DoD Observance of Hispanic Heritage Month

1. PUBLIC LAW 100-402 ESTABLISHES SEP 15 THROUGH OCT
15 AS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. THE DOD THEME FOR THIS
YEAR'S OBSERVANCE IS "HISPANIC AMERICANS: HONORING OUR PAST,
SURPASSING OUR PRESENT, AND LEADING OUR FUTURE".
2. NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH PROVIDES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CELEBRATE THE DIVERSE CHARACTER OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE INTEGRAL ROLE
PLAYED BY ONE OF ITS FASTEST GROWING AND MOST VIBRANT SEGMENTS. THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AMERICANS RANGE ACROSS MANY SEGMENTS OF
SOCIETY, FROM THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TO CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE; FROM
CONGRESS TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT; AND FROM THE
EDUCATION SECTOR TO THE UPPER REACHES OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT.
3. THE NUMBER OF CURRENT AND FORMER MARINES OF HISPANIC DESCENT
WHO INFUSE THE CORPS WITH THE UNIQUE CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS OF THEIR 
CULTURE CONTINUES TO GROW. THE YOUNG HISPANIC MEN AND WOMEN WHO
JOIN THE MARINE CORPS TODAY ARE BORN OF A PROUD CULTURE. THEY CHOOSE
TO ADOPT THE ETHOS OF THE MARINE CORPS, AND ULTIMATELY STRENGTHEN OUR
CORPS AND NATION.
4. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE
PARTICIPATION IN HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH OBSERVANCE EVENTS BOTH ON
BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. COMMANDERS MAY USE THE DOD THEME
OR DEVELOP THEIR OWN THEMES FOR COMMAND OBSERVANCES.