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ZNR UUUUU ZUI RUEWMCF6683 0322132
R 012111Z FEB 06 PSN 163446K24
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UNCLAS //N05750//
NAVADMIN 043/2006
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1NT/FEB//
SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH 2006//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  MARCH 2006 MARKS THE 19TH ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, A TIME WHEN THE NAVY CELEBRATES AND
RECOGNIZES THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS WOMEN HAVE MADE TO OUR NAVY AND
NATION.  THIS YEAR'S THEME:  "WOMEN, BUILDERS OF COMMUNITIES AND
DREAMS," HONORS THE SPIRIT OF POSSIBILITY AND HOPE EMBODIED BY
GENERATIONS OF WOMEN WHO BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AND RESTORE HOPE
IN THE FACE OF GREAT CHALLENGES.
2.  THIS SPIRIT IS PERSONIFIED BY THE WOMEN PIONEERS WHO BROKE
GROUND BY BEING THE "FIRST" IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SET STANDARDS
OF EXCELLENCE FOR ALL TO FOLLOW.  STARTING WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE NURSE CORPS IN 1908, WOMEN HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE
NAVY AND EXHIBITED AN EVER-INCREASING INFLUENCE AND IMPACT.
FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PIONEERS SUCH AS RADIOMAN DIXIE KUHN,
THE FIRST ENLISTED WOMAN SELECTED FOR THE SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL PROGRAM;
CDR ELIZABETH BARRETT, FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD COMMAND IN A COMBAT ZONE
IN VIETNAM; CDR ROSEMARY MARINER, FIRST WOMAN TO COMMAND AN AVIATION
SQUADRON; AND LT MARISSA MCCLURE, FIRST WOMAN TO COMMAND A COASTAL
PATROL CRAFT IN 2005; WOMEN CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR ABILITY TO
MEET NEW CHALLENGES AND ASSUME GREATER ROLES IN THE NAVY OF
TOMORROW.  AMONG THE MANY EXAMPLES OF WOMEN IN THE NAVY TODAY IS
SURFACE WARFARE OFFICER LT KIM HOLDCROFT, GAS TURBINE ASSESSOR WITH
AFLOAT TRAINING GROUP PACIFIC IN SAN DIEGO.  SHE EXPLAINS, "IT IS
THE SPIRIT AND HARD WORK OF NAVY WOMEN IN YEARS PAST WHICH ALLOWS
FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TODAY.  ALTHOUGH WE HAVE COME A LONG
WAY IN A SHORT TIME, THE WORK OF EVERY WOMAN CONTRIBUTES TO A
STRONGER FUTURE FOR WOMEN IN THE NAVY."
3.  TODAY, THERE ARE OVER 54,000 SERVICE WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES
NAVY:  OVER 8,000 WOMEN OFFICERS; 2,500 WOMEN CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS,
AND 43,500 WOMEN ENLISTED MEMBERS SERVING THROUGHOUT THE FLEET.
THEY ARE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS IN THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM.
4.  WE SALUTE THE WOMEN IN THE NAVY, 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.  PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS BY CIVILIAN AND MILITARY PERSONNEL IS ALSO HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED.
5.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, VISIT THE
OFFICE OF WOMEN'S POLICY WEBSITE AT WWW.BUPERS.NAVY.MIL/
WOMENSPOLICY/, OR VISIT THE FOLLOWING NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY
WEBSITES:
- NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY PROJECT, WWW.NWHP.ORG
- NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM, WWW.NWHM.ORG
- WOMEN IN MILITARY SERVICE MEMORIAL, WWW.WOMENSMEMORIAL.ORG
- WOMEN'S RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INSTITUTE, WWW.WREI.ORG
6.  POC:  OFFICE OF WOMENS POLICY - LT STEPHANIE MILLER.  EMAIL AT
STEPHANIE.P.MILLER@NAVY.MIL
7.  RELEASED BY VADM J. C. HARVEY, JR. N1/NT.//
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