During May, a month of renewal and promise, we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month to honor the great amalgam of nationalities and cultures represented by more than 16 million Americans who trace their roots back to
Asia and the Pacific.

Their contributions have helped renew America for many generations.
Their vitality and energy underscore America's promise of continued freedom and leadership throughout the 21st Century.

Too long relegated to the footnotes of American history, the accomplishments of Asian Pacific Americans are today widely recognized in all segments of American life, cultural, economic, political -- and in an area I am personally familiar with, military service.

I grew up with stories of heroism and dedication of Asian American soldiers who fought tyranny during World War II
while fear and prejudice at home plagued their families.

These men were and are my heroes and what they did during and after military service helped push this Nation to the understanding that diversity is one of its core strengths and a cherished American value.

Today there are more than 340,000 Veterans of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage and some 90,000 Asian and
Pacific Americans serving in our armed forces on active duty and in the National Guard and Reserves with the same dedication and commitment as those who served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

It is with great pride that I join the Department of Veterans Affairs in honoring these Veterans, and all our citizens of
Asian American and Pacific Island descent, including some 17,500 VA employees,
during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Eric K. Shinseki