N A T I O N A L C O N G R E S S O F A M E R I C A N I N D I A N S The National Congress of American Indians Resolution #GBW-05-036c TITLE: Supporting the Oklahoma Military Order of the Purple Heart to Name Veterans Administration Medical Facility in Muskogee, Oklahoma to the Jack C. Montgomery VAMC and to Name the Tulsa, Oklahoma Veterans Administration Medical Clinic the Ernest Childers VA E XE CU T IV E C OMMITTEE Medical Clinic PRESIDENT Tex G. Hall Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Joe A. Garcia of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and Ohkay Owingeh (Pueblo of San Juan) purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent RECORDING SECRETARY sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and Juana Majel Pauma-Yuima Band of Mission Indians agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are TREASURER entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public W. Ron Allen Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby RE G ION A L V ICE -PRESIDENTS establish and submit the following resolution; and ALASKA Edward K. Thomas Tlingit and Haida Tribes EASTERN OKLAHOMA WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was Jefferson Keel established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Chickasaw Nation GREAT PLAINS Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and Harold Frazier Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe MIDWEST WHEREAS, Native American veterans have served the United States with Gordon Adams, Jr. Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Indians honor and distinction even before Native Americans were recognized as citizens of the NORTHEAST United States history; and Kevin Seneca Seneca Nation NORTHWEST WHEREAS, Indian people have the highest percentage of veterans of any Ernie Stensgar Coeur d’Alene Tribe population within the United States and carry the proud distinction of being the most PACIFIC decorated group in United States; and Leslie Lohse Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians ROCKY MOUNTAIN WHEREAS, according to a 1997 Veterans Administration report, there weree Raymond Parker Chippewa-Cree Business Committee more that 187,000 American Indian veterans in the United States; and SOUTHEAST Eddie Tullis Poarch Band of Creek Indians WHEREAS, during World War II, First Lieutenant Jack C. Montgomery, SOUTHERN PLAINS United States Army, and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and Second Lieutenant Zach Pahmahmie Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Ernest Childers, United States Army, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, were SOUTHWEST both recipeints of the Medal of Honor, the highest award for bravery in combat; and Manuel Heart Ute Mountain Ute Tribe WESTERN WHEREAS, Jack C. Montegomery and Ernest Childers were recognized as Arlan Melendez Reno-Sparks Indian Colony American Indian heroes; and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jacqueline Johnson Tlingit WHEREAS, Jack C. Montegomery and Ernest Childers have both passed this life recently; and NCAI HEADQUARTERS 1301 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 200 WHEREAS, there are no Veterans Administration medical facilities named in Washington, DC 20036 202.466.7767 honor of American Indians; and 202.466.7797 fax www.ncai.org NCAI 2005 Mid-Year Session Resolution GBW-05-036c WHEREAS, naming the Veterans Administration Medical Facility in Muskogee, Oklahoma in honor of Jack C. Montgomery and 5the Veterans Administration Medical Clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma in honor of Ernest Childers would memorialize the names of these two American heroes. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCAI does hereby support the Oklahoma Military of the Purple Heart organizttion in its effort to honor Jack C. Montgomery and Ernest Childers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution; and CERTIFICATION The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2005 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Green Bay, Green Bay, Wisconsin on June 12–15, 2005 with a quorum present. ____________________________ President ATTEST: ____________________________ Recording Secretary Adopted by the General Assembly during the 2005 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Green Bay, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. .