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SUBJ: OBSERVANCE OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE UNCLASSIFIED/ 
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UNCLAS//N05354// NAVADMIN 115/13

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SUBJ/OBSERVANCE OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH 2013//

RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCES THE OBSERVANCE OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC 
ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH DURING THE MONTH OF MAY.  THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR 
THE NATION AND THE NAVY TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF GENERATIONS OF 
ASIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS TO OUR SOCIETY AND ARMED FORCES.  THIS YEAR'S 
NATIONAL THEME IS "BUILDING LEADERSHIP:  EMBRACING CULTURAL VALUES AND 
INCLUSION."

2.  DIRECTED BY CONGRESS IN 1978 AND ESTABLISHED BY PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 
IN 1979, ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE WEEK WAS FIRST OBSERVED THE WEEK OF 4 
MAY 1979.  IN 1990, PRESIDENT GEORGE H. W. BUSH EXPANDED THE OBSERVANCE TO 
ENCOMPASS THE MONTH OF MAY, AND IN 1992, CONGRESS PASSED A LAW PERMANENTLY 
DESIGNATING MAY AS ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.  THE MONTH OF MAY IS 
SIGNIFICANT FOR THIS OBSERVANCE AS IT COMMEMORATES THE ARRIVAL DATE OF THE 
FIRST JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS TO THE UNITED STATES ON 7 MAY 1843 AND THE 
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CHINESE PIONEERS COMPLETING THE FIRST 
TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD ON 10 MAY 1869.

3.  THE 2013 THEME OF "BUILDING LEADERSHIP:  EMBRACING CULTURAL VALUES AND 
INCLUSION" IS EMBODIED IN THE U.S. NAVY'S FIRST BILATERAL COUNTER-PIRACY 
EXERCISE WITH CHINA'S PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY (NAVY).  IN SEPTEMBER 2012, USS 
WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG 81) AND THE CHINESE FRIGATE YI YANG (FF 548) 
CONDUCTED VISIT, BOARD, SEARCH, AND SEIZURE DRILLS NEAR THE HORN OF AFRICA TO 
ENHANCE ANTI-PIRACY COOPERATIVE EFFORTS.  DURING THE EXERCISE, THREE CHURCHILL 
SAILORS WERE UTILIZED AS TRANSLATORS.  SH2 JUNWEN LIANG, SHSN QING SU, AND LS3 
GUO RUI LIU, ALL CHINESE IMMIGRANTS, PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF 
THE EXERCISE BY BRIDGING BOTH THE LANGUAGE AND THE CULTURAL GAPS BETWEEN THE 
TWO CREWS.  THESE SAILORS EXEMPLIFY THE VITAL ROLE THAT INCLUSION PLAYS IN OUR 
NAVY'S SUCCESS, AND HOW UTILIZING THE TALENTS OF EVERY SAILOR TO THEIR FULLEST 
POTENTIAL SECURES OUR POSITION AS THE WORLD'S PREMIER FIGHTING FORCE.  
DIVERSITY OF IDEAS, EXPERIENCES, AREAS OF EXPERTISE, AND BACKGROUNDS IS 
NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE VARIETY OF MISSIONS ASKED OF THE NAVY TODAY AND INTO 
THE FUTURE.

4.  SAILORS OF ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE COMPRISE 6.5 PERCENT OF OUR 
ACTIVE DUTY NAVAL FORCE.  CURRENTLY, OVER 20,000 ACTIVE DUTY SAILORS, 4,000 
RESERVISTS, AND 18,900 CIVILIANS IDENTIFY AS ASIAN AMERICAN OR PACIFIC 
ISLANDER, INCLUDING 10 FLAG OFFICERS, 9 MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE 
SERVICE, AND 176 MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS.  ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC 
ISLANDERS OF VARIOUS NATIONALITIES AND ANCESTRY, INCLUDING CHINESE, FILIPINO, 
JAPANESE, KOREAN, SOUTHEAST ASIAN, ASIAN INDIAN, AND POLYNESIAN, HAVE SERVED 
WITH DISTINCTION IN THE NAVY SINCE THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY.  NOTABLE ASIAN 
AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS WHO HAVE SERVED IN AND FOR OUR ARMED FORCES 
INCLUDE:
    A.  A CHAMPION OF THE ARMED FORCES, SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE, HAWAII'S 
FIRST CONGRESSMAN AND THE FIRST JAPANESE AMERICAN TO SERVE IN CONGRESS, PASSED 
AWAY ON 17 DECEMBER 2012.  SENATOR INOUYE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AT 17, SERVED 
DURING WORLD WAR II, AND RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM 
AND INDOMITABLE LEADERSHIP.
    B.  RADM (SEL) PETER GUMATAOTAO, WAS SELECTED FOR PROMOTION TO REAR 
ADMIRAL IN JANUARY 2013 AND IN MARCH 2013 WAS ASSIGNED AS ASSISTANT DEPUTY 
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS FOR OPERATIONS, PLANS, AND STRATEGY (OPNAV N3/N5B).
    C.  LCDR SUNNY RAMCHANDANI WAS AWARDED THE 2012 FEDERAL ASIAN PACIFIC 
AMERICAN COUNCIL MILITARY MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD.
    D.  DR. THOMAS C. FU RECEIVED THE 2013 ASIAN AMERICAN ENGINEER OF THE YEAR 
AWARD.
    E.  RDML JONATHAN A. YUEN RECEIVED THE 2013 ASIAN AMERICAN EXECUTIVE OF 
THE YEAR AWARD.

5.  ALL COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ENGAGE THEIR SAILORS IN EMBRACING 
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS TO THE NAVY THROUGH 
PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS, PUBLICATIONS, AND EVENTS CELEBRATING ASIAN AMERICAN AND 
PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH.  INFORMATION ON THE ROLE OF ASIAN AMERICANS 
AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN NAVAL HISTORY IS AVAILABLE AT:
HTTP://WWW.HISTORY.NAVY.MIL/SPECIAL%20HIGHLIGHTS/ASIAN/ASIAN-
INDEX.HTM, AND VIA THE DEFENSE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE WEBSITE 
AT:
HTTP://WWW.DEOMI.ORG/SPECIALOBSERVANCE/PRESENTATIONS.CFM?CATID=4.
INFORMATION ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS TO 
OUR NATION'S LEGACY CAN BE FOUND AT:
HTTP://ASIANPACIFICHERITAGE.GOV.

6.  FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS AND OTHER DIVERSITY OBSERVANCES AND 
EVENTS ACCESS HTTP://WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/COMMANDSUPPORT/DIVERSITY.

7.  POINT OF CONTACT IS ENS AMBER LYNN DANIEL, OPNAV N134, AT (703)
604-5071 OR VIA E-MAIL AT amberlynn.daniel@navy.mil.

8.  RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL S. R. VAN BUSKIRK, N1.//

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