R 260708Z OCT 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MP//
TO MARADMIN
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UNCLAS //N05354//
MARADMIN 534/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP//
SUBJ/DOD OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH
/NOVEMBER 2001//
POC/D.H. COLEMAN/CAPT/M&RA(MPE)/DSN: 278-9371/TEL:(703) 784-9371//
RMKS/1. NOVEMBER IS DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE
MONTH.
2. ON 26 JULY 2001, PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH PRESENTED THE ORIGINAL
TWENTY-NINE MARINE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL
GOLD MEDAL FOR THEIR SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II. THESE MARINES,
DRAWN FROM THE HIGH PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA, FROM TOWNS
WITH NAMES LIKE CHINLE, LUKACHUKAI, AND GANADO, FOUGHT IN MANY OF
THE MARINE CORPS' EPIC BATTLES IN THE PACIFIC.
3. DURING THE AWARD CEREMONY, MR. JOHN BROWN JR., ONE OF THE
ORIGINAL TWENTY-NINE, TALKED ABOUT WHY HE JOINED THE MILITARY: "I
ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS IN 1942, NOT TO BECOME A CODE
TALKER--THAT CAME LATER--BUT TO DEFEND THE UNITED STATES..." HE,
ALONG WITH THE REST OF WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE "GREATEST
GENERATION," RESPONDED TO A CLARION CALL TO SERVICE.
4. AS MARINES, WE ARE DEFINED BY OUR SENSE OF SERVICE AND
COMMITMENT. FROM OUR DEDICATION TO ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION AND
SUPPORTING OUR FELLOW MARINES, TO DEFENDING THE BROADER VALUES THAT
UNDERPIN OUR NATION, MARINES CONTINUE TO BE ENRICHED BY THEIR
SERVICE. OUR SERVICE AS MARINES TRANSCENDS CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE RACE
AND ETHNICITY BECAUSE IT UPHOLDS IDEALS THAT MARK US AS CITIZENS OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MR. BROWN'S CONCLUDING REMARKS
UNDERSCORE THIS IDEA: "WE HAVE SEEN MUCH IN OUR LIVES; WE HAVE
EXPERIENCED WAR AND PEACE; WE KNOW THE VALUE OF FREEDOM AND
DEMOCRACY THAT THIS GREAT NATION EMBODIES. BUT, OUR EXPERIENCES
HAVE ALSO SHOWN US HOW FRAGILE THESE THINGS CAN BE, AND HOW WE MUST
STAY EVER VIGILANT TO PROTECT THEM."
5. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEDICATED SERVICE
OF NATIVE AMERICANS, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, TO THE MARINE CORPS.
THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH HOSTING OBSERVANCE EVENTS OR PROMOTING
PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS BOTH ON-BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
COMMANDERS MAY ALSO DEVELOP LOCAL THEMES FOR USE AT THEIR COMMANDS.//
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