UNCLAS 280015Z AUG 07
CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
MARADMIN 512/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA/MP//
SUBJ/DOD OBSERVANCE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH//
POC/R. A. ALLEN/CAPT/CMC (MPE)/-/TEL:COM (703)784-9371 /TEL:DSN 278-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/
1. THIS YEAR, 15 SEPTEMBER TO 15 OCTOBER WILL ONCE AGAIN BE SET ASIDE TO CELEBRATE BOTH THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC HERITAGE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HISPANIC AMERICANS NATIONWIDE. THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S OBSERVANCE IS "HISPANIC AMERICANS: MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON AMERICAN SOCIETY".
2. THE ORIGINS AND TRADITIONS OF HISPANIC CULTURE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES VARY WIDELY; HISPANIC AMERICANS IDENTIFY WITH MEXICO, PUERTO RICO, CUBA, CENTRAL OR SOUTH AMERICA, OR OTHER HISPANIC ORIGIN. TOGETHER, HISPANIC AMERICANS ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN TWELVE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY. MARINES OF HISPANIC DESCENT ALSO MAKE UP MORE THAN TWELVE PERCENT OF TODAY'S MARINE CORPS. THEY SERVE IN EVERY OCCUPATIONAL FIELD AND ARE REPRESENTED IN EVERY RANK THROUGH BRIGADIER GENERAL.
3. AS THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM WAGES ON, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE INHERENT STRENGTH OUR MARINE CORPS GATHERS FROM THE DIVERSITY OF TODAYS MARINE FORCE. IN KEEPING WITH OUR RICH HERITAGE AND HISTORY, THE MARINE CORPS CONTINUES TO SEND ITS MARINES TO EVERY CLIME AND PLACE, WHEREVER THEY MAY BE NEEDED. TO THIS END, THE CORPS AS A WHOLE IS MADE STRONGER AND MORE FLEXIBLE BY THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES, TALENTS, AND PERSPECTIVES OF EACH AND EVERY MARINE AND CIVILIAN THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION. THE DIVERSE AND PROUD CULTURES FROM WHICH HISPANIC AMERICANS ORIGINATE CLEARLY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR HISTORIC SUCCESS IN BATTLE. HISPANIC MARINES CAN BE FOUND IN EVERY CHAPTER OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY UNDER THE NATIONS MOST HONORABLE TITLES SUCH AS SERGEANT MAJOR, GENERAL OFFICER, MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT, OR SIMPLY "MARINE".
4. FURTHERMORE, WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE SACRIFICES THAT MANY OF OUR HISPANIC MARINES ARE MAKING ON A DAILY BASIS FOR A COUNTRY THAT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY THEIR OWN. OF TODAY'S ACTIVE DUTY HISPANIC MARINES, MORE THAN EIGHT PERCENT HAVE ATTAINED UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP THROUGH NATURALIZATION, AND NEARLY TEN PERCENT ARE CURRENTLY NOT UNITED STATES CITIZENS; REGARDLESS OF CURRENT CITIZENSHIP STATUS, THESE NOBLE INDIVIDUALS CLEARLY RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE GREATNESS OF THIS COUNTRY AND HAVE EARNED THE TITLE "MARINE" TO PROTECT THE VALUES FOR WHICH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PROUDLY STANDS.
5. THROUGH FAITHFUL AND SELFLESS SERVICE, HISPANIC MARINES AND CIVILIAN MARINES HAVE EARNED A PERMANENT PLACE OF HONOR IN OUR MARINE CORPS. WHETHER THE NAMES OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE RECOGNIZABLE ON A NATIONAL, CORPS, OR JUST THE SMALL UNIT LEVEL, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE DEPENDABLE SERVICE OF EACH HISPANIC MARINE AND CIVILIAN MARINE, PAST AND PRESENT.
6. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS HISPANIC AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO OUR CORPS. COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS BOTH ON BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND TO DEVELOP LOCAL THEMES FOR USE AT THEIR COMMANDS.
7. THIS MARADMIN WAS AUTHORIZED FOR RELEASE BY MR. M.F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//