R 291825Z OCT 10

ALCOAST 529/10
COMDTNOTE 5350
SUBJ: NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH
1.  SHIPMATES, NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH.
THE THEME OF THIS YEARS OBSERVANCE IS LIFE IS SACRED, CELEBRATE
HEALTHY NATIVE COMMUNITIES.
2.  AS COAST GUARD MEN AND WOMEN WE SHARE A RICH HERITAGE WITH OUR
NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND A COMMON DESIRE TO UPHOLD OUR HONORABLE
TRADITIONS.  OUR STRONG TRIBAL PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT OUR GREAT LAND
GIVE US MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR, INCLUDING THE MANY STIRRING ACCOUNTS
OF NATIVE AMERICANS PERFORMING HEROIC RESCUES.  IN RECOGNITION OF
NATIVE AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS OUR CUTTERS HAVE PROUDLY HELD THE NAMES
APACHE, CHEROKEE, IROQUOIS, KENNEBEC, NAUGATUCK, ONANDAGA, SHAWNEE,
TAMAROA, WINNEBAGO, MOHAWK AND SENECA.
3.  IN MANY NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURES STORY TELLING IS USED TO PASS ON
TRIBAL HISTORY AND CULTURE OR EXPLAIN HOW THINGS CAME TO BE IN THE
WORLD.  SO, TODAY, I WANT TO TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT STRENGTH,
PARTNERSHIP AND UNITY.
4.  ON JULY 7, 2010, MEMBERS OF THE QUILEUTE NATION OBSERVED CG6017
TRAGICALLY CRASH INTO THE WATERS OFF LA PUSH, WASHINGTON.  THE
QUILEUTE, IN THEIR FISHING BOATS, RACED TO THE SCENE.  THEY
HEROICALLY RESCUED ONE SURVIVOR AND ASSISTED IN THE DIGNIFIED
RECOVERY OF OUR THREE FALLEN SHIPMATES.  THE QUILEUTE TRIBAL COUNCIL
THEN HONORED OUR LOST SHIPMATES WITH A TRADITIONAL HEALING CIRCLE
MEMORIAL SERVICE.  QUILEUTE, COAST GUARDSMEN AND MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY JOINED HAND IN HAND, WITH DRUMS BEATING, AS A WREATH WAS
LAID.
5.  AN ACCOUNT OF THE SERVICE, BY DARELL GELAKOSKA, ASMCM (RET.), WAS
POSTED ON THE COMPASS BLOG:  QUOTE: I WANTED TO TELL YOU OF AN
AMAZING THING THAT HAPPENED DURING THE SERVICE.  JUST AS THE SERVICE
BEGAN, A LONE BALD EAGLE LANDED IN A TREE 50 FEET FROM WHERE THE
SERVICE WAS BEING HELD AND IT SAT IN THE TREE WATCHING OVER THE
SERVICE.  AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SERVICE, A COAST GUARD HH60 FROM
ASTORIA MADE A FLY-BY AND THE EAGLE GOT OFF OF HIS PERCH IN THE TREE
AND FLEW IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE HELICOPTER BEFORE CIRCLING BACK
AND LANDING IN THE TREE.  I SPOKE WITH A MEMBER OF THE TRIBE AFTER
THE SERVICE AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE EAGLE IS VERY SPIRITUAL AND HE
WAS LETTING EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE BRAVE COAST GUARD MEN WHO DIED
WERE OK AND THAT ALL WAS WELL.  LOOKING BACK ON THE EVENTS, AFTER
LEARNING THESE THINGS, I AM LEFT WITH THE UNDENIABLE FEELING THAT THE
APPEARANCE OF THE EAGLE AT THE 6017 MEMORIAL WAS MORE THAN MERE
COINCIDENCE. END QUOTE.
6.  THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE I WANT TO SHARE.  SEVERAL DAYS LATER, ON
JULY 13, 2010, WE ASSEMBLED IN AIR STATION SITKAS HANGAR, TO OBSERVE
THE MANNERS OF OUR PROFESSION, FOR A UNIT MEMORIAL IN HONOR OF THE
LOST CG6017 CREWMEMBERS.  WE WERE HONORED TO BE JOINED BY THE SITKA
TRIBE OF ALASKA, AND NEARLY THE ENTIRE TOWN OF SITKA.  AS THE
MEMORIAL SERVICE NEARED CONCLUSION, TWO EAGLES FLEW DOWN AND PERCHED
ON A TREE LIMB.
7.  IN THE EXTRAORDINARY SPIRIT OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN BROTHERS AND
SISTERS, I ENCOURAGE ALL COMMANDS TO JOIN IN THE OBSERVATION OF
NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH BY HOSTING APPROPRIATE
PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES THAT HIGHLIGHT THE
CONTRIBUTIONS AMERICAN INDIANS AND NATIVE ALASKANS HAVE MADE TO OUR
SERVICE AND OUR NATION.  HOST A POTLATCH.  VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRIBE.
LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES.  AND CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR TRIBAL
PARTNERSHIPS AS WE WORK TOGETHER, HAND-IN-HAND, TO PROTECT OUR GREAT
WATERS.
8.  ADM BOB PAPP, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
9.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.