R 081536Z APR 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0236/09
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/2009 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH//
POC/D. G. JACOBS/CAPT /UNIT:MPE/-/TEL:(703) 784-9371/ TEL:DSN 278-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH RECOGNIZES THE SIGNFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO OUR NATION THROUGH EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT, AND LEADERSHIP.  THIS YEAR'S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THEME IS "LEADERSHIP TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF A CHANGING WORLD."
2.  IN AN EFFORT TO FULLY RECOGNIZE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE MILITARY, CONGRESSMEN FRANK HORTON AND NORMAN MINETA INTRODUCED ASIAN PACIFIC HERITAGE WEEK IN 1977.  ON 23 OCTOBER 1992, CONGRESS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO EXPAND THIS CELEBRATION FROM ONE WEEK TO ONE MONTH.  MAY WAS CHOSEN AS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN MONTH BECAUSE THE FIRST JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES ON 7 MAY 1843, AND MAY MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMPLETION OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD IN 1869.  THE MAJORITY OF THE RAILROAD WORKERS WHO LAID THE TRACKS WERE CHINESE IMMIGRANTS.
3.  ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH OF AMERICA IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS.  FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CHINESE AND FILIPINO IMMIGRANTS DURING THE EARLY 18TH CENTURY THROUGH TODAY, ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATION.
4.  THE DEDICATION AND VALOR OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN CAN BE TRACED IN EVERY AMERICAN BATTLE SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.  CURRENTLY, ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS BRING WITH THEM CULTURAL TALENTS AND SKILLS THAT HAVE PROVEN VALUABLE DURING MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC EVENTS IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM.  ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, THERE ARE OVER 325,000 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN VETERANS THAT HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY.
5.  THREE NOTABLE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS THAT EXEMPLIFY THIS YEAR'S THEME ARE THE HONORABLE GARY LOCKE, THE HONORABLE ANH CAO, AND THE HONORABLE ERIC SHINSEKI.  A FORMER GOVERNOR OF WASHINGTON, GARY LOCKE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AS THE 36TH COMMERCE SECRETARY.  SECRETARY LOCKE WILL SEEK TO FOSTER AMERICAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT HOME AND WILL BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR AMERICAN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ABROAD.  CONGRESSMAN ANH "JOSEPH" CAO BECAME THE FIRST VIETNAMESE AMERICAN AS WELL AS THE FIRST NATIVE OF VIETNAM TO SERVE IN CONGRESS WHEN HE TOOK THE OATH OF OFFICE FOR THE 111TH CONGRESS ON 6 JANUARY 2009.  CONGRESSMAN CAO REPRESENTS THE 2ND DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA.  RETIRED U.S. ARMY GENERAL ERIC SHINSEKI, A JAPANESE-AMERICAN AND FORMER U.S. ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF, CONTINUES TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP AS THE SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS.  THESE LEADERS WILL HELP AMERICA THROUGH THE MANY CHALLENGES OUR COUNTRY MAY FACE AND SERVE AS EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF THE NUMEROUS WAYS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS CONTRIBUTE IN TODAY'S AMERICAN SOCIETY.
6.  DURING ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE DEDICATED SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, TO OUR COUNTRY AND CORPS.  COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS AT THEIR COMMANDS AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
7.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M.F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION, M&RA.//