Adm. Daryl Caudle

Raleigh, N.C.

Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command

03 May 2025

• Good morning, everyone.
• Thank you, Chancellor Woodson, members of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Governors, distinguished faculty, dedicated NC State staff, proud parents, loving families, loyal friends—and most importantly, the graduates of the Class of 2025… What an absolutely incredible group gathered here today!
• I want to begin by expressing, with heartfelt humility, my deepest thanks for the tremendous privilege of receiving an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from this remarkable institution.
• I’ll forever be grateful for this honor. Though, let’s be honest—nobody came to Carter-Finley Stadium today to celebrate my honorary doctorate. Except, maybe, my amazing wife Donna—and I think she’s earned that right!  Thank you sweetheart.

 
 
 

• No, you all came here for a much more important reason. So, let’s make some noise for the graduating Class of 2025!
• Go Wolfpack!

 

• It’s surreal to be standing here, almost four decades after I sat where you sit now—cap and gown, filled with excitement, uncertainty, anticipation... hope.
• I remember my own graduation day from NC State as if it were yesterday. I was moments away from shipping out to begin Navy Officer Candidate School, soon to be molded into a junior officer in the U.S. Submarine Force.
• That was the day I was about to “cash the check” I’d written with years of hard study and discipline—just like many of you today.
• I remember the energy, the buzz in the air, the overwhelming feeling that life was about to begin in a whole new way.
• And yet, in all that excitement, I found myself reflecting on the people I’d met at State—the friendships, the mentors, the late-night study groups, the moments of challenge and triumph.
• And I also remember this: I had absolutely no idea what lay ahead. And that’s okay. Because NC State had prepared me—not just academically, but in mindset and mission—to face an uncertain world with confidence, clarity, and courage.

 

• Now, I have to admit something...I can't, for the life of me, remember who my commencement speaker was. So, if you forget me and my name a week from now, trust me, I understand. But I do hope you remember something far more important—the motto that defines this incredible university:
• Think and Do!

 
 

• It sounds so simple—two words. But don’t let their brevity fool you.
• “Think and Do” is more than a motto—it’s a charge. A way of life. A compass.
• It means we must lead lives of both reflection and action. That we cannot merely ponder challenges—we must step up to confront them. And we can't rush to action without understanding first what we’re doing—or why.
• And friends, let me tell you: the order of those words matters. Too often in life—and yes, I’ve seen it in government—we “Do” without first “Thinking.” And that path leads to confusion, inefficiency, and sometimes disaster.
• So, I implore you: Think boldly. Think differently. Think critically. Think compassionately.
• Then… Do with purpose. Do with excellence. And most important, Do with integrity.
• Because when you “Think and Do” together—toward a noble purpose—you change the world.

 
 

• Think to chart a course through life’s tangled branches.
• Think to envision solutions to challenges others say are impossible.
• Think beyond yourself—to communities, to countries, to future generations.
• And yes—think about the real impact of your actions in a world that desperately needs thoughtful leaders.
• Look, even choosing which reality shows to binge on Netflix technically qualifies as “thinking and doing”—but I don’t think that’s quite what our professors meant.

 
 

• The future isn’t waiting around. The world needs your action, your energy, your vision—now. And I won’t sugarcoat it: it won’t be easy. There will be setbacks. Doubts. Obstacles.
• But if you want to live a life of consequence—one where you leave a legacy greater than yourself—you must think and do with relentless purpose.

 
 

• Let me offer a glimpse into how I learned to “Think and Do” at a higher level.
• My early Navy days were onboard submarines. Now, imagine this: You're hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface, sealed in a steel tube, completely cut off from the outside world—no phone calls, no texts, no social media, no sunlight. You’re surrounded by a nuclear reactor, high-pressure systems, and enough ordnance to make anyone a little nervous.
• It’s a high-stakes, high-pressure world—a world that necessitates taking the time for deep reflection.
• Down there, I had to constantly ask myself:
  • Am I thinking clearly?
  • Am I thinking strategically?
  • Are we doing the right things, for the right reasons, at the right time?
• And those questions haven’t changed—whether I was under the sea, leading commands around the globe, or advising national security decisions.

 

• Over my career, I’ve distilled the essence of effective thinking and action into what I call the Five P’s:
• First - People
• People are the cornerstone. No one changes the world alone.
• Like Simon Sinek said:
  • “Our strength doesn’t come from the sharpness of our spears—it comes from the protection of our shields.”
• Build your teams. Support them. Challenge them. Invest in them.
• Take care of others, and they’ll help carry your vision forward.
• Second - Prioritization
• Time and attention are your most valuable currencies.
• There are thousands of distractions waiting to hijack your focus.
• As Admiral Rickover once said:
  • “Too many people let their in-basket set the priorities. You must exert self-discipline to focus where your energy is truly needed.”
• Guard your time. Focus your thoughts. Pour your energy into what truly matters.
• Third - Planning
• The best “doing” flows from solid “thinking.” That’s where planning comes in.
• We say in the military: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” But that doesn’t mean planning is useless. Far from it.
• As President Eisenhower put it:
  • “Plans are useless—but planning is indispensable.”
• As the homework for success, planning prepares your mind for action. It teaches you to adapt, improvise, and keep moving when things get hard.
• Fourth - Practice
• Here’s a truth I’ve lived: The time to learn is not during the crisis.
• If you want to be great in the moment, you must be great before the moment.
• That means repetition. Rehearsal. Self-study. Mentorship. Critical feedback.
• Fleet Admiral Nimitz nailed it when he said:
  • “Luck can be attributed to a well-conceived plan carried out by a well-trained and indoctrinated task group… ready to seize the moment of victory.”
• Create your own luck—by practicing.
• And finally - Performance
• None of this matters if you don’t execute.
• Action beats intention. Precision beats power and timing beats speed every time.
• Set your target. Move toward it. Fall. Get back up. Perform again. And again.
• Let your work speak louder than your words.
• As General Colin Powell said:
  • “A dream does not become reality through magic. It takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”

 
 

• So let me leave you with this:
• If you Think and Do—with People, Prioritization, Planning, Practice, and Performance—you’ll carry the tools needed to lead in any field, under any condition, in any era.
  • Take care of people
  • Set and protect your priorities
  • Bridge the Think-Do gap with planning
  • Create your own luck by practicing, and
  • Relentlessly perform and execute each day by hard work, grit, and tenacity.

 

• To the Class of 2025—you are standing on the edge of something magnificent.
• Yes, the seas may get rough. But a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
• And if I could offer you just one lasting call to action, it would be this—from Admiral Rickover himself:
  • “The great end of life is not knowledge, but action. I believe it is the duty of each of us to act as if the fate of the world depended on us. We must live for the future, not for our own comfort or success.”
• So, I challenge you: Act as if the fate of the world depends on you. Because it does.
• You are thinkers.
• You are doers.
• You are NC State.
• Now go out and show the world what a member of the Wolfpack can accomplish.
• Make us proud. Go Pack!