ALCOAST 171/21 - MAY 2021 ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

united states coast guard

R 041300Z MAY 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 171/21
SSIC 5350
SUBJ: ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
1. “Advancing Leaders Through Purpose-Driven Service” is the theme
this May around which our Nation reflects upon and celebrates the
contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to
the building and safeguarding of the United States.
2. Official recognition of the rich history and culture of the
AAPI community, a group encompassing more than 50 ethnic/language
groups, began in 1978 when Congress requested the President
issue a proclamation designating a seven-day period in May as
Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week. President George H.W. Bush
designated May 1990 as the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage
Month. Two years later, the U.S. Congress officially designated
May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
3. Coast Guard history brims with pioneering and exemplary AAPI
members including F. Miguchi, who in 1905 saved the life of a
drowning cutterman, and became the first person of an
underrepresented minority heritage to be awarded the Silver
Lifesaving Medal. Recent notable examples include Retired Captain
Hung M. Nguyen, the first Vietnamese-American to graduate from the
U.S. Coast Guard Academy (Class of 1986); he was also the first to
command a Coast Guard unit, and reach the rank of Captain. In 2019,
Tafaoga Foalima Collins advanced to Master Chief Petty Officer,
becoming the first Pacific Islander of Samoan ancestry to do so in
the history of our service. Christine Igisomar was promoted to the
rank of Lieutenant Commander in 2019, becoming the first woman of
Chamorro (Pacific Islander from the Mariana Islands) descent to
achieve this rank. To learn more about AAPI members in the Coast
Guard, please visit https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/
Notable-People/Minorities/Asian-Pacific-Americans/.
4. The contributions of AAPI members in the United States are not
always fully told or appreciated in our history books, but the
legacy across domains -- including military, industry, academia,
education, philanthropy, technology, the arts, science, and culture
-- is significant. As well, the escalation of violence and hatred
targeting the community during the COVID-19 pandemic is intolerable.
Coast Guard leadership recently hosted a forum to discuss this
unacceptable behavior, and I invite all members of the Coast Guard
family to repudiate racism, and create spaces for education and
healing as we celebrate the richness of AAPI communities.
5. The Coast Guard embraces and values a diverse workforce.
Celebrating special observances promotes equality, dignity, and
respect for all members of our workforce, and this in turn enhances
our mission readiness. I encourage all members to participate in
events commemorating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage
Month by organizing programs that highlight and honor their
contributions to our nation and the Coast Guard. Follow established
public health guidelines for in-person gatherings and use virtual
collaboration platforms and tools as necessary.
6. POC: COMDT (CG-00H), Mr. Juan Torres, 202-372-4594,
Juan.L.Torres@uscg.mil.
7. Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant (CCG), sends.
8. Internet release is authorized.