CNO Delivers Remarks During the United States Naval Academy 2024 Graduation Ceremony

Below is a transcript of the remarks as delivered:

Secretary Austin, Secretary Del Toro, General Smith, Vice Admiral Davids, and parents, family, and friends of the Class of 2024, good morning, it is an honor for General Smith and I to be here with you today.

To the parents and friends of these exceptional young men and women sitting before us … there is no doubt that your love and steadfast support has played an outsized role in getting them to this day.

Thank you for providing them a strong foundation to build on and for enabling them to embark on this journey of service. How about one more round of applause for our parents out there!

To the Class of 2024 … welcome to America’s Warfighting Navy. From Adversity to Victory, over the past four years, you have worked hard, you have learned from the best, and you have become a leader of character.

Your spirit was tested, both inside and outside of Bancroft Hall … even in the “9th Wing.” While many of you might not look back too fondly on those experiences, especially those in Plebe year, they are what bind this class together in ways that no other class will ever relate to.

As Secretary Austin said, you are entering the service at a critical time in our Nation’s history, a time when the Navy-Marine Corps team is in high demand and in action on the world stage.

Welcome it. Savor it. Embrace it, because you are ready. You have all learned from one another, leaned into each other’s strengths, and overcome shared adversity together.

So as you prepare to head out on this next leg of your journey, let me leave you with three thoughts:

First, be a Leader. Whether you’re going to Flight School, Nuclear Power School, BUD/S, TBS, a Hospital, or my personal favorite, straight to the waterfront and out to sea, if you stay focused on the things that matter: integrity, people, teamwork, warfighting excellence, and safety, underpinned by a positive attitude and a winning mindset, there will be nothing your team can’t do, under your leadership.

Second, and I think have a head start on this, believe in yourself, believe in your teams, and always believe in the power of your dreams, you can do anything you set your mind to, in the Navy, in the Marine Corps, and in life.

And third, be open to every possibility. When I was in your shoes, I wanted to drive towards a certain future, like I was on I-95. On I-95, you kind of go in a straight line, Maine to Florida, you know what’s at every exit, you know how long it will take to get there. But, over the years I’ve realized that life is a lot more like the Potomac River than I-95. It meanders around, there are unexpected rapids, blind curves, eddies, and multiple branches. But, if you are open to all those possibilities…opportunities will come your way.

ADM Nimitz once said, and I am paraphrasing, “learn all you can, do your best, and don’t worry about the things you can’t control.” I found that quote when I was a midshipman and it has helped me every step of the way.

Focus on being your best and getting all the experiences you can, and one day when that possibility comes your way, and the door of opportunity opens, you will be ready to walk right through.

Lead, believe, and be open to the possibilities – 38 years of reflection, in 8 words. I hope they serve you as well on YOUR journey as they have served me on mine.

Class of 2024, today as you step up and take your place in America’s Warfighting Navy, you become a strong new link in our maritime chain, a chain that has defended our security and prosperity since our Nation’s creation.

It is a chain that brings together like-minded Nations with Navies, Marine Corps, and Coast Guards, who work together to protect the freedom of the seas and the economies that flow across them.

Take pride in that. You take pride in all that you have accomplished, and, take pride in the significance of this moment.

Soon to be Ensigns, thank you for choosing to serve our Nation in uniform, to serve something greater than yourself, and for wanting to make a difference – today and in the future. I congratulate you on all that you have achieved. Bravo Zulu! I could not be more excited to have you on the team.