DOD OBSERVANCE OF 2013 WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

Date Signed: 2/11/2013
MARADMINS Active Number: 071/13

R 111351Z FEB 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 071/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/DOD OBSERVANCE OF 2013 WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH//
POC/M. J. SHEPPARD/CIV/UNIT: MPE/-/TEL: COMM (703)784-9371/TEL: DSN 278-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE MONTH OF MARCH IS DEDICATED TO CELEBRATING WOMEN'S HISTORY AND WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR GREAT NATION.  THIS YEAR'S THEME IS "WOMEN INSPIRING INNOVATION THROUGH IMAGINATION:  CELEBRATING WOMEN IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS."
2.  IN 1980, PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER ISSUED THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION DECLARING THE WEEK OF MARCH 8TH AS NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY WEEK.  SIX YEARS LATER, IT WAS DECLARED BY CONGRESS TO BE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MARCH. 
3.  WOMEN AND GIRLS MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THE SCIENCES OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, PARTICULARLY IN MEDICINE AND THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, HOWEVER, WOMEN'S GAINS HAVE STALLED, AND IN SOME CASES ERODED, IN ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCES, DESPITE EFFECTIVE NEW PROGRAMS TO INCREASE WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THESE FIELDS.  WOMEN IN STEM JOBS EARN 33 PERCENT MORE THAN THOSE IN NON-STEM OCCUPATIONS AND EXPERIENCE A SMALLER WAGE GAP RELATIVE TO MEN.  STEM CAREERS OFFER WOMEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING REALMS OF DISCOVERY AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.
4.  SINCE THE 1970'S, FEMALE MARINES HAVE ENJOYED AN INCREASED ROLE IN THE MARINE CORPS, INCLUDING FULLY INTEGRATED ROLES IN PILOT/AIR CREW OCCUPATIONAL FIELDS.  CHANGES IN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND MARINE CORPS POLICIES HAVE FOLLOWED, AND TODAY MANY FEMALE MARINES ON ACTIVE DUTY SUCCESSFULLY BALANCE THEIR OWN NEEDS AND THE NEEDS OF THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.  NOW MORE WOMEN THAN EVER BEFORE IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE MARINE CORPS A CAREER, THEREBY CREATING NEW FAMILY MILITARY TRADITIONS WHERE DAUGHTERS FOLLOW IN THEIR MOTHERS' FOOTSTEPS AND SISTERS JOIN TOGETHER. LET US NOT FORGET THAT THE RIGHTS AND CHOICES FEMALE MARINES NOW ENJOY WERE FOUGHT FOR AND EARNED BY GENERATIONS OF WOMEN, THROUGH THEIR SELFLESS SERVICE TO THEIR FAMILIES, SOCIETY, AND THE NATION, THESE TRAILBLAZING WOMEN PAVED THE WAY FOR OUR FREEDOM TODAY.
5.  WOMEN IN THE CORPS HAVE CONTINUED TO ANSWER THE CALL TO SERVE AND PROTECT OUR NATION.  AS OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE HAVE INCREASED, EACH SUBSEQUENT GENERATION OF FEMALE MARINES HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE CHALLENGE AND PAVED NEW ROADS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.  SINCE THE FIRST WOMAN DONNED A MARINE CORPS UNIFORM, FEMALE MARINES HAVE ENRICHED OUR CORPS' HISTORY AND ENHANCED OUR COMBAT CAPABILITY.
6.  ALL MARINES ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK OUT FEMALE MARINES PAST AND PRESENT TO LEARN OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CORPS.  COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS WOMEN HAVE MADE TO OUR CORPS BY CONDUCTING PROGRAMS AND PROMOTING PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS BOTH ON BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
7.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M. F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//