Navy boot camp graduation from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, September 6, 2019.
Transcript
Good morning and welcome to Recruit Training Command and today’s graduation. We are very excited to have all the family and friends of our sailors, both here and online. Because you are about to watch the formal transition from recruits to full-fledged sailors in the world’s greatest and most powerful Navy. As we honor the accomplishments of America’s best and brightest, we must also honor the family and friends of these new sailors. Without you and your steadfast support and devotion, this day would not be possible. Throughout our nation’s history the secret to our military’s success has always been the military families that stand the watch at home and support their sailors. The Department of the Navy has made the determination that the men and women graduating today have what it takes and that is thanks to you. So on behalf of the United States Navy thank you for the support and care you provide. This celebration is not just for the graduates, but for you as well. Take special pride in what your sailor has accomplish and the tremendous journey they are about to embark on. They are our future. Thank you again for your support and all you do to keep America safe and strong. Enjoy this ceremony. It gives me distinct pleasure to welcome you to our Navy family. (thunderous music) (marching music) (“Heathens”) (sailors yell) (marching music) (“Despacito”) (“I’m a Survivor”) (upbeat marching music)
[Sailors] Boo-yah, we’re ready! (audience applauding)
[Sailor] Ready, one, two, march. (marching music) (audience applauding) (announcer drowned out by audience)
[Announcer] To salute the states and territories whose sons and daughters will graduate today.
[Announcer] Delaware. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Pennsylvania. New Jersey.
[Announcer] Georgia. (audience applauding) Connecticut. Massachusetts. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Maryland.
[Announcer] South Carolina.
[Announcer] New Hampshire.
[Announcer] Virginia. (audience applauding) New York. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] North Carolina. Rhode Island. Vermont.
[Announcer] Kentucky. Tennessee. Ohio. (audience applauding) Louisiana. Indiana.
[Announcer] Mississippi. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Illinois. (audience applauding) Alabama. Maine. Missouri. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Arkansas. Michigan. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Florida. (audience applauding) Texas. (audience applauding) Iowa. Wisconsin.
[Announcer] California. (audience applauding) Minnesota. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Oregon. (audience applauding) Kansas. West Virginia. Nevada. (audience applauding) Nebraska.
[Announcer] Colorado. (audience applauding) North Dakota.
[Announcer] South Dakota. (audience applauding) Montana. (audience applauding) Washington. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Idaho.
[Announcer] Wyoming. Utah.
[Announcer] Oklahoma. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] New Mexico. Arizona. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Alaska.
[Announcer] Hawaii. (audience applauding) District of Columbia. Puerto Rico. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Guam. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] American Samoa. Northern Mariana Islands. Virgin Islands. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] State flags, order arms. And now we invite you to join the staff of Recruit Training Command in welcoming the graduating divisions with your applause as they enter Midway Ceremonial Hall and are announced in the following order. (marching music) (audience applauding) Please welcome Division 321. (audience applauding) Division 322. (audience applauding) Division 325. (audience applauding) Division 326. (audience applauding) Division 327. (audience applauding) Division 328. (audience applauding) Division 329. (audience applauding) Division 330. (audience applauding) Division 331. (audience applauding) Division 332. (audience applauding) Division 333. (audience applauding) Division 334. (audience applauding) Today’s graduating performing unit is Division 944. (audience applauding) Division 944 provides the state flag, color guard, and drum line units for today’s ceremony. Ladies and gentlemen, you may be seated, thank you. Divisions, right face. Section leaders, fall out and collect outer garments. (sailor yelling orders)
[Sailor] Fourth platoon, formation forward. (marching music) State flags, order arms. Parade rest.
[Announcer] Divisions, counter march. (marching music) Divisions, halt.
[Sailor] Prepare for review. At a normal interval, dress forward, dress. Forward, dress. Right, dress. At close interval, dress forward, dress. Forward, dress. Right, dress. Parade rest.
[Announcer] May I have your attention, please. For the remainder of the review, no one will be permitted to pass in front of the review stand. And we ask this as a courtesy to our viewing officer. Photography is certainly encouraged, but we ask that you remain seated and off the drill deck. The photographers you will see on deck throughout the review are the official photographers of Recruit Training Command. (marching music) Division commanders, left or right face. Parade rest.
[Rob] Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I’m Lieutenant Rob Griffenducken, Recruit Training Command’s drill division officer. I would like to welcome you to today’s Pass-in-Review. Today you will see 13 divisions comprised of 863 sailors participate in their graduation ceremony and soon join the most powerful Navy in the world. Please draw your attention to the unit positioned at center deck. There is the review commander and staff. The review commander is responsible for conducting the graduation ceremony. Today’s review commander is Seaman Recruit Cameron Taylor from Spokane, Washington. Let’s give him a hand, folks. (audience applauding) Performing today is the Staff unit on their sixth week of training, Triple Threat unit on their seventh week of training, and State Flags unit on their eighth, and final, week of training. These units are comprised entirely of recruits. During their night of arrival, all recruits are placed into divisions of 88 personnel and assigned their division commanders. Recruit division commanders form the backbone of recruit training, and are the key individuals in the life of every recruit. Division commanders must serve as counselors, disciplinarians, administrators, and military leaders. Above all, they must show themselves as outstanding examples of military bearing, appearance, attitude, and behavior. Each division also has a Recruit Chief Petty Officer. This is the senior recruit who supervises the divisional staff positions and leads the division in the absence of their division commanders. Now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce the graduating divisions, their division commanders, and recruit chief petty officers. As I introduce each division, they will raise the competitive flag that they have earned throughout their training. As I introduce each recruit chief petty officer the flag representing their home state will also be raised. Please hold your applause until all introductions have been completed. I will be starting from their right. Division 321. Commanded by Senior Chief Petty Officer Joseph Garisher, Petty Officer First Class Linda Beck, Petty Officer First Class Richard Lyles, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer, Seaman Paulo Matias from San Diego, California. Division 322. Commanded by Petty Officer First Class Walter Malone, Petty Officer First Class Chanelle Capitotecal, Petty Officer Second Class Elpido Negril, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer, Seaman Benjamin Wentworth from Windham, New Hampshire. Division 325. Commanded by Petty Officer First Class Dylan Gosselman, Petty Officer First Class Carly O’Bryan, Petty Officer Second Class Kendrick Wallace, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer, Seaman Jared Clark from Jacksonville, Florida. Division 326. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Shawn Milan, Petty Officer First Class Angela Howard, Petty Officer Second Class James Osborne, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer, Seaman Kaylene Jones from Lexington, Kentucky. Division 327. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Ryan Valentino, Petty Officer First Class Stacey Brown, Petty Officer First Class Carlos Beltram, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Trevor Brown from Memphis, Tennessee. Division 328. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Omar Aleman, Petty Officer First Class John Wright, Petty Officer Second Class Norman Millegrosa, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Cole Douglas from Wilsonville, Oregon. Division 329. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Michael Teeples, Petty Officer First Class Michael Rivera, Petty Officer First Class Allison Dunn, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Tristan Tobitay from Kalispell, Montana. Division 330. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Samuel Borhas, Petty Officer First Class Juan Bryant, Petty Officer First Class LaToya Jones, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Gabrielle Vasquez from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Division 331. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Anthony Guin, Petty Officer First Class Jerico Rainer, Petty Officer First Class Christopher Jimenez, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Akeem Coleman from Edmund, Oklahoma. Division 332. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Justin Heisse, Petty Officer First Class Cody Hartman, Petty Officer First Class Gabrielle Young, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Jesus Garcia from Clewiston, Florida. Division 333. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Danielle Richardson, Petty Officer First Class William Beemer, Petty Officer Second Class Daniel Jackson, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Michael Phillips from Kellyville, Oklahoma. Division 334. Commanded by Chief Petty Officer Alexander Roja, Petty Officer First Class Ryan Taylor, Petty Officer Second Class Aisha Stevenson, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Ray Heiser from Kyle, Texas. Division 944. Commanded by Petty Officer First Class Christopher Collins, Petty Officer First Class Tiffany Kelso, Petty Officer First Class Nicholas Gritze, and their Recruit Chief Petty Officer Seaman Melanie Tayvon from Crown Point, Indiana. On behalf of the commanding officer and staff of Recruit Training Command, we congratulate these division commanders and Recruit Chief Petty Officers on a job well done. (audience applauding) In a moment, you will see the ceremonial side boys, host, and honor guard take their places for arrival honors. This time-honored tradition is our formal greeting to this morning’s reviewing officer. When requested by the announcer, please stand for the arrival honors, marching on of the colors, the national anthem, and the invocation. As a reminder, military guests shall remain covered throughout the entire ceremony. And ladies and gentlemen, one final note. As befitting the importance of this occasion, our ceremony is conducted in a formal manner. However we do encourage you to participate in today’s graduation ceremony by letting your applause show your sailors just how proud of them you are. Once again, welcome aboard. (audience applauding) (marching music)
[Sailor] March. March. March. March. Division, march. March. March. March. March. March. March. March. Forward march, left. Left shoulder, halt. About face. Order arms. (orders drowned out by music) Parade rest.
[Announcer] Divisions, attention. Will the guests please rise and remain standing for the arrival of the official party.
[Sailor] Op orderly, strike four bells. (bell ringing)
[Announcer] Recruit Training Command, arriving. (whistle shrieking)
[Sailor] Order arms.
[Sailor] Gunner, strike six bells. (bell ringing)
[Announcer] Navy Chief of Information, arriving. (whistle shrieking) (marching music)
[Sailor] Order arms.
[Announcer] The guests may be seated.
Morning Admiral, honor guard standing by for inspection, sir. Midsection, arms. (marching music) Thank you for your inspection comment, sir. Right shoulder, arms. Closing, march. Right face. Forward march.
Color guard, parade the colors.
[Announcer] Will the guests please rise. Present, arms. (drum roll music) (“The Star-Spangled Banner”) Oh say can you see By the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hailed At the twilight’s last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars Through the perilous fight O’er the ramparts we watched Were so gallantly streaming And the rocket’s red glare The bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night That our flag was still there Oh say does that star-spangled Banner yet wave O’er the land of the free And the home of the brave (audience applauding)
[Sailor] Order, arms. Retire the colors.
[Announcer] Present, arms. (drum roll music) Order, arms. Chaplain Keller will offer this morning’s invocation.
Let us pray. Almighty god, we join together today to celebrate the accomplishment of these sailors, having completed Navy recruit training. We know success was earned by these sailors, not given, and yet we also know that there were many who were involved in helping them along the way. For the RDCs who worked long hours and sacrificed greatly, we ask that you would give them rest in coming days. For the others here at recruit training who poured time and knowledge into these sailors, give them the strength to carry on day-to-day. For the families, many of whom are here today, who supported their sailor throughout this journey, we ask that you would encourage them with this graduation. And finally god, would you, from this moment on, be with these sailors, helping them to act honorably in the challenges of life, courageously when temptations arise, and committed to constantly improving, not just individually, but one another as well, amen.
[Crowd] Amen.
This morning we pause to reflect on the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. In the Armed Forces of the United States, retreat accompanies a securing of the American flag. It signals the end of the duty day and provides an opportunity for honoring the flag, taking pride in rendering proper respect and to recognize the freedom it stands for. At the ceremony of retreat the flag is lowered, folded in a triangle fold, the red and white stripes are folded into the blue, like the light of day vanishing into the darkness of night. And it’s kept under watch throughout the night as a tribute to our nation’s honored dead. The next morning it is brought out, and at the ceremony of reveille, signifying the start of the duty day, is run aloft as a symbol of steadfast service. The flag folding ceremony represents the same principles on which the freedoms of our proud country were originally founded. The portion of the flag denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing the states of our veterans, of all generations who served in uniform. The canton field of blue dresses from left to right, and is inverted when draped as a pall on a casket of a veteran who has served our country in uniform and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. The first fold, in honor of the 13 original colonies and our forefathers who founded this great nation, we salute you. The second fold, to the men who died in the War for Independence, we salute you. The third fold, to those men who fell in the War of 1812, to preserve our freedom, we salute you. The fourth fold, to the brave soldiers on both sides, the North and the South in the Civil War, we salute you. The fifth fold, to those who shed their blood in the name of hope and freedom in the Great War, we salute you. The sixth fold, for those who have gone before us and died in the terrible battles of World War II, Pearl Harbor, Anzio, Midway, the Bulge, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, Normandy, and Berlin, we salute you. The seventh fold, to the men of the 1st Marine Division, who in a rear guard action at the Chosin Reservoir in Korea saved their battalion and the lives of their brother Marines, we salute you. The eighth fold, for the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who died in the fields of fire in Vietnam, and who’s names will live on forever on that hallowed wall, we salute you. The ninth fold, for those who lost their lives and suffered by the horrific and unspeakable terrorist acts of September 11th, and those who continue to pay the ultimate sacrifice in action during our post-9/11 operations, we salute you. The tenth fold, for our emergency response personnel and on-site first responders; police, fire fighters, paramedics, doctors, and nurses, we salute you. The eleventh fold, to god, our parents, and our families who we love and respect, we salute you. The twelfth fold, to the men and women of our Armed Forces, the arsenal of democracy and the hammer of freedom, we salute you. The thirteenth fold, lastly to freedom, because with freedom there is no honor. Without honor we are not Americans, and on this we vow that as long as this flag flies, we salute you. When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, in god we trust. It takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were faithfully followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today. This morning we have a very special guest. Kenneth Corrigan, originally from the Bronx, New York, entered military service on the first of November 1989 and graduated from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, on the fourth of January 1990. Following boot camp, Airmen Recruit Corrigan attended Airman Training School at Naval Training Command Great Lakes in January and February of 1990. On September 11th, 2001, Sergeant Corrigan was off-duty as a police officer at the firehouse where he volunteered after hours. He was doing maintenance on his firetruck in order to be prepared for an inspection later that night. This was a volunteer firehouse manned primarily by police officers, emergency medical technicians, court officers, and corrections officers. Screams for help came over the radio stating an aircraft had struck the North Tower, and yelling for every piece of fire equipment and other rescue equipment into the area. Kenneth Corrigan’s fire company did not wait for the alarm to sound, but immediately left the firehouse and responded. As they drove toward the site, the second aircraft hit the South Tower. It was then transmitted over all the radios that emergency units were driving into a war zone. They were met with mass chaos and destruction. Kenneth Corrigan’s company was assigned to help clear out Tower 7, then the other towers, and then move down to the train stations to help with the evacuations. At 0958 his team experienced the rumble and ground shift that they later came to understand was the South Tower coming down. After momentarily sheltering, the team made their way through the crowd, continuing to evacuate the train stations, and at 10:28 the North Tower fell and debris blocked a path Kenneth’s team was counting on. His team found another way through an emergency exit in the tunnels, and when they emerged the reality of the situation hit them hard. The loss of over 3,000 people that day, still a nightmare for all of the first responders on the scene. We thank Sergeant Corrigan for his presence here today and his tremendous service to our country. (audience applauding) Eternal Father, strong to save hose arm hath bound the restless wave Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep Oh, hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril On the sea Amen, amen
[Announcer] Our guests may be seated. At this point, the commanding officer will issue orders and instructions to the unit commanders. Then, the unit commanders would face about and relay the information to their divisions. Today’s events show how orders are passed through the chain of command.
[Sailor] Divisions, report.
[Sailor] Division 321, all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 322 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 325 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 326 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 327 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 328 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 329 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 330 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 331 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 332 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 333 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 334 all present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] Call out.
[Sailor] Division 944 all present and accounted for, sir.
Call out. All divisions present and accounted for, sir.
[Sailor] The Sailor’s Creed.
[Sailors] I am a United States Sailor. I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me. I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world. I proudly serve my country’s Navy combat team with honor, courage, and commitment. I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all. (audience applauding)
[Sailor] Morning, Captain. I present the graduating divisions. Request permission to commence the review.
[Captain] Very well, commence the review.
[Sailor] Aye aye, sir. Forward, rest. Sound off. (marching music) (audience applauding) (marching music) I am America I am the wheat fields on the plains I am the warm Pacific rays am the concrete of L.A. Of L.A. I am the city by the bay I am the southwest burning sands Burning sands I am New England’s forest lands I am the trees I am the light of liberty I am as far as you can see Oh beautiful, for spacious skies For amber of waves of grain For purple mountain majesty Above the fruited plains America, America God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea We stand, our colors raised anew But stand we all in Navy blue In Navy blue We serve the red, the white, the blue America We are You America (audience applauding)
[Sailor] Company, attention. Company, halt. Ready, move. (sailors yelling) (audience applauding) (whistle shrieking) (marching music) Anchors Aweigh, my boys Anchors Aweigh Farewell to foreign shores We sail at break of day Through our last night ashore Drink to the foam Until we meet once more Here’s wishing you a happy voyage home (audience applauding) (sailor yelling orders) (marching music)
[Sailor] Award winners, left or right face. Award winners reporting, sir.
Very well. Good morning, I’m Captain Erik Thors, Commanding Officer of Recruit Training Command. And I think we have a lot of energy pent up, so we’re gonna let some of it out. I’m gonna give you an opportunity to yell, scream, stomp, I don’t care, do whatever you gotta do, just wait for my cue. I’m gonna give you a count of three, and then I want you to get it out of your system. But bottom line, let these sailors know how much you love them. Here we go, one, two, three, let it go. (audience cheering) Right, well done. All right, that’s the way you do it. I welcome you to this morning’s recruit graduation ceremony. Wow, we got a rowdy group today. (audience laughs) Ladies and gentlemen, this is where our Navy heritage meets the future, and where these young men and women enter the profession of arms. Division 944 graduates today, they are the State Flags unit, providing the 50 state flags, District of Columbia, and U.S. territory flags, drum corps, and color guard. Please join me in giving them a hand for their outstanding performances. (audience applauding) Welcome to our reviewing officer, Rear Admiral Charles Brown, Navy Chief of Information, and our guest of honor, Master Chief Michael Lewis, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Chief of Information. Welcome to our first responders from our surrounding communities, and Sergeant Kenneth Corrigan, who graduated from RTC in 1990, and was a first responder on September, 11, 2001. Today, as we remember all those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, we recognize our first responders who took an oath to protect and serve no matter how horrific the circumstance, putting themselves in harm’s way so others may live. I would like to also welcome all the veterans in our audience for their service to our country. Would our veterans and first responders please stand? (audience applauding) I am pleased to welcome the families and friends of these graduates who have come here today to share in this significant milestone with our newest sailors. The men and women of Recruit Training Command are dedicated to providing the United States Navy basically trained, physically fit, and sharply disciplined sailors like those whom you see before you. They and others like them serve as the bedrock of our naval forces, that give our Navy its combat edge, and they enable us to help keep this nation secure. These sailors have successfully completed eight weeks of demanding recruit training. They have recently demonstrated their knowledge and their courage during Battle Stations. They have earned the right to wear the uniform recognized throughout the world. recognized as a symbol of freedom. This training group is ready to graduate and serve in the world’s most powerful Navy. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you 863 of the newest and sharpest sailors in the United States Navy. (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Recruit Training Command’s competitive system among individual recruits and divisions promotes teamwork, attention to detail, and pride in accomplishment. Divisions performing above standards throughout their training are awarded recognition flags in five mission areas. Academic achievement, military drill, compartment readiness, applications, and physical fitness. These flags are carried as a visible symbol of the division’s success. Each flag indicates that your sailors, individually and as teams, met performance standards in one or more mission areas. A division that excels in every phase of training qualifies for the Battle Efficiency Honor Division recognition, and is awarded the Battle E honor flag for this exemplary achievement. Division 322 has earned this honor today and we congratulate them on a job exceptionally well done. (audience applauding)
[Sailor] Forward, rest.
[Announcer] Rear Admiral Brown will now present this week’s individual awards, and he will be joined on the drill deck by our commanding officer, Captain Thors, and our guest of honor Master Chief Lewis.
Good morning Captain, Fireman Slocum, reporting.
[Announcer] For achieving the highest overall academic score during recruit training, Fireman Stanton Slocum, Division 322, from Canton, Georgia, has earned the Academic Excellence Award, which is sponsored the Lake Defiance Chapter of the Illinois Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Fireman Slocum receives a letter of commendation from the commanding officer. Well done, sailor. (audience applauding)
Good morning, Master Chief, thank you Master Chief.
Morning, Captain, Fireman Abad, reporting.
[Announcer] For having displayed extraordinary qualities best expressing the American spirit of honor, initiative, and loyalty, Fireman Joshua Abad, Division 334, from Fontana, California, is awarded the Navy League award, which is sponsored by the Navy League of the United States. Fireman Abad is presented with a commemorative plaque and a letter of commendation from the commanding officer. Well done, sailor. (audience applauding)
[Joshua] Morning, Captain. Morning, Master Chief.
Good morning, Captain, Seaman Charles, reporting.
[Announcer] Seaman Alexander Charles, Division 944, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is the winner of the United Service Organization Award for best exemplifying the spirit and intent of the word shipmate. Seaman Charles is given a commemorative plaque from the United Service Organization. Well done, sailor! (audience applauding)
Good morning, Master Chief. Thank you, Master Chief.
Morning, Captain, Seaman Apprentice Collie, reporting.
[Announcer] Seaman Park Collie, Division 328, from Liberty Hill, Texas, is the recipient of the Military Order of the World Wars Award of Merit. This award is presented for meritorious performance during recruit training. Seaman Collie is presented with a commemorative plaque from the Military Order of the World Wars. Well done, sailor. (audience applauding)
Good morning, Admiral. Master Chief.
Good morning, Captain, Fireman Pena Budowski, reporting.
[Announcer] The Military Officer’s Association Leadership Award is presented to Fireman Andres Pena Budowski, Division 322, from Weston, Florida, for demonstrating exceptional tenacity and professionalism. Fireman Pena Budowski is awarded a letter of commendation from our commanding officer. Well done, sailor. (audience applauding)
Good morning, Captain, Seaman Woods, reporting.
[Announcer] Seaman Andrew Woods, Division 322, from Ferrisburgh, Vermont, is the recipient of the Navy Club of the United States of America Military Excellence Award for best exemplifying the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork. This award places him at the pinnacle of today’s newest sailors. He is awarded a flag letter of commendation. Seaman Woods, the staff of Recruit Training Command salutes you as the finest of this group of graduates. Well done, sailor. (audience applauding)
Divisions, attention.
[Announcer] It is appropriate to recognize such outstanding individual accomplishments by these sailors with a round of three cheers. The adjutant will lead all graduating divisions in three cheers for this morning’s award winners.
Hip hip.
[Graduates] Hooray!
Hip hip.
[Graduates] Hooray!
Hip hip.
[Graduates] Hooray!
I have the distinct pleasure this morning of introducing our reviewing officer, Rear Admiral Charles Brown, Navy Chief of Information. He is a 1994 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and holds a Master’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies from San Diego State University. He is the first flag officer and senior active duty public affairs officer accredited in public relations and military communication. During more than 20 years as a public affairs officer Rear Admiral Brown has served as Fleet PAO for both U.S. Pacific Fleet and U.S. Third Fleet, Special Assistant Public Affairs to the Chief of Naval Operations, Force PAO for U.S. Naval Air Forces, aircraft carrier and battle group PAO for USS Constellation and Cruiser Destroyer Group One. Brown has also served as Deputy PAO for U.S. Fleet U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Deputy PAO for Naval Surface Forces, Fleet Media Officer at U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a warm Recruit Training Command welcome to an outstanding sailor, Rear Admiral Charles Brown. (audience applauding)
Thanks very much, Captain Thors. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Well, that wasn’t that great. I heard you yelling and screaming before. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
[Audience] Good morning.
I’m really excited to be here. Today is a great Navy day. It’s a great Navy day for these sailors in front of us. The newest sailors in the fleet. They’ve been working hard for eight weeks, and this is quite an accomplishment. It’s your day today, shipmates, welcome aboard. It’s a great Navy day for the families and friends who are here to support you. And for those of you back home, thank you for all you’ve done to support your sailors. In the Navy sailors don’t succeed as individuals, they succeed as part of a team. And you family and friends, you have been the team for these sailors today. Thank you for all you’ve done to support them. But most of all, today’s a great Navy day for our Navy. We are the greatest Navy in the world, and today we just got better. We got better because we were joined by these sailors who are now part of that world’s greatest Navy. Each one of you is coming to the fleet and you are gonna make us better. I’m about the last thing standing between you and your families, so I’m gonna be really brief. Today, you’re gonna remember this day for the rest of your lives, but you’re probably not gonna remember anything I say. But if you remember one thing, I ask you to remember this. You made a choice to join the Navy, to be a sailor, I need you to make a choice to be a leader. That’s your choice to make every day. It’s not about the rank that a person wears on their shoulder. It’s about the actions that they take. That’s what makes a leader. So take those actions as a leader going forward to the fleet. Welcome aboard, we need you out in the fleet. Get out there and we’ll see you out there. Thanks very much. (audience applauding)
[Sailor] State flags, carry arms. Forward platoon, formation march. (marching music)
[Announcer] Rear Admiral Brown will now receive the salute of the graduating divisions and he will be joined on the drill deck by our commanding officer, Captain Thors. Please remain seated until your graduates have been placed on liberty. (marching music)
[Man] Just let me know if I need to do a PSA here, or try to (music drowns out speech). (audience applauding)
[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in one more round of appreciation for our wonderful musicians of Navy Band Great Lakes. (audience applauding) Flags, post. Section leaders, fall out and retrieve outer garments. (marching music) Midway Ceremonial Drill Hall will be closing at the conclusion of today’s graduation. Please check the area around you to ensure you have all of your possessions. For those families with strollers, please retrieve them as you exit the drill hall. Thanks again to each and every one of you for joining us on this most memorable of Navy days. And without further delay, now hear this, now hear this, liberty call, liberty call, fall out. (audience applauding) (people chattering)
[Man] I’m gonna make the call to stay out of the south side.
[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen please, I need you to stay away from the south side door. The south side garage door. If you would please exit out of the north side of the drill hall, the north side of the drill hall, thank you. Asked all these questions prior to saying liberty call, and they said, “Make the announcement.” (people chattering)