DTG 222159Z FEB 08
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 138/08
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MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP DIV//
SUBJ/DOD OBSERVANCE OF WOMENS HISTORY MONTH MARCH 2008//
POC/M. D. FAMULARO/CAPT/UNIT:MPE/-/TEL:(703) 784-9371
/TEL:DSN 278-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THIS MARADMIN ANNOUNCES THAT MARCH 2008 IS THE
ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. A TIME WHEN THE MARINE
CORPS CELEBRATES AND RECOGNIZES THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS WOMEN HAVE
MADE TO OUR CORPS AND NATION. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS: "WOMEN'S ART:
WOMEN'S VISION."
2. NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH BEGAN IN 1978 WHEN THE EDUCATION
TASK FORCE OF THE SONOMA COUNTY CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON THE STATUS
OF WOMEN INITIATED A WOMEN'S HISTORY WEEK. IN 1987, CONGRESS
EXPANDED THE CELEBRATION TO THE ENTIRE MONTH OF MARCH TO REFLECT ON
THE CHALLENGES, CHANGE, AND RESEARCH THAT AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE
CHAMPIONED. SINCE THAT TIME, ANNUAL OBSERVANCES HAVE FOCUSED ON THE
SACRIFICES AND SUCCESS STORIES OF WOMEN.
3. MARINE CORPS HISTORY ACKNOWLEDGES COUNTLESS ACHIEVEMENTS AND
NUMEROUS SACRIFICES BY WOMEN SERVING IN AND FOR OUR CORPS. LUCY
BREWER, WHO DISGUISED HERSELF AS A MAN, WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO
SERVE IN THE MARINE CORPS. SHE SERVED IN THE MARINE DETACHMENT
ABOARD THE USS CONSTITUTION DURING THE WAR OF 1812. OPHA MAE
JOHNSON WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO OFFICIALLY ENLIST IN THE MARINE
CORPS IN 1918. CONGRESS PASSED THE WOMEN'S ARMED SERVICES
INTEGRATION ACT IN 1948, THIS LEGISLATION MADE WOMEN A PERMANENT
PART OF THE REGULAR MARINE CORPS. IN 1950 WOMEN RESERVISTS WERE
MOBILIZED FOR THE KOREAN WAR. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE VIETNAM WAR,
THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 2,700 WOMEN MARINES ON ACTIVE DUTY SERVING
BOTH STATESIDE AND OVERSEAS. THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS CONTINUE TO SPAN
THE WORLD, TO INCLUDE OPERATIONS IRAQI AND ENDURING FREEDOM.
4. TODAY THE MARINE CORPS IS COMPRISED OF 1,126 WOMEN OFFICERS AND
10,681 ENLISTED WOMEN ON ACTIVE DUTY. THERE ARE 559 WOMEN OFFICERS
AND 4,939 ENLISTED WOMEN IN THE RESERVES. WOMEN SERVE IN OUR CORPS
FROM THE RANK OF PRIVATE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL. THEY SERVE AS
RECRUITERS, DRILL INSTRUCTORS, PLATOON COMMANDERS, COMMANDING
OFFICERS, AND COMMANDING GENERALS.
5. WE SALUTE THE WOMEN IN THE MARINE CORPS, BOTH MILITARY AND
CIVILIAN, AND ENCOURAGE ALL COMMANDS TO RECOGNIZE WOMEN'S HISTORY
MONTH BY SPONSORING LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND EXHIBITS, PUBLISHING ITEMS
OF INTEREST IN COMMAND BULLETINS, AND SOLICITING INDIVIDUAL
PARTICIPATION IN APPROPRIATE OBSERVANCES.
6. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MR. M.F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER
PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//
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