DOD Observance of National American Indian Heritage Month/November 2003

1.  PUBLIC LAW 101-343 ESTABLISHES THE MONTH OF
NOVEMBER AS NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH.  WHAT STARTED AT
THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AS AN EFFORT TO GAIN A DAY OF RECOGNITION FOR
THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS THE FIRST AMERICANS MADE TO THE
ESTABLISHMENT AND GROWTH OF THE U.S., HAS RESULTED IN A WHOLE MONTH
BEING DESIGNATED FOR THAT PURPOSE.  THE PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION
STATES "THE STRENGTH OF OUR NATION COMES FROM ITS PEOPLE.  AS EARLY
INHABITANTS OF THIS GREAT LAND, THE NATIVE PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA
PLAYED A UNIQUE ROLE IN THE SHAPING OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND
CULTURE."
2.  GENERAL LEJEUNE, IN HIS ORIGINAL BIRTHDAY MESSAGE, ENJOINED
MARINES TO HONOR THE CORPS' LEGACY, THOSE MARINES WHO "HAVE GROWN
GRAY IN WAR" SO THAT OUR NATION MAY ENJOY PEACE AND SECURITY.  AS THE
CORPS FORGES AHEAD IN THE COMING YEARS, TRANSFORMING TO MEET OUR
NATION'S VARIED CHALLENGES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE AFFIRM THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF PAST GENERATIONS OF MARINES.  MARINES LIKE IRA
HAYES, A PIMA INDIAN AND ONE OF THE FLAG RAISERS ON IWO JIMA;
THE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS, WHOSE CODE STUMPED THE JAPANESE AND HELPED
STRENGTHEN THE ALLIES; AND THE 1,846 ACTIVE AND RESERVE AMERICAN
INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE MARINES CURRENTLY SERVING EXEMPLIFY THE
PROUD AND PROFOUND HISTORY OF NATIVE AMERICANS.  AS WE PROGRESS IN
THE 21ST CENTURY AND BEYOND, NATIVE AMERICANS WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY
A VITAL ROLE TO OUR NATION AND OUR CORPS AS THEY DID DURING THE
WORLD WARS AND THE CONFLICTS IN KOREA, VIETNAM, AND THE PERSIAN GULF.
3.  COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CELEBRATE THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF
NATIVE AMERICANS, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, TO THE MARINE CORPS.  THIS
CAN BE DONE THROUGH HOSTING OBSERVANCE EVENTS OR PROMOTING
PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS BOTH ON-BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
COMMANDERS MAY ALSO DEVELOP LOCAL THEMES FOR USE AT THEIR COMMANDS.