To be the supreme allied commander and it was an accident of timing with this decision. So i was the accidental admiral. Host that the navy was an accident as well as a career . Somewhat. Going way back i grew up in the marine corps family. My father was the fighting in korea and vietnam and i grew up in that environment and i went to Quantico High School and then went on to the Naval Academy thinking i would be a marine corps officer. After my first year the navy sends everybody out on a cruise and you go out on a ship beautiful cruiser on san diego it was late in the day the sun was setting and and i just wanted to be a sailor at that point so i told my dad and my mom and they were hoping it would be a marine that they got over it years later when i got my first star is that i think that came out okay. Host you almost left the nav navy . I did i graduated from annapolis and went to see for five years three on a destroyer in san diego and then to florida where i come from you today my
Admiral why do you refer to yourself as the accidental admiral . [laughter] what a great question. You can choose to hear a particular course you will lose ultimately in a different direction. And then to be in charge of all activity and with the commander of us Pacific Command position for senior admiral. My boss, a wonderful boss, secretary gates called to say forget about the pacific we will send you to nato i bk the first and only admiral to be the supreme allied commander and it was an accidenthe. That the navy was an accident as a career . Soet somewhat. That my father had kernel of marines growing up in that environment and going to Quantico High School thinking it would be them marine corps everybody goes out on a cruise going on a cruise are in san diego. Late in the day on the peer and the sun was setting looking out on all that ocean and i just wanted to be a sailor. I told my dad and mom they were hoping it would be a marine that years later my dad said that came out okay.
Particular course, but the sea will come, the wind will come, youll lose, ultimately youll move, ultimately, in a differentic direction. More prosaically, it comes from a period in my career when i was a fourstar admiral. I was finishing up down in u. S. Southern command, peter, and i was in charge of all military activity south of the United States. Andi i was very hopeful of going to the pacific next as the end of u. S. Pacific command which is a very traditional position for a senior admiral. Gates, bob gates, said, stavridis. Were going to send you to nato. I was the first and thus far the only admiral to be spree supreme am lied commander in nato and just an accident of timing and faith and secretary gate decision. So from the nato perspective i was at the dental admiral who became the supreme allied expired but the navy was an accident as well, one it, as a career . Guest somewhat. So, lets go way back. I grew up in a marine corps family. My father, george stavridis, proud colone
Accidental admiral . Guest what a great question at a certain level all of our lives, you can choose to steer a particular course but the sea will come, the wind will come and you will go in a different direction. It comes from a period in my career when i was a four star admiral just finishing up at us Southern Command in charge of all military activities south of the United States and i was very hopeful in going to the pacific as commander of us Pacific Command which is a senior position, robert gates, called me up and said forget about the specific we are going to send you to nato so i became the first and thus far the only admiral, supreme allied commander in nato and it was an accident that did that. From the nato perspective i was be accidental admiral who became the supreme allied commander. Host the navy was an accident as well. Guest somewhat. I grew up in a marine corps family. My father fought in korea and vietnam. I grew up in that environment and went to Quantico High Scho
My career when i was a fourstar admirals initiating up the us Southern Command, peterma in charge of all activities south of the United States as the commander of us Pacific Command a very traditionalos position for senior admiral my boss wonderful by secretary gates called me up to say forget about the pacific we will send you to nato. Was the first and as far the only admirable to be a lien supreme allied commander in nato. Is just an accident of timing and fate and secretary gates decision. From a nato perspective i was the accidental admiral who became the supreme allied commander. Host the naming was an accident as well . Someone. So lets go way back i grew up in the marine corps family my father fought in korea and vietnam. I grew up in the environment going to Quantico High School and went on to the Naval Academy thinking it would be a marine Corps Officer after my first year the navy sends everybody out on a cruise so you go out on a ship i went out on a beautiful cruise around