3. THE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS' UNBREAKABLE CODE OF WORLD WAR II WAS PIVOTAL TO SAVING LIVES AND HASTENING THE WAR'S END.  TODAY, NATIVE AMERICANS CONTINUE TO EXEMPLIFY THEIR HONORABLE SERVICE IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ.  AT HOME AND ABROAD, MARINES OF NATIVE AMERICAN DESCENT CONTRIBUTE DAILY TO THE SUCCESS AND LEGACY OF OUR CORPS AND THEIR PROUD WARRIOR TRADITION OF SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY NOT ONLY VENERATES THEIR ANCESTORS BUT ALSO EXEMPLIFIES OUR CORE VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT.
4. DURING NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE DEDICATED SERVICE AND UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE AMERICANS, PAST AND PRESENT, TO OUR COUNTRY AND CORPS.  COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS AT THEIR COMMANDS AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
5. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M. F. APPLEGATE DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//