Navy Officer Development School (ODS) Graduation Ceremony at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, September 13, 2019.
Transcript
[Anderson] Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’m Commander Clemia Anderson, Director for Officer Development School. On behalf of the commanding officer, Officer Training Command, Newport, welcome to the graduation ceremony for Officer Development School Class 19060, consisting of 156 officers. Guests are encouraged to take photographs at any time during this ceremony except during the playing of the national anthem and the invocation. The order of events for this morning’s ceremony is as follows. Momentarily, Captain Mark Nicholson, United States Navy, Commanding Officer, Officer Training Command, Newport, and Captain Phillip Sanchez, the guest of honor for today’s ceremony, will arrive. Guests will be asked to rise for the arrival of the official party and remain standing for the playing of the national anthem and the invocation. Both the commanding officer and the guest of honor will address the graduating class. Following their remarks, the commanding officer will then distribute the class awards. Following the award presentation, the graduates will symbolize the completion of their training by returning their company guidons to their class chief petty officers. Finally the graduating class will reaffirm the oath of office. Guests will then be asked to rise for the playing of the service songs and the final dismissal. Again, allow me to emphasize you are encouraged to take photographs at any time during the ceremony except during the playing of the national anthem and the invocation.
[Officer] (shouting orders)
[Anderson] Please rise for the arrival of the official party, and remain standing for the playing of the national anthem and the invocation. (bell pealing) Officer Training Command, Newport, arriving. (bosun’s pipe whistling) (bell pealing) (bell pealing) Captain, Medical Service Corps, arriving. (bosun’s pipe whistling) Ladies and gentlemen, our national anthem. (“The Star-Spangled Banner”)
[Officer] (shouting orders)
[Anderson] Ladies and gentlemen, Chaplain Sutton will now offer the invocation.
Let us pray. Everlasting God, make us aware of your presence and allot to us our daily portion of your favor that we might celebrate the accomplishment of these graduates. Honor the labors of their instructors and recall the support of friends and family who join in these proceedings. It is no accident that this group has come to this moment. These accomplished professionals began preparations for service to the warfighter long before they reached these grounds. We rejoice today their coming together as Victor and Whiskey Companies of ODS 19060, formed and prepared for dispersion to the fleet. May they always recall fondly their formative moments on this island in summer, and may they ever seek to grow in dedication and concern for those that they care for and instruct. Bless the instructors and staff. May each be blessed for what they have selflessly given, and encouraged by the continued success of these graduates. We thank you for those who will offer applause here today, for those who join this celebration from afar, and the many more who may not be present, but were instrumental in the course of events that led to our celebration. Watch over those whose sacrifices have made possible this time for growth and training. Be with those who stand the watch even now, that we might have the liberty to gather. This we pray in your Holy Name, amen.
[Anderson] Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated.
[Officer] (shouting orders)
[Anderson] Ladies and gentlemen, Captain Mark Nicholson, Commanding Officer, Officer Training Command, Newport. (applause)
Captain Sanchez, commanding officers, captains, distinguished guests, family, friends and shipmates of Officer Development School Class 19060, good morning.
[Graduates] Good morning, sir!
Welcome to Newport on this beautiful morning. Before I get too much further, I’d like to formally thank and recognize the members of Navy Band Northeast. Shipmates, your patriotic music inspires us all, and I truly thank you for being here this morning. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in recognizing Navy Band Northeast. (applause) It’s my sincere honor and privilege to be with all of you this morning as we recognize and celebrate the achievement of these 156 young men and women sitting in front of me, America’s very best and brightest, as they graduate and start their careers in the United States Navy. For the families, I want to both thank you not only for making the long trip to be here this morning, but for the performance of your sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters. Your love and support have helped produce the quality individuals seated here, ones who not only chose vocations to help their fellow man, but who chose a path of service in the United States Navy. For Class 19060, the profession of naval officers, much like the medical and law professions, requires its members to take an oath. In just a few minutes, your parents and loved ones, along with the OTC staff and myself, will bear witness as you raise your right hand and reaffirm a sacred oath to support and defend the Constitution. This oath carries far more obligations than privileges. It carries the obligation to serve in the most trusted institution in America. According to Gallup polls that stretch back for more than a decade, the American people trust the military more than any other institution, a list that includes the Supreme Court, Congress, organized religion, police, public schools, our medical system and our criminal justice system. It is up to you to maintain this trust. As George Washington once stated in an address to the officers of the Virginia Regiment, “Remember that it is the actions, “And not the commission that make the officer “And that there is more expected from him or her “Than the title.” As an officer, you will be placed in a position to lead and mentor what is truly one of our most valuable national assets, the enlisted men and women of our Navy. The American people are trusting you, trusting you to care for and lead them in defending our Constitution. I challenge you to maintain and build upon the American people’s trust through your actions as a naval officer. I’m very proud of the effort you’ve expended over the last several weeks, and it’s my pleasure and honor to welcome you all as naval officers into the ward room of the world’s greatest navy. I have another honor and privilege this morning, that of introducing our guest speaker, Captain Phillip Sanchez. His extensive bio is in your programs. But I will hit a few highlights. Captain Sanchez entered the United States Navy in 1979 as a hospital corpsman and commissioned as an ensign in the Medical Service Corps in 1991. He holds degrees in nuclear science from George Washington University, occupational health and safety from National University and a master’s degree in management from Webster University. He has led at all levels, including company commander in the Third Dental Battalion, U.S. Naval Dental Center in Okinawa, Japan, officer-in-charge of branch health clinic at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, company commander of the surgical company in the First Maintenance Battalion, First Marine Logistics Group, officer-in-charge of the branch health clinic in Diego Garcia, commanding officer of the Navy Medicine Professional Development Center and most recently as the commanding officer of Navy Health Clinic New England, right here in Newport. Currently he serves as a facilitator at the Naval Leadership and Ethics Center, preparing the next generation of commanding and executive officers. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in giving a warm welcome to this morning’s guest speaker, Captain Phillip Sanchez. (applause)
Well, good morning, and thank you Captain Nicholson for this opportunity. So I’d like to welcome the family, friends and shipmates of this graduating class. I am truly honored to be here today to recognize the officers of ODS Class 19060. I’d like to open with a story. Y’all like stories, right? All right, well visualize this. It’s a story when I was deployed in Iraq. It’s one of the hottest days that you can imagine. The temperature is over 120 degrees. It’s so hot that you feel like you’re in an oven, and all is calm, too calm. And then suddenly an alert announcement comes over the speakers with an anxious voice, saying, “Incoming, incoming, 10 mikes.” The realization that casualties are inbound is surreal. In July of 2009, I was deployed to Iraq as a company commander of the surgical company in al-Taqaddum. Our mission was to stabilize wounded warriors in preparation to take them to the next echelon of care. Our patients came directly to us from the battlefield. And I remember one specific patient. He was an Army combat soldier who experienced severe injuries to his right leg. He was a passenger in the front seat of an MRAP. That’s a marine, a mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle. He was on a mission in al-Fallujah, which is only 15 miles away from our surgical company when the violence broke out. An Iraqi insurgent approached the MRAP and detonated an explosive device which penetrated the door that the soldier was sitting. The blast ripped through his leg. The first responders brought him immediately to the surgical unit, where we stabilized his injuries and then we flew him to al-Asad Airbase, some hundred miles west of Baghdad. And from there, we flew him on to Germany to take care of his medical needs. So I’ll return to my story here in just a minute. But first I want to give a special thanks to the family, friends of our students who are in the audience and for those family members who could not make it here today. Ladies and gentlemen, the graduates, your graduates are some of the most noblest men and women in our society. They have volunteered to take on a challenge that few people are willing to take. That speaks a lot about their character and about their heart. They see the bigger picture and want to be an active participant in the defense of our freedom. Continue to support them because you have a tremendous impact on their motivation, their drive and their determination. Back to my wounded warrior story, Navy medicine continuously trains and educates medical department personnel so they will be ready to deliver healthcare to all that are entrusted to our care. That soldier survived his injuries because of the medical training and education his providers received long before that battle took place. It took a team of professionals to keep him alive. For the medical department officers in this ODS class, from this day forward, you will now be part of our legacy to provide critical mission care support when needed. For the judge advocate general corps and the naval reactor officer who are also represented in this class, you’re just as vital to the success of our Navy and maintaining its maritime superiority as any other. Our wounded warrior, our wounded soldier, he made it back to the United States because of the combined effort of dedicated professionals like you working together for a common purpose. So how are you going to succeed, naval officers? You have an awesome responsibility awaiting you as leaders and that is to mentor, to guide, to teach and to care for America’s sons and daughters. And they are the sailors that you are expected to lead. There’s no greater calling than that. Your senior officers want you to succeed. I want you to succeed. And we’re gonna do that, we’re gonna help you in reaching your goals. Our nation is counting on you to be the best at what you are capable of being. In fact, we expect it. So don’t let us down. You are now part of an elite group of Americans in a profession most people will never experience, the most trusted profession in our society. You are United States naval officers. Therefore your conduct must be above reproach always. So what can this old goat share with you that may be helpful for your success as a naval officer? Well, here are a few of my philosophies on leadership for you to consider that helped me get me to where I am today and perhaps, perhaps it can help you reach your goals as well. So are you ready? Are you ready?
[Graduates] Yes, sir.
Lessons for leaders, create an environment that fosters trust, look for problems, step up, take a stand. Set the example. Say yes to challenging opportunities. Have the moral courage to do the right thing. Put your shipmates before yourself. Take risks. Ask for help. Surround yourself with honorable people. Be humble. And be a lifelong student of leadership. And that means you need to read, you need to read, you need to read. I’ll tell you another story. There was a young man. He was 23 years old back in 1486. His name was Giovanni Mirandola. He was a nobleman and a philosopher and he was criticized by other noblemen and philosophers because of his age. They thought he was too young to have any insight into philosophy. Giovanni, however, boldly addressed them, stating, “I shall certainly speak out, “Because I know a great many things “Which others do not know.” He ultimately wrote “The Oration on the Dignity of Man,” which has been called the manifesto of the Renaissance. So to my fellow young officers, what can you learn from Giovanni? I can assure you your leaders want to hear your opinions and your ideas. So speak up. Tell us what’s on your mind. And take the initiative to lead and to make decisions. As you grow into your leadership responsibility, you will gain the experiences needed to be successful. Don’t take your profession lightly. Never put yourself in a position, when looking back, and say, “I wish I had tried harder.” Do your best the first time and every time. Continue to dig deep inside yourself to always work on being a better person. And know this, there is no nobler profession than the one which you are now a member. In closing, always be worthy of the uniform you are wearing. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. And treat everyone as family. Remember what you do matters. Don’t ever forget that. Congratulations on your accomplishment and successfully completing this phase of training in your naval career. May God bless you and keep you in His grace. Thank you. (applause)
[Anderson] Thank you, Captain Sanchez. Thank you, captain Nicholson. At the conclusion of each ODS class, several students are recognized by their fellow classmates, as well as OTC and staff for outstanding achievement during the five-week course of instruction. Ensign Christopher Gunderson and Lieutenant JG Derek Kincaid, front and center. The Honor Student Award is presented to the officer who best demonstrates an overall excellence in the areas of academics, physical fitness and military bearing. Consistently setting an example for his or her peers throughout the many challenges faced at Officer Training Command, the Honor Student Award goes to Ensign Christopher Gunderson and Lieutenant JG Derek Kincaid. (applause) Lieutenant Adam Solier and Ensign Shane Kaplan, front and center. The Alfred Award is given to the officer who achieved the highest military grade derived from personnel inspections, room inspections and general military bearing. This award is named after the continental sloop of war, the Alfred. Commissioned in 1775, the Alfred served as the flagship of native Rhode Islander, Commodore Esek Hopkins. Serving as a role model of Navy pride and professionalism, maintaining the highest military standards and providing inspiration to all, the Alfred Award goes to Lieutenant Adam Solier and Ensign Shane Kaplan. (applause) Lieutenant JG Lindsey Nguyen and Lieutenant JG Sarah Begley, front and center. The Captain George Townsend Smith Leadership Award is presented to the officer who personifies the highest standards of personal example, good leadership practices and moral responsibility. To receive this award, officers were nominated by their peers and selected by the Officer Training Command staff. The Captain George Townsend Smith Leadership Award goes to Lieutenant JG Lindsey Nguyen and Lieutenant JG Sarah Begley. (applause) Ensign Alexander Parker and Lieutenant Sarah Bennett, front and center. The Eadie Award, named for Lieutenant Thomas Eadie, United States Navy, recognizes the highest achievement in academic and military performance. Lieutenant Thomas Eadie, who immigrated from Scotland and settled in Rhode Island, was awarded the Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor for his courageous efforts as a diver during the salvage of submarines SS-4 and SS-51 off the coast of Massachusetts. He was a member of the Southeastern New England Chapter of the Retired Officers Association at the time of his death in 1974. In recognition of this accomplishment, in addition to a certificate of achievement, the Military Officers Association of America has generously provided a three-year premium level membership to the Eadie Award winners. I would like to congratulate the Eadie Award winners, Ensign Alexander Parker and Lieutenant Sarah Bennett. (applause) For the past five weeks, the company guidon has been a symbol of spirit, dedication, teamwork and unit identity. To symbolize the fact that these officers seated before you have completed their training, their will now return their guidon to their class chief petty officers, Chief Hospital Corpsman, Fleet Marine Force, Service Warfare, Air Warfare, Louis Valdez and Chief Bosun’s Mate, Service Warfare, CB Combat Warfare Gary McCoy. (“Trio to National Emblem”)
[Officer] Hand, salute. Ready, two. Arms! Change! Guidon! Take! Guidon! Ready, two. About, face. Forward, march. (“Trio to National Emblem”)
[Graduates] (exuberant applause) (“Trio to National Emblem”)
[Anderson] Lieutenant Sarah Howe will now deliver the reaffirmation of the oath of office. Would all military personnel in uniform please come to the position of attention?
[Officer] (shouting orders)
[Howe] Class 19060, raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I, state your full name.
[Graduates] I, (stating name)
[Howe] Do solemnly reaffirm.
[Graduates] Do solemnly reaffirm
[Howe] That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States
[Graduates] That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States
[Howe] Against all enemies, foreign and domestic,
[Graduates] Against all enemies, foreign and domestic,
[Howe] That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.
[Graduates] That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same,
[Howe] That I take this obligation freely
[Graduates] That I take this obligation freely
[Howe] Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion
[Graduates] Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion
[Howe] And that I will well and faithfully
[Graduates] And that I will well and faithfully
[Howe] Discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter,
[Graduates] Discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter,
[Howe] So help me God.
[Graduates] So help me God.
[Howe] (shouting orders)
[Anderson] Ladies and gentlemen, the commanding officer, Officer Training Command Newport, would like to present to you your newly reaffirmed naval officers. (applause) Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the playing of the service songs and the final dismissal. (“The Marine’s Hymn”) (“Anchors Aweigh”)
[Anderson] Officer Development School, Class 19060, upon graduation from Officer Development School, you are ordered to detach and report to your duty stations where you will assume your duties and responsibilities by order of Mark Nicholson, Captain, United States Navy, Commanding Officer, Officer Training Command, Newport.
[Graduates] Aye, aye, sir!
[Anderson] Class 19060, dismissed.
[Graduates] Aye, aye, sir!
[Anderson] On behalf of the commanding officer, Officer Training Command, Newport, thank you for attending today’s graduation ceremony. All students are directed to move immediately to the front of the stage for the class pictures followed by the awardees having their pictures taken with the guest of honor and the commanding officer. Ladies and gentlemen, while this concludes the ceremony, we ask that you remain at your seats until the pictures have been taken. Thank you. (applause)
[Graduates] (loudly exclaiming) Aye, aye, Chief.
[Officer] (faintly speaking)
[Graduates] (loudly exclaiming)