Navy Recruit Training Command Graduation | November 15, 2019


Navy boot camp graduation from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, November 15, 2019.

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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 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 accomplished 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.

[Performers] Hooyah, go Navy!

State flags, carry arms.

[Presenter] As the parade of graduates approaches, we salute the states and territories whose sons and daughters will graduate today.

[Presenter] Delaware.

[Presenter] Pennsylvania. New Jersey.

[Presenter] Georgia. Connecticut. Massachusetts.

[Presenter] Maryland.

[Presenter] South Carolina.

[Presenter] New Hampshire.

[Presenter] Virginia. New York.

[Presenter] North Carolina. Rhode Island. Vermont.

[Presenter] Kentucky. Tennessee. Ohio. Louisiana. Indiana.

[Presenter] Mississippi.

[Presenter] Illinois. Alabama. Maine. Missouri.

[Presenter] Arkansas. Michigan.

[Presenter] Florida. Texas. Iowa. Wisconsin.

[Presenter] California. Minnesota.

[Presenter] Oregon. Kansas. West Virginia. Nevada. Nebraska.

[Presenter] Colorado. North Dakota.

[Presenter] South Dakota. Montana. Washington.

[Presenter] Idaho.

[Presenter] Wyoming. Utah.

[Presenter] Oklahoma.

[Presenter] New Mexico. Arizona.

[Presenter] Alaska.

[Presenter] Hawaii. District of Columbia. Puerto Rico.

[Presenter] Guam.

[Presenter] American Samoa. Northern Mariana Islands. Virgin Islands.

[Presenter] 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.

[Announcer] Please welcome Division 431. Division 432. Division 433. Division 434. Today’s graduating performing unit is Division 954. Division 954 provides the recruit choir, drill team, and band for today’s ceremony. Ladies and gentlemen, you may be seated, thank you. Divisions, right face. Section leaders, fall out and collect outer garments.

State flags, carry arms. Forward platoon, formation march. State flags, order arms. Parade, left.

[Announcer] Divisions, countermarch. Divisions, halt.

[Leader] Prepare for review at a normal interval. Dress left, dress. Ready, front. Left, face. At close interval, dress right, dress. Ready, front. Right, face. 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 reviewing 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. Division commanders, left or right face. Parade, rest.

[Antoine] Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I am Lieutenant Antoine Washington, Recruit Training Command’s Ship 14 Division Officer. I would like to welcome you to today’s Pass in Review. Today you will see five divisions comprised of 368 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 Gabriel Brown from Jacksonville, Florida. Let’s give him a hand, folks. Performing today is the state flags unit on their sixth week of training, staff unit on their seventh week of training, and triple threat 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 flags they have earned throughout their entire point of training here. 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 431, commanded by Senior Chief Petty Officer Joseph Garrison, Petty Officer First Class Linda Beck, Petty Officer First Class Gerald Wooley, and their recruit chief petty officer, Seaman Dominic Manalo from Newport Beach, California. Division 432, commanded by Chief Petty Officer Justin Ronjay, Petty Officer First Class Angela Howard, Petty Officer Second Class Jason Osborne, and their recruit chief petty officer, Seaman Thomas Williams from St. Augustine, Florida. Division 433, commanded by Chief Petty Officer Latoya Jones, Petty Officer First Class Christopher Yimenez, Petty Officer First Class Young Fan, and their recruit chief petty officer, Seaman Joe Guyles from San Diego, California. Division 434, commanded by Chief Petty Officer Jericho Rainier, Petty Officer First Class Carlos Beltran, Petty Officer First Class Richard Lies, and their recruit chief petty officer, Seaman Cayden McCaleb from Brownwood, Texas. Division 954, commanded by Chief Petty Officer Louis Caraso, Petty Officer First Class Danielle Ward, Petty Officer First Class Derek Imter, and their recruit chief petty officer, Seaman Jessica Toy from Mineral Wells, Texas. 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. In a moment, you will see the ceremonial sideboys, bosun, 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 graduation 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.

Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Honor guard, march. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. March halt. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Honor guard, halt. Left, face. Order, arms. At a normal interval, dress left, dress. Ready, front. Parade, rest.

[Gabriel] Divisions, attention.

[Leader] Ready, two.

[Announcer] Will the guests please rise and remain standing for the arrival of the official party?

[Officer] Side Orderly, strike four bells.

[Announcer] Recruit Training Command arriving.

[Gabriel] Order, arms.

[Officer] Side orderly, strike six bells.

[Announcer] Naval Service Training Command arriving.

[Gabriel] Order, arms.

[Officer] Side orderly, strike eight bells.

[Announcer] Naval Inspector General arriving.

[Gabriel] Order, arms.

[Announcer] The guests may be seated.

[Officer] Sideboy, post.

Good morning, Admiral. Honor guard standing by for inspection, sir.

[Rick] Very well.

Inspection, arms. Thank you for your inspection comments, sir. March order, arms. Honor guard, march. Right, face. Forward, march. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left.

[Gabriel] Color guard, parade the colors.

[Announcer] Will the guests please rise? Present, arms.

♪ O 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 rockets’ red glare ♪ ♪ The bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ Gave proof through the night ♪ ♪ That our flag was still there ♪ ♪ O say does that star-spangled ♪ ♪ Banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O’er the land of the free ♪ ♪ And the home of the brave ♪

Order, arms. Retire the colors.

[Announcer] Present, arms. 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 the 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 through 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.

[Audience] Amen.

♪ Eternal Father ♪ ♪ Strong to save ♪ ♪ Whose 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 ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪

[Announcer] Our guests may be seated. At this point, the commanding officer would issue orders of instructions to the unit commanders. Then the unit commanders would face about and relay the information to their divisions. Today’s events show orders are passed through the chain of command.

[Adjutant] Divisions, report.

Division 431 all present or accounted for, sir.

[Adjutant] Very well.

Division 432 all present or accounted for, sir.

[Adjutant] Very well.

Division 433 all present or accounted for, sir.

[Adjutant] Very well.

Division 434 all present or accounted for, sir.

[Adjutant] Very well.

Division 954 all present or accounted for, sir.

Very well. All divisions present or accounted for, sir.

[Gabriel] Very well. 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 fair treatment of all.

[Gabriel] Good morning, Captain. I present the graduating divisions. Request permission to commence the review.

[Erik] Very well, commence the review.

[Gabriel] Aye aye, sir.

[Adjutant] Parade, rest.

Sound off.

♪ I am America ♪ ♪ I am the wheat fields of the plains ♪ ♪ I am the warm Pacific rains ♪ ♪ I am they ♪ ♪ I am the concrete of LA ♪ ♪ I am the city by the bay ♪ ♪ I am the southwest burning sand ♪ ♪ Burning sand ♪ ♪ I am New England’s forest land ♪ ♪ Fording the stream ♪ ♪ I am the light of liberty ♪ ♪ I am as far as you can see ♪

♪ O beautiful for spacious skies ♪ ♪ For amber waves of grain ♪ ♪ For purple mountain majesties ♪ ♪ Above the fruited plain ♪ ♪ America ♪ ♪ America ♪ ♪ God shed his grace on thee ♪ ♪ And crown thy good with brotherhood ♪ ♪ From sea to shining sea ♪

♪ We stand our colors, raise a hue ♪ ♪ But stand we all in Navy blue ♪ ♪ In Navy blue ♪ ♪ We stand the red, the white, the blue ♪ ♪ America ♪ ♪ We are you ♪ ♪ America ♪

[Drill Team] Hooyah Navy.

♪ Anchors aweigh, my boys ♪ ♪ Anchors aweigh ♪ ♪ Farewell to foreign shores ♪ ♪ We sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay ♪ ♪ Through our last night ashore ♪ ♪ Drink to the foam ♪ ♪ Until we meet once more ♪ ♪ Here’s wishing you a happy voyage home ♪

[Leader] Drummers, singers, one, two, three, four.

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 we’re gonna take a little break here and give you an opportunity to get some of that energy out, maybe warm up a bit. So on the count of three, I want you to yell, scream, clap, stomp, do whatever the heck you gotta do. Get it out of your system, but make sure these sailors know how much we love them. Here we go, one, two, three, let it go. Well done. All right, well done. I welcome you to this morning’s recruit graduation ceremony. Don’t make me come over there. 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 954 graduates today. They are the triple threat unit, providing the recruit choir, drill team, and band. Please join me in giving them a hand for their outstanding performances.

Welcome to our reviewing officer, Vice Admiral Rick Snyder, Navy Inspector General, Rear Admiral Jamie Sands, Commander, Naval Service Training Command, and our guest of honor, Mr. Jason Potter, Senate Armed Services Committee, professional staff member. I would also like to welcome all the veterans in our audience for their service to our country. Would our veterans please stand?

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 who you see before you. They and others like them serve as the bedrock of our naval forces. They 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 courage during battle stations. They have earned the right to wear the uniform recognized throughout the world 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 300 of the newest and sharpest sailors in the United States Navy.

[Announcer] Recruit Training’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 training and has earned the highest overall score will be recognized today for this exemplary achievement. Division 434 has earned this honor today. And we congratulate them on a job exceptionally well done.

[Gabriel] Parade, rest.

[Announcer] Admiral Snyder will now present this week’s individual awards, and he will be joined on the drill deck by our commanding officer, Captain Thors, Commander, Naval Service Training Command, Admiral Sands, our guest of honor, Mr. Potter, and today’s special guest, Command Master Chief Lamkin.

Good morning, Captain, Seaman Apprentice Hernandez Echavarria reporting.

[Erik] Very well.

[Announcer] For achieving the highest overall academic score during recruit training, Seaman Apprentice Meylin Hernandez Echavarria, Division 433, from Pflugerville, Texas has earned the Academic Excellence Award, which is sponsored by the Lake Defiance chapter of the Illinois Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Seaman Apprentice Hernandez Echavarria receives a letter of commendation from the commanding officer. Well done, Sailor.

Good morning, Admiral.

Good morning.

Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, Admiral. Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, sir. Thank you, sir. Good morning, Command Master Chief. Thank you, Command Master Chief.

Good morning, Captain, Constructionman Benitez Anzola reporting.

[Erik] Very well.

[Announcer] For having displayed extraordinary qualities best expressing the American spirit of honor, initiative, and loyalty, Constructionman Cristhian Benitez Anzola, Division 431, from Orlando, Florida is awarded the Navy League Award, which is sponsored by the Navy League of the United States. Constructionman Benitez Anzola is presented with a commemorative plaque and a letter of commendation from the commanding officer. Well done, Sailor.

Good morning, Admiral.

Good morning.

Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, Admiral. Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, sir. Thank you, sir. Good morning, Command Master Chief. Thank you, Command Master Chief.

Good morning, Captain, Fireman Watson reporting.

[Erik] Very well.

[Announcer] Fireman Ethan Watson, Division 432, from Statesville, North Carolina is the winner of the United Service Organization Award for best exemplifying the spirit and intent of the word shipmate. Fireman Watson is given a commemorative plaque from the United Service Organization. Well done, Sailor.

Good morning, Admiral. Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, Admiral. Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, sir. Thank you, sir. Good morning, Command Master Chief. Thank you, Command Master Chief.

Good morning, Captain, Fireman Dockendorff reporting.

Very well.

[Announcer] Fireman Nadia Dockendorff, Division 954, from Albuquerque, New Mexico is the recipient of the Military Order of the World Wars Award of Merit. This award is presented for meritorious performance during recruit training. Fireman Dockendorff is presented with a commemorative plaque from the Military Order of the World Wars. Well done, Sailor.

Good morning, Admiral. Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, Admiral. Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, sir. Thank you, sir. Good morning, Command Master Chief. Thank you, Command Master Chief.

Good morning, Captain, Seaman Wylam reporting.

[Erik] Very well.

[Announcer] The Military Officers Association Leadership Award is presented to Seaman Kaitlyn Wylam, Division 432, from Silverdale, Washington for demonstrating exceptional tenacity and professionalism. Seaman Wylam is awarded a letter of commendation from our commanding officer. Well done, Sailor.

Good morning, Admiral. Good morning, Admiral. Thank you, Admiral. Good morning, sir. Good morning, Command Master Chief. Thank you, Command Master Chief.

Good morning, Captain, Fireman Johnson reporting.

[Erik] Very well.

[Announcer] Fireman Kayla Johnson, Division 434, from Bartonville, Illinois 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 her at the pinnacle of today’s newest sailors. She is awarded a flag letter of commendation. Fireman Johnson, the staff of Recruit Training Command salutes you as the finest of this group of graduates. Well done, Sailor.

Good morning, Admiral. Good morning, Admiral. Good morning, sir. Thank you, sir. Good morning, Command Master Chief. Thank you, Command Master Chief.

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.

[Sailors] Hooray!

Hip hip.

[Sailors] Hooray!

Hip hip.

[Sailors] Hooray!

I have the distinct pleasure this morning of introducing our reviewing officer, Vice Admiral Richard P. Rick Snyder, Navy Inspector General. He holds a bachelor of science in management from Tulane University and a master of science in operations research from the Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He was commissioned in the Navy through Tulane Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1984. He was designated a naval aviator. Snyder has served at Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light, HSL-43, based in North Island, California, instructor pilot at HSL-40, and department head at HSL-46 in Mayport, Florida. In Washington, DC, Snyder served the Secretary of Defense as Aviation Liaison for Public Affairs, and he was a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council of the United States. Ashore flag officer assignments include Joint Staff Directorate for Strategy and Policy, J5, as Deputy Director for Joint Strategic Planning and the Director of the Navy’s 21st Century Sailor Office. Prior to his current assignment, Snyder was the Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy at US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command. Snyder assumed his duties as the 41st Navy Inspector General on August 1st 2018. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a warm Recruit Training Command welcome to Vice Admiral Rick Snyder.

Well, good morning and welcome, everyone. It’s an honor to be here today, recognizing the culmination of weeks of dedication, hard work, and accomplishment by our soon-to-be newest sailors for the United States Navy. I want to thank the team here at Great Lakes. Your hard work day in, day out, night in, night out transforms citizens into sailors. I want to thank our guest of honor, Mr. Jason Potter, a key Navy partner in the Senate Armed Service Committee staff and a fellow sailor, for joining us today. I want to especially thank the family and friends in the audience, and most importantly, you, the men and women graduating today who have chosen to serve your great nation in our great Navy. You are joining the greatest navy in the world, and you will be vital in making sure that greatness never diminishes. There have been a lot of changes for the Navy in the 40 years since I put on a uniform, but sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. 40 years ago, we were in great power competition with the Soviet Union, a potential foe who could challenge us and our dominance at sea. We needed to be ready to take on powerful adversaries at sea anytime and anywhere. Then things changed. The Soviet Union fell, dictators threatened and invaded their neighbors, terrorists attacked our country, and our focus as a navy shifted to a different threat, a dangerous one but not a great power and not one that could significantly challenge us on the seas. Well, great power competition is back, and we must be ready again to take on an adversary at sea anytime and anywhere. Whatever it is that you have signed up to do for the Navy, each and every one of you must be a warfighter. Our nation and our Navy are counting on you. So how do you succeed? I offer just one word, care. Care about your shipmates. Care about your command. Care about your mission. Care about yourself and your family, the Navy, and the nation. It will be hard at times, but if you care, if you truly care, if you work hard and persevere, if you learn from your mistakes and move on, you will succeed. Each of you swore to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Not a person, a place, or a thing, but an ideal, an ideal that makes our country great. Serving as a sailor is not just what you do. It’s who you’ll be. Give it 100%, and remember, care. Thank you for the honor of being a part of today.

State flags, carry arms. Forward platoon, formation march.

[Announcer] Admiral Snyder 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.

Please join me in one more round of appreciation for our wonderful musicians of Navy Band Great Lakes.

Flags, post. Section leaders, fall out and retrieve outer garments.

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 your possessions. For those families with strollers, please retrieve them as you exit the drill hall. And as a reminder to all graduating sailors, ensure that you are in proper uniform of the day prior to exiting 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.

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