Washington D.C. –
U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, will host a special event in commemoration of Native Americans’ contributions to the armed services on November 16, 2011, at 2 p.m. in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
The event entitled, the “Way of the Warrior: Native Americans’ Commitment to Country, Community, and Communication,” will highlight the unique ways that American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians have contributed to the U.S. Military’s efforts throughout history.
Speakers will include Robert Alexander of the National Museum of the American Indian, Cultural Liaison Specialist for the National Museum of the American Indian; Tom Gordon, a representative from Navajo Nation; and Frank Chee Willeto, a WWII Code Talker. During the World Wars, the U.S. employed tribal members from more than a dozen tribes as “Code Talkers” who would transmit messages to one another, which were indecipherable to U.S. enemies.
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Contact: Emily Deimel
Contact Phone: 202-224-3667
Contact E-mail: emily_deimel@indian.senate.gov