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Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, families and friends, and of course, good morning New Yorkers!
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First, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of you for being here and sharing the experience of this very special event.
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It’s a tremendous honor to join you today, coming all the way from Norfolk, VA to participate and celebrate our 36th rendition of Fleet Week New York.
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Fleet Week is an outstanding opportunity for the people of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to get to know their sea services – and a chance for us to raise general awareness of the critical role we play for our great nation.
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Today, I have the incredible pleasure and honor to reenlist some of our nation’s finest, these Sailors, these warriors who have made the critically important decision to recommit themselves to the idea of service to their country!
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Synonymous to how service members will always run to the scene of a casualty with courage and focus, patrons of New York City always show up to support their military. You truly honor the Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen here today and all the Armed Forces by your presence. You truly honor these Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and all the Armed Forces by your presence here today.
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So, as we reflect on the special relationship between New York and the military, thank you for opening your city to Fleet Week, and thank you for giving us some time to recognize these world-class Sailors.
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In just a few moments, whether you’re re-enlisting or promoting, you will renew your oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States – an oath that all who wear our nation’s cloth pledge.
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Personally, I can’t think of a more significant or symbolic place than right here – lower Manhattan, at the 9/11 Memorial – to re-commit yourselves to service to our great country.
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We all know the story of what happened here almost 23 years ago as we were attacked without precedent, perpetrated by violent extremists who thought they could intimidate us enough to shake our resolve and encourage our retreat from the world stage.
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This memorial exists so we never forget what happened here and the nearly 3,000 people who perished.
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Your decision to stand before us on these hallowed grounds and once again re-affirm your commitment to your nation stands in the face of what the perpetrators of that attack were trying to achieve.
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And right now, … our ships and Sailors are standing watch in the Red Sea for similar purpose and resolve. The Iranian backed Houthis are making every effort to shutdown international maritime shipping, to attack vulnerable merchant ships.
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But since October, our Sailors have been doing an amazing job of shooting down their missiles, launching aircraft to remove RADAR sites and U-A-V platforms, … taking pieces off the chessboard while keeping the lifeblood of the global market flowing through those vital commercial commons.
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By standing here today, you are sending a clear message that America cannot be shaken, we will not be bullied – and that any day, is the absolute wrong day to test our resolve.
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For those of you who may not know this group personally, let me tell you a little bit about the men and women who stand before you.
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These folks hail from across the country, each one with their own distinctive set of experiences and backgrounds. Despite the many differences making each one a truly unique American, they share several key things in common:
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The Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen standing before us represent the very best our country has to offer. They are the 1% who volunteered to preserve freedom for the other 99% - a commitment I consider represents the truest measure of what it means to be a citizen.
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To these Warfighters here, you are about to raise your hand and recommit your service to a nation, our nation, no better in the world. There is no higher honor!
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And you are choosing to serve during a time when it is most needed – a critical time in our history – perhaps our nation’s most consequential decade since World War II.
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And in a world where the Navy is fighting to attract our country’s best and brightest, as I look out into the crowd and as I visit the ships out there including those patrolling in the Red Sea – I have renewed faith that we are succeeding – succeeding by retaining the amazing talent that stands before me – ready to fight and win with honor, courage, and commitment.
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As the world’s greatest Navy and most responsive Service within the Joint Force, we have the daunting responsibility to remain America’s Away Team and mobile fighting force, on watch around the world 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, for the last 249 years.
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What a fine legacy! One that you have worked so hard to sustain.
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Before we take the oath, I want to thank the family members and friends of those being promoted or re-enlisting today. I know it means so much to have your support.
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I feel very strongly about the importance of family within the fabric of our Navy community – and today, I am reinvigorated to say with conviction that that family readiness directly contributes to operational readiness and mission effectiveness – that a stronger family means a stronger Fleet.
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You play an integral role in your Sailor’s development. You shaped your Sailor into someone who wanted to stand up, volunteer, and serve our great nation.
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I know you are proud of their willingness to serve, but I also understand your concern for their well-being as a Future Sailor in these dynamic times. I’m a Navy parent too, I get it!
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As parents we will always be concerned for the wellbeing our children, but I ask you this… who better to stand up against our adversaries than our very best? Who better to defend our way of life than our own? Our sons and daughters. They’re ready!
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You raised these talented young men and women with a strong foundation of Honor, Courage, and Commitment – the Core Values upon which our strength is based and victory is achieved. Because of the strong base and foundation, you provided, I can think of no better group of patriots to continue such a proud legacy.
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Your support at home enables our service members to go to sea and deploy across the world to protect the people of this great nation – a deed that New Yorkers and Americans everywhere truly cherish.
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President Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Actions, ladies and gentlemen, your actions, are the true measure of our worth. I know you will continue to make us proud.
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My wife Donna and I are so proud to be able to share this moment with you.
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We are honored that these Sailors are choosing a life of service marked by this reenlistment – we are honored and blessed they are staying Navy.
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May God bless you, your families, and your loved ones.
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And may God bless the United States Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard and the United States of America.