2006 Observance of Women's History Month

1. MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. THIS YEAR'S
THEME IS "WOMEN: BUILDERS OF COMMUNITIES AND DREAMS". 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. THIS MONTH WE REFLECT ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND
SACRIFICES WOMEN HAVE MADE IN THE BUILDING OF OUR GREAT NATION
AND PRESERVING AMERICA'S FREEDOM.
2. MARINE CORPS HISTORY ACKNOWLEDGES COUNTLESS ACHIEVEMENTS
AND NUMEROUS SACRIFICES BY WOMEN SERVING IN AND FOR OUR CORPS.
FROM THE ENLISTMENT OF OPHA MAE JOHNSON IN 1918, TO THE
PRESENT, THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE MARINE CORPS HAS EVOLVED
AND EXPANDED. WOMEN MARINES SERVE IN OVER 90 PERCENT OF
ALL MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES, AND FROM PRIVATE TO
MAJOR GENERAL, THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE INDISPENSABLE.
3. MOREOVER, WE CANNOT FORGET THE ACHIEVEMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS,
AND SACRIFICES OF MARINE WIVES AND THE WOMEN SERVING THE CORPS
AS CIVILIAN MARINES. THEY HAVE MADE THE MARINE CORPS BETTER
AND STRONGER. TOGETHER, WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MARINE
CORPS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR CORPS'
READINESS AND WARFIGHTING CAPABILITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
4. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE
ROLE OF FEMALE MARINES. COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO
CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE
EVENTS BOTH ON BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND TO DEVELOP
LOCAL THEMES FOR USE AT THEIR COMMANDS.