Transcripts For CSPAN President Tells Coast Guard Graduates

[hail to the chief playing] please remain standing for our national anthem. Military personnel, tenhut. And a wlute. Salute. Playing the national anthem] cheers and applause] please remain standing. At this time i invite professor janet mcgleely United States of the stage. Shes a member of the faculty with the Longest Service at the Coast Guard Academy. The 136th commencement exercises of the United States Coast Guard Academy are now convened. [applause] captain michael j. Paresee, command chaplain, United States Coast Guard Academy, will now eliver the invocation. Let us pray. Heavenly father, help us to be mindful of your presence and of your love for your people as we gather to see the class of 2017 graduated from this academy and commissioned in the United States coast guard. We thank you for the perseverance, strength of purpose that bring them to this happy day. We thank you, too, lord for all who have offered them support and encouragement along the way. For parents, family, and friends. For teachers and coaches. For the leadership of the academy and of the nation. For mentors, sponsors, and clergy. Men. Thank you, chaplain. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Platform party and presenters of commissions, please join the class of 2017 and uncover. All other military personnel, please remain covered throughout the ceremony. I now have the pleasure of introducing the 41 stth superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy, rear admiral james e. Rendon. [applause] good morning, everyone. President trump, secretary public vernor malloy, and community leaders, distinguished alumni, military veterans, faculty staff, corps of cadets, family and friends, and special note soontobe ensigns from the great class of 17, how special it is this morning to be together for this extraordinary occasion. What glorious weather here in coast guard city new london. What a terrific Coast Guard Academy bears day. Can i feel the energy and enthusiasm i can feel the energy and enthusiasm, and to get things started how about a loud and proud, go bears on the count of three, one, two, three go, bears oh, how i love this place. And what a beautiful, beautiful sight it is to see these graduates, right here, ready and eager to join the officers and crews performing the Many Missions of the coast guard. Today is indeed a great day for them, for this academy, and for our coast guard. Yes, today is about these folks right here. Once swabs now leaders and were all so very excited for them. But today is not just about them. Its also about parents, families, sponsor families, friends, all of you here who have done so much to encourage and support them during the past four years. It is through your guidance and support, your love that each of them will be receiving their hardearned diploma and commission. And so on behalf of this class, if i may, the class of 2017, i say thank you, welldone, and congratulations. [applause] this place, the United States Coast Guard Academy, works hard and works together on our main calling to educate, train, develop, and inspire leaders of character. Leaders that leave here with the strength of character to meet the expectation and challenges of our coast guard, of our nation, and community of nations around the globe. Mr. President , i am so very proud to report that the women and men before you today have successfully completed their 200week program. They have individually and collectively as a class, as a flex as a family exercised and truly have strengthened their character muscles academically, athletically, and professionally these past four years. The mission here for this class is complete. They are, indeed, ready and will be always ready to take on the responsibilities of a commissioned officer in our great coast guard. We, the faculty and staff here, have the utmost confidence that they will serve and lead and succeed with unwavering zeal and care and determination. Congratulations to the faculty and staff who prepared them. All of you here that have supported them, congratulations to this impressive class. Go, commencement. Go, graduates. And forever, go, bears. [applause] and of our 195 young men and women graduating here today, with a class of 2017, six are international cadets. Who have proudly represented their nations while greatly, greatly enriching our academy and the corps. At this time we invite these international cadets, along with members of their national delegation, to stand when their names are called and remain standing. These graduates will return to their countries and serve with distinction in their armed forces. Rom honduras, al handrow sandobria. [applause] tsengale ia, eldar sie. Three cassettes from mexico louis terassa. Ina karanza. Nd ruth salvatore. And lastly, from the marshal identify wlands, james miazoi. [applause] thank you, you may be seated. I now have the privilege of introducing this years distinguished graduate. The distinguished graduate is a cadet who graduates with the highest military president s average which includes the academic, military, and physical components of the entire 200week program. It is with great pride that i introduce this years distinguished graduate, first class christopher popeel. [applause] first class christopher popeel is from st. Augustine, florida. He majored in Operations Research and computer analysis. This past academic year, he completed a project that created a Decision Support tool that ranks by priority coast guards small boat stations within a district based on various mission and environmental factors. Impressively he was also working that project in the fall semester while also being the regimental chief of staff. Talk about timemanagement challenges. In the summer of 2016, first class popeel worked with the office of requirements and analysis at the coast guard headquarters to learn how Operations Research is used to solve so many of the most important issues facing our coast guard today. Next month first class popeel will report to the coast guard polar star, his first choice apparently, in seattle, washington, where he will serve as deck watch officer. I have the utmost confidence dot first class propeel will great things in our coast guard just as he has done here at the academy. Please join me in another round of applause for the distinguished graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, class of 2017, first class christopher popeel. Cheers and applause] good morning, President Trump, secretary kelly, admiral. Admiral rendon, distinguished guests, faculty and staff, family and friends. And the incredible class of 2017. Cheers and applause] i thank youall for joining us to celebrate the pardon work and achievement of our great class and i thank you for the opportunity to speak on this momentous occasion. Winston churchill once said, success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. All 195 of us had the courage to continue from swab summer to graduation. From sea trials through grad week. In late april half of our class showed fierce courage when we did the traditional first class takeover of downtown new london, wearing Navy Blue Bath robes. Hey, we were showing our coast guard pride and, sure, we received some strange looks, and maybe we looked a little bit absurd, but we wanted to do something that no other cadets had done before. Our class unity and emboldened us. In relying one another we turned this event into one of the most memorable nights of our lives. During fourth class year we coined our motto, the storm yields courage. Which is emblazoned our a class crest and inscribed on our class ring. And four years later, i cannot think of a more suitable motto for our class of 2017. Everyone has experienced their own trials and tribulation, but the fact that were all here today proves that we have had the courage to weather these storms. This was no easy task. Rigorous lectures, Late Night Lab reports, morning drills, capstone projects, papers, sail stations, inspections, so much more. And these are not task that is we completed by ourselves. We had an advisor and mentor in Lieutenant Commander brook millar. She is genuine, straightforward, and most importantly passionate about the coast guard and our class. She knew when to go to bat for us, but she also knew when to give us some tough love. As a result, Lieutenant Commander millar helped foster unity among us and together we triumphed. Now, just last week nick asked me what will you miss the most about new london . And i had trouble thinking of places because i could only think of faces. When i think of new london, i think of the faces of all the incredible people whom we have had the honor to interact with over the past four years. Faculty, coaches, family, and friends. People who have supported us, motivated us, and pushed us to become who were today. Thank you for providing endless phone calls, care packages, and cheers from the stands. From personal experience i know how unity can give individuals courage to get through their own storms. During our second class year, i broke my elbow playing basketball which required major reconstructive surgery. This was the second time during my cadet career that i had broken the same elbow. And i thought for sure that my time at the academy was coming to an early end. I was defeated and i was ready to give up. When i returned from the hospital, i planned to isolate myself and just wallow in my misery. As i opened my door, i found my classmates there. Waiting for me. Determined to get me back on track. Their unconditional support was overwhelming. And it gave me the courage to fight. To work with my classmates. And to push myself to improve. Without my classmates, i would not be here today giving this speech. Finding courage through unity has occurred individually as well as kwlectively. Collectively. This year we were informed we would not have a traditional tassel. Instead our class banded together and planned a bert event. When in doubt better event. The fairmont in boston was a beautiful night and a perfect event for our class. A night well remember for years to come. Additionally our class was the first to retain everyone through the summer training program. Now we graduate one of the largest groups ever. [applause] even in the face of adversity, our class has demonstrated that we have the strength to overcome obstacles. Our courage also man fested in creative ways by many of our classmates. Although we look the same in uniform, underneath there is a multitude of personalities and talent. Audrey used her drawing and painting abilities to create masterpieces for the cadet art show. John dillard has been able to master just about every instrument known to humankind. Kyle phillips, andrew doyle, and casey started as a High Energy Band and they filled every venue they played in downtown new london. Austin ross cataloged our class events with a keen photographers eye. Serge and rill wrote a journal. Nicki has led the coast guard Sailing Program to national prominence. And dan showed off his comedic chops when he stepped off the wrestling mat and on to the stage. Hes are just a few examples of our classmates willing to show vulnerable side of themselves all for the sake of selfexpression. And then i guess the storm of uncertainty, the class of 2017 has demonstrated the courage to be pioneers. To further inclusion and diversity, shanea led a group of cadets to develop the diversity pier educator program. Tray decided one major wasnt enough so he decided to finish with a double major. Tyler has worked tirelessly to set himself up to be a chemical engineer for the coast guard. And several people such as sydney have dedicated a lot of their time as First Generation College students. The initiative and dedication of these and many of our shipmates reassures us that the coast guard will be in good hands. Lastly, we have also been able to find courage through the unitity in the face of tragedy. Thirdssing of of baso our class year was difficult. And were recalling it now brings sorrow to our hearts. It is never easy to loose a member of your family. Both by unifying as a class to support one another, we have summoned the courage to keep him in our hearts and through our every success and every challenge we overcome, we honor their memories. And now 2017, we have made it. Were on the verge of receiving our diplomas and our commission. The reward for four vigorous years at the coast guard. And i wish to leave youall with one last reminder, that through unity and courage, we have all achieved so much already. And its time to show the rest of the world just what were capable of. Let us be relentless. Let us be tenacious. And let us be courageous. And know that were never alone because we have 195 brothers and sisters all ready to help whenever necessary. Go, bears go, commencement. And forever, go class of 2017. Thank you. Cheers and applause] it is now my privilege to introduce the commandant of the coast guard, admiral f. Paul f. Zucom. [applause] thank you, cadet first class popiel, and thank you to the class of 2017. It is a real honor to be here today because were a Division Three interscholastic sports team here at the Coast Guard Academy. Yet we have outmuscled the air rce academy, west point, and annapolis because we have landed our commander in chief to preside at this days commencement. [applause] tomorrow morning i am going to testify before our House Appropriations committee. These are the individuals who write checks for our service. And we have often told ourselves were a service that does more with less. Im here to say were a service that does more because we have the best. And the best are sitting here before their parents, their family members today. But heres what im going to say. As you may know were already building out a fleet of National Security cutters. That program of record was going to be truncated about five or six and now were building 10. Were building out 58 Fast Response cutters. Many of you will be assigned to those. Were building out a fleet of offshore patrol cutters, awarded the contract for the first nine. And we just freed up money under this administration to finally invest in heavy ice breakers. They are going to build six but the fast track to build the first one. [applause] were missionizing brand new aircraft. Were growing the end strength by over 5,000 of our active duty coast guard. So im here to say i cant get you out of those seats and to add shoulder boards and out to the fleet into the air, into ports, and into cyberfast enough. I will fast forward my comments here today. Lets look where you sit today. For the last 200 weeks you have been students of the principal of principle of leadership, leaders of character. So when you walk off today, you will be graduates. My expectation is that you will be leaders of character, but its going to be 24 by seven. What does it mean to be a leader of character . Were in the business as a military Service First and foremost about National Security. But with National Security also comes public trust. And the two of those are interwoven but you dont have both of those unless you have leaders ever character. Of character. What does public trust look like . Today the United States coast guard operates in the waters of over 60 nations throughout the world. Using up to deadly force to enforce fishery regulations. To go after drug smugglers. In fact, today we have over 27 metric tons of cocaine in the holds of coast guard cutters today that we have seized in the last three weeks alone. We have leveled the Playing Field because we have leaders of character carrying out those missions. [applause] when i meet with all of the arctic nations, they look to the United States coast guard as the leader in the arctic. As they see this world open up, what fills that vacuum. They look to the United States coast guard to fill that vacuum. Because were first and foremost a military service, and we opened up a whole new front in cyberas well. So, yes, leaders of character you are and leaders of character that you will be as we find our coast guard deployed across seven continents around the world at any given time. So were not the coast guard that i joined back in 1973 when i first entered chase hall. So when i think back 40 years ago, i first think of your motto, your motto of storms yield courage. So 40 years ago as i sat in those seats, back in 1977, there was only one storm on the horizon, that was the cold war. Now, it was a war with very high stakes, but it was a nonshooting war nonetheless and very predictable world that i entered into. You are going to be military leaders in a world that has storms on many fronts. A world that is bereft of anything but tranquility and its going to require leaders of character to lead this great nation as you confront storms beyond what you could have imagined during your 200 weeks here at the United States Coast Guard Academy. And the biggest responsibility that im going to entrust upon you, upon receiving your commissions, is i am going to entrust the men and women who you are going to lead. I am going to entrust their lives into your leadership. And to your judgment. Quite frankly, there is no higher calling to be given that daunting responsibility, because you do that and day in and day out you will earn the admiration and trust befitting of a leader. The leader is not what you wear on your shoulders. A leader is what you hold in your heart. And i