On this Memorial Day holiday, as we remember those who have
given their lives in service to our country while protecting the
freedoms and ideals we hold dear, many of our fellow Americans remain
unaware of the major contributions Native Americans have made to
our nation's armed forces. In fact, American Indians serve in their
country's armed forces in greater numbers per capita than any other
ethnic group, and they have served with distinction in every major
conflict for over 200 years.
Best known are the Native American Code Talkers who served in
World Wars I and II. Theirs is a remarkable story and their contributions
were vital to our success, but there are countless other Native
Americans who have served in the U.S. military who deserve recognition.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, as of 2012 there were
over 22,000
American Indians and Alaska Natives on active duty, and the 2010
Census identified over 150,000
American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. 27 Native Americans
have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military
honor.
As the director of the National
Museum of the American Indian and a citizen of the Pawnee Nation
of Oklahoma, I've witnessed first-hand why Native Americans feel
compelled to serve. I was raised with stories of friends and family
members' bravery on the battlefield. Native Americans served in
World War I even though they were not citizens of the United States.
In fact, it was not until after World War II in the 1965 passage
of the Voting Rights Act that all states were required to allow
Native Americans to vote on the same basis as any other American.
Despite decades of persecution and broken promises, despite being
dispossessed of, and often forcibly removed from, their ancestral
homelands, American Indians have served and continue to serve in
our nation's armed forces in numbers that belie their small percentage
of the American population. They step forward when duty calls. Now,
let us on this Memorial Day support a memorial on the National Mall
dedicated to the selfless service and patriotism of our Native American
servicemen and women.
In December 2013, Congress passed legislation authorizing the
National Museum of the American Indian, working with the National
Congress of American Indians, to create a memorial on the grounds
of the museum honoring Native American veterans. An advisory committee
is being formed, with members representing Native veterans from
across the United States and all branches of military service. Following
a series of discussions with Native communities and veterans, a
design competition will be conducted and a winning proposal selected.
I hope you agree the time has come to honor the extraordinary
service, dedication, and patriotism of American Indian veterans
with a National Native American
Veterans' Memorial.
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The
late Woodrow Roach of Tahlequah, OK, fought for the U.S. Army
from 1944-45 and believed the prayer to be his good luck charm
while serving in Italy and the Philippines. The prayer is
written in the Cherokee language syllabary as well as phonetically,
as Roach was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. It is now in
the permanent collection
of the National Museum
of the American Indian in Washington, D.C
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