RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 3021945-UUUU--RUCRNAD
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R 281945Z OCT 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
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UNCLAS //N05354//
NAVADMIN 303/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/OCT// 
SUBJ/ AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH 2008// 
RMKS/1.  NOVEMBER IS AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH, AND THE THEME FOR 
THIS YEAR'S OBSERVANCE IS "LIVING IN MANY WORLDS." 
2.  THE NATIVE PEOPLE OF NORTH AMERICA SHAPED OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND 
CULTURE.  ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL SHOULD REFLECT ON THE REMARKABLE 
HISTORY, AND THE DIVERSE INFLUENCES THAT NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE HAD ON 
OUR NATION AND NAVY.  AN ESTIMATED 12,000 AMERICAN INDIANS FOUGHT IN 
WORLD WAR I AND MORE THAN 44,000 AMERICAN INDIANS FOUGHT IN WORLD WAR 
II.  TWELVE RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR DURING THE 1870S, THREE DURING 
WORLD WAR II, AND TWO DURING THE KOREAN WAR. THERE ARE CURRENTLY MORE 
THAN 15,000 ACTIVE DUTY, RESERVE, AND CIVILIAN MEMBERS OF THE NAVY 
TOTAL-FORCE WHO ARE AMERICAN INDIAN OR ALASKA NATIVE.  EACH OF THESE 
MEN AND WOMEN DEMONSTRATE INCREDIBLE COMMITMENT AND DIVERSE 
PERSPECTIVES THAT MAKE OUR NATION AND OUR NAVY THE MOST POWERFUL TO 
EVER SAIL THE WORLD'S OCEANS.
3.  AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES HAVE LONG BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART 
OF OUR AMERICAN CHARACTER.  TRIBAL TRADITIONS HAVE BROUGHT VALUES AND 
IDEAS THAT HAVE BECOME INGRAINED IN OUR AMERICAN SPIRIT AND ADD 
SIGNIFICANCE TO OUR NAVY.  DURING THIS OBSERVANCE, LET US ENHANCE OUR 
UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE 
HERITAGE, AND THE DIVERSITY WE ALL BRING TO THIS GREAT NATION.  OUR 
ABILITY TO ACCESS, TRAIN, AND RETAIN THE DIVERSE AND EXTRAORDINARY 
TALENTS AND EXPERIENCES OF OUR COUNTRY'S POPULATION MAKES US BETTER.  
COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN 
AND ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE MONTH THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS, 
PUBLICATIONS, AND PARTICIPATION IN MILITARY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT 
RECOGNIZE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE.
4.  THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET:
A.  SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE DEFENSE EQUAL 
OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE WEB SITE AT: 
HTTP://WWW.DEOMI.ORG/SPECIALOBSERVANCE/PRESENTATIONS.CFM?CATID=8
B.  LEARN ABOUT THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN INDIAN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
(SAIGE) AT:  HTTP://WWW.SAIGE.ORG.
C.  INFORMATION ON DIVERSITY CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND OBSERVANCES IS 
AVAILABLE AT THE NAVY DIVERSITY WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/COMMANDSUPPORT/DIVERSITY.
D. SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN WEB SITE AT 
HTTP://WWW.NMAI.SI.EDU/.
5.  POINT OF CONTACT:  LCDR ELIZABETH ZIMMERMANN, OPNAV N134, AT
(703) 614-5392/DSN 225 OR VIA E-MAIL AT 
elizabeth.zimmermann@navy.mil.
6.  RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.// 
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