WEBVTT 00:07.640 --> 00:11.360 Good evening shipmates . Thank you , 00:12.540 --> 00:15.510 wow . You know , I did not know until 00:15.510 --> 00:17.640 just before the dinner that the Coast 00:17.640 --> 00:19.807 Guard band was going to perform one of 00:19.807 --> 00:22.140 my favorite songs , the american anthem . 00:22.140 --> 00:24.251 So to Petty Officer Megan white , I'm 00:24.251 --> 00:26.760 glad to Commander ken Megan and the 00:26.760 --> 00:28.982 band . Thank you so much for doing that 00:28.982 --> 00:30.927 song , weren't they ? Tremendous . 00:32.840 --> 00:33.840 Yeah . 00:38.540 --> 00:40.707 And I've always loved the chorus . Let 00:40.707 --> 00:43.370 me know in my heart when my days are 00:43.370 --> 00:46.570 through America America . I gave my 00:46.570 --> 00:49.910 best to you what a theme for our men 00:49.910 --> 00:52.650 and women who serve in uniform for this 00:52.650 --> 00:54.761 country . I have to admit I've thrown 00:54.761 --> 00:57.220 all my notes out at this point because 00:57.230 --> 00:59.341 I didn't know they were gonna do that 00:59.341 --> 01:01.452 song and now I have to start all over 01:01.452 --> 01:03.508 again . But I guess what we'll do is 01:03.508 --> 01:05.674 we'll speak from the heart tonight and 01:05.674 --> 01:05.080 mix in some of the other information 01:05.080 --> 01:07.900 that I had . Unfortunately last time I 01:07.900 --> 01:10.770 heard that song and every time I hear 01:10.770 --> 01:13.230 Megan and the band do that song for 01:13.230 --> 01:15.452 days afterwards , I can't get it out of 01:15.452 --> 01:17.508 my mind . I'm jogging in the morning 01:17.508 --> 01:19.730 and it's running through my mind and it 01:19.730 --> 01:21.952 takes a long time to get it out and get 01:21.952 --> 01:24.008 out to something else . But the last 01:24.008 --> 01:26.230 time I heard it was in mobile Alabama , 01:26.230 --> 01:28.230 It was the memorial service for the 01:28.230 --> 01:31.490 crew of the 6535 that had gone down in 01:31.490 --> 01:35.410 Mobile Bay and the 01:35.410 --> 01:38.210 connection to tonight is the fact that 01:38.220 --> 01:41.560 the memorial service sponsored by the 01:41.560 --> 01:44.850 Coast Guard Foundation . So in the best 01:44.850 --> 01:46.906 of times and in the worst of times , 01:46.906 --> 01:48.961 the Coast Guard Foundation is always 01:48.961 --> 01:51.840 there for us . And the lawyer told me 01:51.840 --> 01:53.896 that I'm not supposed to mention the 01:53.896 --> 01:56.118 fact that joe rela of Austral wrote the 01:56.118 --> 01:58.284 check to support that memorial service 01:58.284 --> 01:59.284 so I won't . 02:08.940 --> 02:11.107 But there were many other contributors 02:11.107 --> 02:14.660 as well and patty Gross who organized 02:14.660 --> 02:16.570 things down there . Uh , we are 02:16.570 --> 02:18.840 internally eternally indebted to 02:18.840 --> 02:21.860 everybody when they observe the manners 02:21.860 --> 02:25.100 of our profession and respect and honor 02:25.100 --> 02:27.322 our shipmates and they helped us out on 02:27.322 --> 02:29.230 that day . But the Coast Guard 02:29.230 --> 02:31.397 Foundation helps us out in many , many 02:31.397 --> 02:33.563 ways . So I wanted to use this evening 02:33.563 --> 02:35.674 to highlight our Coast Guard families 02:35.674 --> 02:37.674 because this is one of those events 02:37.674 --> 02:39.786 where we get a lot of our Coast Guard 02:39.786 --> 02:39.530 families in amongst foundation 02:39.530 --> 02:42.120 supporters and newcomers , People who 02:42.120 --> 02:44.342 haven't been exposed to the Coast Guard 02:44.342 --> 02:46.287 before . So we have a pretty broad 02:46.287 --> 02:48.453 crowd here . But you need to know that 02:48.453 --> 02:50.509 the Coast Guard Foundation is very , 02:50.509 --> 02:52.676 very important to us . The Coast Guard 02:52.676 --> 02:54.842 Foundation works tirelessly to support 02:54.842 --> 02:57.130 our service from life changing 02:57.130 --> 02:59.780 scholarship programs to life saving 02:59.780 --> 03:02.130 disaster response . The Coast Guard 03:02.130 --> 03:04.260 Foundation makes so much possible for 03:04.260 --> 03:06.316 our Coast Guard family that we would 03:06.316 --> 03:08.670 not otherwise be able to do . I'll give 03:08.670 --> 03:10.837 you just another example that happened 03:10.837 --> 03:13.003 this weekend . I talked about the many 03:13.003 --> 03:15.170 important ways during tragedy and then 03:15.170 --> 03:17.170 in other ways that we just can't do 03:17.170 --> 03:19.281 through appropriated funding the tall 03:19.281 --> 03:21.337 ship of the United States America of 03:21.337 --> 03:23.503 America . Coast Guard cutter Eagle was 03:23.503 --> 03:25.614 in Norfolk this weekend for Operation 03:25.614 --> 03:27.670 Sale and many of the other countries 03:27.670 --> 03:29.781 that come from the far corners of the 03:29.781 --> 03:29.660 world don't have the same 03:29.660 --> 03:31.716 appropriations rules that the United 03:31.716 --> 03:33.850 States has so oftentimes they put on 03:33.850 --> 03:37.110 lavish spreads and receptions that we 03:37.110 --> 03:39.590 just aren't able to do yet . The Coast 03:39.590 --> 03:42.120 Guard Foundation was in Norfolk helping 03:42.120 --> 03:44.960 Eagle to put on a representative 03:45.440 --> 03:47.440 reception so that we can invite and 03:47.440 --> 03:49.607 reciprocate to all the other countries 03:49.607 --> 03:51.607 that have come in there . So like I 03:51.607 --> 03:53.662 said in many , many little ways each 03:53.662 --> 03:55.329 and every day the Coast Guard 03:55.329 --> 03:57.780 Foundation helps us . So right now as 03:57.780 --> 03:59.900 Coast Guardsmen are spread across the 03:59.900 --> 04:02.067 world and standing the watch either in 04:02.067 --> 04:04.067 the U . S . Or in the far corners , 04:05.040 --> 04:07.096 they draw strength from knowing that 04:07.096 --> 04:09.151 there's people like you , people who 04:09.151 --> 04:11.400 are passionate for our service and 04:11.400 --> 04:13.622 always work to improve our lives and in 04:13.622 --> 04:15.733 difficult times become our lifeline . 04:16.220 --> 04:18.164 It's your life lines that keep our 04:18.164 --> 04:21.510 families safe , sound and on board . No 04:21.510 --> 04:23.454 matter what the challenges are the 04:23.454 --> 04:25.720 storms that confront them . So as Coast 04:25.720 --> 04:28.010 Guard men and women , we know in our 04:28.010 --> 04:30.080 minds that we always have to do the 04:30.080 --> 04:32.080 best for the citizens of the United 04:32.080 --> 04:34.302 States of America . But we also know in 04:34.302 --> 04:36.210 our hearts that the Coast Guard 04:36.210 --> 04:38.580 Foundation has always given its best 04:38.590 --> 04:40.479 for our Coast Guardsmen and their 04:40.479 --> 04:42.640 families . So for the bottoms of our 04:42.640 --> 04:45.100 Hearts as Coast Guardsmen . We thank 04:45.100 --> 04:47.430 the Coast Guard Foundation for all that 04:47.430 --> 04:49.630 you do on a daily basis throughout the 04:49.630 --> 04:52.260 years . And I would ask all our members 04:52.260 --> 04:54.427 of the Coast Guard family to recognize 04:54.427 --> 04:56.649 the Coast Guard Foundation for all they 04:56.649 --> 04:58.371 do and say thank you to them . 05:06.040 --> 05:07.040 Mhm . 05:11.140 --> 05:13.251 Can I have the first slide please ? I 05:13.251 --> 05:15.418 hate to use slides , but there we go . 05:15.940 --> 05:18.380 It's also my job tonight to introduce 05:18.390 --> 05:22.090 our keynote speaker . And he's a great 05:22.090 --> 05:24.610 supporter of our service . And he's 05:24.610 --> 05:27.030 also the 18th chairman of the joint 05:27.030 --> 05:29.260 chiefs of staff . General Martin 05:29.270 --> 05:32.760 Dempsey . Now , I first met him 05:33.440 --> 05:36.760 Back in April of 2011 , April , he was 05:36.760 --> 05:39.200 named as the 37th Chief of Staff of the 05:39.200 --> 05:41.720 Army . And one of the first calls his 05:41.720 --> 05:43.720 staff made was over the Coast Guard 05:43.720 --> 05:45.831 Headquarters to set up a meeting with 05:45.831 --> 05:47.998 me and my staff came in . I said , I'd 05:47.998 --> 05:47.880 be glad to go over the pentagon and 05:47.880 --> 05:49.936 meet with the General so that we can 05:49.936 --> 05:52.047 tell them a little bit what the Coast 05:52.047 --> 05:51.730 Guard does . And they said , no , he's 05:51.730 --> 05:53.786 insisting that he come over to Coast 05:53.786 --> 05:55.841 Guard Headquarters . So where did my 05:55.841 --> 05:59.640 slide go ? So that's the 05:59.640 --> 06:01.584 meeting in the office when General 06:01.584 --> 06:04.150 Dempsey came over and we had I was 06:04.160 --> 06:06.104 delighted to be able to tell him a 06:06.104 --> 06:08.049 little bit about the Coast Guard , 06:08.049 --> 06:10.160 which he hadn't had a lot of exposure 06:10.160 --> 06:12.327 to . But as fortune would have it that 06:12.327 --> 06:14.493 all rules about Washington . It's hard 06:14.493 --> 06:16.530 to hold a job . After 149 days , he 06:16.530 --> 06:18.641 left the job as chief of staff of the 06:18.641 --> 06:20.641 army , fortunately he landed on his 06:20.641 --> 06:24.450 feet . He was given a better offer 06:24.460 --> 06:28.220 and he was made the 17th Chairman 06:28.230 --> 06:30.670 of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . And 06:30.670 --> 06:33.400 fortunate for us . So when he became 06:33.400 --> 06:35.456 chairman , if we have the next slide 06:35.456 --> 06:37.990 please , he expressed the desire to 06:37.990 --> 06:40.212 learn a little bit more about the Coast 06:40.212 --> 06:42.379 Guard . So my staff came to me with an 06:42.379 --> 06:44.490 idea how about if we invite him to go 06:44.490 --> 06:46.768 aboard the Coast Guard cutter Stratton , 06:46.768 --> 06:48.879 our newest National security cutter . 06:48.879 --> 06:51.046 As it transits up Chesapeake Bay . And 06:51.046 --> 06:53.268 I said , no , it'll never happen . He's 06:53.268 --> 06:52.990 too busy of a guy . He'll never be able 06:52.990 --> 06:55.157 to get out there . No , we're going to 06:55.157 --> 06:57.046 land a helicopter in the pentagon 06:57.046 --> 06:59.157 parking lot . Pick them up and go out 06:59.157 --> 07:01.268 there . And I said , I'll be happy if 07:01.268 --> 07:00.660 he comes over to Baltimore and business 07:00.660 --> 07:02.771 the ship in port . Well sure enough , 07:02.771 --> 07:04.827 it came through and he went out . He 07:04.827 --> 07:06.827 flew out with me to the Coast Guard 07:06.827 --> 07:09.049 cutter Stratton , we landed on deck and 07:09.049 --> 07:11.200 then it wasn't just a drive by . It 07:11.210 --> 07:13.530 just wasn't a drop in . He actually 07:13.530 --> 07:15.697 spent an hour and a half going through 07:15.697 --> 07:19.300 the ship . Next slide . Next slide and 07:19.300 --> 07:21.800 talking with our crew and he rode the 07:21.800 --> 07:25.620 chip up chip up Chesapeake Bay . Now as 07:25.620 --> 07:28.220 we got closer to Baltimore , there was 07:28.220 --> 07:30.053 a press team on board a group of 07:30.053 --> 07:32.830 reporters . We went to the wardroom and 07:32.840 --> 07:34.896 the first question that the chairman 07:34.896 --> 07:37.500 got from the reporters was , you're the 07:37.500 --> 07:39.722 chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . 07:39.722 --> 07:41.778 You're an army general , What in the 07:41.778 --> 07:43.833 world are you doing on a Coast Guard 07:43.833 --> 07:46.380 cutter ? He didn't miss a beat . He 07:46.380 --> 07:48.713 looked the reporter in the eye and said , 07:48.713 --> 07:51.840 Ma'am , my job is to give the president 07:51.850 --> 07:54.760 options for national security and I 07:54.760 --> 07:56.982 need to know what all the options are . 07:56.982 --> 07:58.982 And quite frankly , the Coast Guard 07:58.982 --> 08:00.704 presents a unique niche and an 08:00.704 --> 08:02.760 intriguing option and I need to know 08:02.760 --> 08:03.760 more about it . 08:07.940 --> 08:10.450 Mhm . Yeah , I know . 08:11.850 --> 08:15.020 I wish I said that , but I've been 08:15.020 --> 08:18.760 stealing shamelessly ever since next 08:18.760 --> 08:22.720 slide . Please . I'm humbled that he 08:22.720 --> 08:25.580 spent so much time with our crew . He 08:25.580 --> 08:27.524 spent valuable time with the Coast 08:27.524 --> 08:29.800 Guard . He gets it , he knows who we 08:29.800 --> 08:32.180 are and he knows what we do . And he 08:32.180 --> 08:34.291 knows that the Coast Guard presents a 08:34.291 --> 08:36.402 unique option and niche capability to 08:36.402 --> 08:38.513 assist the president in protecting us 08:38.513 --> 08:40.680 national security interests . But he's 08:40.680 --> 08:42.680 also a leader and someone who takes 08:42.680 --> 08:44.513 every opportunity to demonstrate 08:44.513 --> 08:47.110 leadership . One of his key initiatives 08:47.120 --> 08:49.180 is called renewing our commitment to 08:49.180 --> 08:51.440 the profession of arms . I like that 08:51.440 --> 08:53.607 because it's strikingly similar to one 08:53.607 --> 08:55.560 of my four principles honoring our 08:55.560 --> 08:58.230 profession and both of them involve a 08:58.230 --> 09:00.341 focus on leadership and proficiency . 09:00.940 --> 09:03.107 He's also dedicated himself to keeping 09:03.107 --> 09:05.162 faith with our military families and 09:05.162 --> 09:08.080 just like linda . His wife Dini Dini , 09:08.080 --> 09:10.136 could you stand it , could we raised 09:10.136 --> 09:10.120 the lights because you didn't get 09:10.120 --> 09:12.064 introduced when we first came in . 09:15.340 --> 09:18.450 Dini has dedicated her life to helping 09:18.450 --> 09:22.000 our military families . So finally when 09:22.000 --> 09:24.200 he was named chairman , just to show 09:24.200 --> 09:26.420 you how humble he is , he gave me a 09:26.420 --> 09:28.420 call and he said , look , I've been 09:28.420 --> 09:31.680 selected as the chairman . I'm getting 09:31.680 --> 09:34.190 my coin produced my challenge coin . 09:34.200 --> 09:36.422 And I'd like to ask your permission for 09:36.422 --> 09:38.589 something . And I said Chairman , what 09:38.589 --> 09:40.922 is , what is it ? What can I do for you ? 09:40.922 --> 09:40.470 He says I'd like to put the Coast Guard 09:40.470 --> 09:42.760 emblem on the back of my coin and I 09:42.760 --> 09:44.982 said you don't need my permission sir , 09:44.982 --> 09:47.260 we'd be honored . So next slide 09:50.340 --> 09:51.260 there it is . 10:00.540 --> 10:02.880 I admire this gentleman . He makes a 10:02.880 --> 10:04.713 point of being easily acceptable 10:04.713 --> 10:07.430 accessible . He's social , he's got a 10:07.430 --> 10:09.374 facebook page , he's got a twitter 10:09.374 --> 10:11.730 account and thousands of friends and 10:11.730 --> 10:13.563 followers . But most of all he's 10:13.563 --> 10:15.890 humbled . But its humble because it's 10:15.890 --> 10:18.990 based upon self confidence , pride 10:19.200 --> 10:22.190 discipline , and competency . And 10:22.190 --> 10:24.357 because we're the smallest of the five 10:24.357 --> 10:26.579 services , what's most humbling is he's 10:26.579 --> 10:28.690 always looking out for all members of 10:28.690 --> 10:30.523 the services including our coast 10:30.523 --> 10:33.120 Guardsmen . So one thing that you might 10:33.120 --> 10:35.910 not know some of you do know he's also 10:35.910 --> 10:39.100 a tremendous singer . So all of you 10:39.100 --> 10:41.420 know that it's been my mission in life 10:41.420 --> 10:43.531 throughout my time is comin on to get 10:43.531 --> 10:45.698 our people singing simple process when 10:45.698 --> 10:47.809 we do the service medal because I can 10:47.809 --> 10:50.520 assure you tonight that the army goes 10:50.520 --> 10:52.576 rolling along is going to be sung to 10:52.576 --> 10:55.380 the top of his lungs and he is a good 10:55.380 --> 10:57.547 singer . He's in demand and irish pubs 10:57.547 --> 10:58.602 around the world . 11:01.940 --> 11:02.940 Yeah . 11:07.440 --> 11:09.607 And I would also mention that Thursday 11:09.607 --> 11:12.520 is the 237th birthday of our United 11:12.520 --> 11:14.409 States Army . So please join me . 11:16.940 --> 11:19.360 Mhm . Please join me in wishing our 11:19.360 --> 11:22.130 army a happy 237th birthday and 11:22.130 --> 11:24.180 welcoming our chairman and keynote 11:24.180 --> 11:26.520 speaker , the Chairman of the Joint 11:26.520 --> 11:28.742 Chiefs of Staff General marty Dempsey . 11:36.340 --> 11:38.450 All right , thanks . That was very 11:46.340 --> 11:48.160 thanks very much . Mm 11:50.140 --> 11:51.696 That's that's about as nice 11:51.696 --> 11:53.640 introduction as I've ever gotten . 11:53.640 --> 11:56.460 Actually rob you and linda . Uh huh . 11:57.140 --> 12:00.510 You and linda are terrific . And as I 12:00.510 --> 12:03.340 was saying to our table guests through 12:03.340 --> 12:05.990 the night , you know , the things we're 12:05.990 --> 12:08.157 confronting are really hard . I mean , 12:08.157 --> 12:11.190 it's always been hard but I think it's 12:11.190 --> 12:13.180 actually even a little harder than 12:13.180 --> 12:15.510 maybe it has been in the past . I mean , 12:15.510 --> 12:17.788 there's different pressures . You know , 12:17.788 --> 12:19.954 there's a there's economic pressures , 12:19.954 --> 12:22.560 there's the proliferation of of threats . 12:22.570 --> 12:25.720 It's not any longer . Uh Nation States . 12:25.720 --> 12:29.200 It's it's uh super empowered act , you 12:29.200 --> 12:31.256 know , non state actors and so forth 12:31.256 --> 12:33.311 and in that environment . You know , 12:33.311 --> 12:35.256 what's gonna get us through is our 12:35.256 --> 12:37.422 relationships . It's the ability to to 12:37.422 --> 12:40.160 uh engage each other in a conversation 12:40.160 --> 12:42.550 about what's most important , sometimes 12:42.550 --> 12:44.580 that's going to be really elevated 12:44.580 --> 12:46.691 conversations about national security 12:46.710 --> 12:48.877 and sometimes it's going to be talking 12:48.877 --> 12:51.420 about our grandkids , but on that basis 12:51.560 --> 12:53.750 the ability to engage with each other 12:53.750 --> 12:55.917 to understand each other , to care for 12:55.917 --> 12:58.610 each other . I think , I think this 12:58.610 --> 13:00.880 nation will be fine . I I want , I want 13:00.880 --> 13:03.190 to mention in the picture of my visit 13:03.190 --> 13:05.590 to the Stratton , I had my senior 13:05.600 --> 13:07.840 enlisted advisor to the chairman sir , 13:07.840 --> 13:09.951 Major brian Battaglia , who's sitting 13:09.951 --> 13:12.062 right over there , would you stand up 13:12.062 --> 13:15.950 certain major Mhm . 13:20.040 --> 13:22.207 You know , he and his wife lisa agreed 13:22.207 --> 13:24.690 to come up and and be the senior 13:24.690 --> 13:26.912 enlisted advisor command team for the , 13:26.912 --> 13:29.023 for the chairman . And I thought that 13:29.023 --> 13:31.750 was such an important message to send 13:31.750 --> 13:33.920 to the force that that as we do 13:33.920 --> 13:35.864 confront these challenges as we go 13:35.864 --> 13:37.920 forward . This is about , you know , 13:37.920 --> 13:40.120 linking the officer corps to the non 13:40.120 --> 13:42.064 commissioned officer cord , to the 13:42.064 --> 13:43.898 warrant officer corps , into the 13:43.898 --> 13:45.898 civilians who support us because it 13:45.898 --> 13:47.953 will take every bit of our energy or 13:47.953 --> 13:51.160 intellect our passion . And uh , and 13:51.160 --> 13:54.360 frankly at some level or love to get to 13:54.360 --> 13:56.527 get through all this . I'm awful proud 13:56.527 --> 13:58.600 of it , rob . I notice , you know , 13:58.610 --> 14:00.721 we're in this ballroom , is it by the 14:00.721 --> 14:02.666 way , this is about as magnificent 14:02.666 --> 14:05.870 venue as I think in which I've ever 14:05.870 --> 14:08.092 spoken . And I've spoken in some pretty 14:08.092 --> 14:10.092 incredible places . I mean , I have 14:10.092 --> 14:12.259 this image of like mighty joe young or 14:12.259 --> 14:16.100 somebody hanging off of the hanging off 14:16.100 --> 14:18.560 of these columns . But I do notice that 14:18.940 --> 14:20.884 it's typical , really , you know , 14:20.884 --> 14:23.470 there should be a floor there or or a 14:23.470 --> 14:25.890 dance floor or something and because 14:25.890 --> 14:28.260 it's a Coast Guard event , I got water . 14:30.740 --> 14:32.851 I don't know , I guess , I guess it's 14:32.851 --> 14:35.430 sort of thematic makes sense at some 14:35.430 --> 14:37.430 level . Look , I can't tell you how 14:37.430 --> 14:39.870 much I admire the Coast Guard . And I'm 14:39.870 --> 14:41.981 not just saying that , you know , I'm 14:41.981 --> 14:44.092 not saying that because the paps were 14:44.092 --> 14:46.092 kind enough to invite me to be your 14:46.092 --> 14:48.203 keynote speaker tonight . I genuinely 14:48.203 --> 14:51.300 admire what you all do on a daily basis , 14:51.300 --> 14:53.970 very humbly with very little no 14:53.980 --> 14:57.460 notoriety kind of embedded in our 14:57.840 --> 15:00.440 inter agency in an awkward kind of way . 15:00.440 --> 15:02.662 I mean , let's be honest about it , you 15:02.662 --> 15:04.829 know ? No , I'm telling you . And it's 15:04.829 --> 15:07.060 not being critical . It's just odd 15:07.070 --> 15:10.520 really . But you you know , you you 15:10.520 --> 15:13.730 are the service . Um , I mean , the 15:13.730 --> 15:16.950 semper peratis is just one of those 15:17.340 --> 15:19.580 phrases that seems to fit to me . You 15:19.580 --> 15:22.430 know , it just , it makes sense that 15:22.440 --> 15:25.600 you would adopt that latin phrase as 15:25.600 --> 15:28.280 you're kind of raison d tre and then be 15:28.280 --> 15:30.950 able to coalesce yourselves around that 15:30.950 --> 15:33.800 notion that you will always be prepared 15:33.810 --> 15:35.866 for our nation . Whatever our nation 15:35.866 --> 15:38.088 ask you , and on our nation can ask you 15:38.140 --> 15:42.100 things from activities related 15:42.100 --> 15:45.070 to major combat all the way to natural 15:45.070 --> 15:47.300 disaster and everything that happens in 15:47.300 --> 15:49.467 between distressed seamen , distressed 15:49.467 --> 15:51.840 Mariners Oil slicks , whatever it 15:51.840 --> 15:54.360 happens to be . In fact , as you know , 15:54.360 --> 15:57.600 I pay a lot of attention to history on 15:57.600 --> 15:59.910 this date in history . In 1943 , the 15:59.910 --> 16:03.580 USS Leopold launched to provide 16:03.580 --> 16:06.830 convoy during World War two was crewed 16:06.840 --> 16:10.360 by Coast Guardsmen About a year later , 16:10.360 --> 16:12.693 a little less . About nine months later , 16:12.693 --> 16:15.090 on one March of 1944 , it was struck by 16:15.090 --> 16:17.860 a German torpedo and sank in the North 16:17.860 --> 16:20.920 Atlantic 28 . Only 28 of 16:20.920 --> 16:23.660 199 crewmen were rescued . 16:24.040 --> 16:27.400 However , all of the ships uh that it 16:27.400 --> 16:29.880 was escorting made it safely to England 16:29.890 --> 16:33.180 and that sacrifice , it seems to me 16:33.190 --> 16:36.030 epitomizes the trust that the american 16:36.040 --> 16:39.210 people put in you and epitomises the 16:39.210 --> 16:41.488 courage , the valley of the dedication , 16:41.488 --> 16:44.390 the selflessness that you bring to our 16:44.390 --> 16:48.180 national security structure . I 16:48.190 --> 16:50.380 asked my staff to give me some data 16:50.390 --> 16:54.200 about the Coast Guard So I could um , I 16:54.200 --> 16:56.367 act smart about it . You know , when I 16:56.367 --> 16:58.589 got up here to speak to you frankly , I 16:58.589 --> 17:00.422 was shocked and you know , and I 17:00.422 --> 17:02.533 actually when I sat down tonight with 17:02.533 --> 17:04.700 rob pap at dinner , I said could you , 17:04.700 --> 17:06.867 could you verify this for me ? Because 17:06.867 --> 17:09.720 this , this really seems a little bit , 17:09.740 --> 17:11.962 I mean this seems to be hyperbole . You 17:11.962 --> 17:14.129 know , it just looks like a recruiting 17:14.129 --> 17:16.129 poster . But This is what the staff 17:16.129 --> 17:18.240 came back and said that on an average 17:18.240 --> 17:21.150 day on an average day the United States 17:21.150 --> 17:24.010 Coast Guard deploys worldwide worldwide 17:24.010 --> 17:27.620 and patrols about 95,000 miles of 17:27.620 --> 17:31.130 coastline Saves 12 lives a 17:31.130 --> 17:34.980 day In an average of 76 search and 17:34.980 --> 17:38.370 rescue calls ces is approximately 17:38.380 --> 17:41.470 £800 of cocaine services . 17:41.470 --> 17:44.370 116 buoys screens , 17:44.380 --> 17:46.870 720 vessels and 17:46.870 --> 17:50.590 183,000 passengers probes , 17:50.590 --> 17:54.560 13 marine incidents , inspects 68 17:54.560 --> 17:57.430 containers on an average day . I have 17:57.430 --> 17:59.850 to tell you that is quite remarkable to 17:59.850 --> 18:02.072 me to the point where I literally had a 18:02.072 --> 18:04.017 little bit of trouble grasping the 18:04.017 --> 18:06.760 magnitude of it . And I , I uh , it 18:06.760 --> 18:09.250 just seems to me that you all live that , 18:09.250 --> 18:11.700 which you say and as you know , your 18:11.700 --> 18:14.810 battle call is you have to go out , but 18:14.810 --> 18:17.020 you don't have to come back and that 18:17.020 --> 18:19.750 kind of selflessness and courage is the 18:19.750 --> 18:22.700 mark of an institution and a profession 18:22.710 --> 18:25.790 that I think is that the american 18:25.790 --> 18:27.679 people are very proud of that I'm 18:27.679 --> 18:29.790 personally very proud of . And that's 18:29.790 --> 18:31.846 by the way why I asked to be able to 18:31.846 --> 18:33.901 include your crest on the back of my 18:33.901 --> 18:35.846 challenge coin because I really do 18:35.846 --> 18:38.420 consider you to be integral to the 18:38.420 --> 18:40.364 national security structure of our 18:40.364 --> 18:43.160 country . Mhm 18:46.340 --> 18:49.690 So I'd like to , I , I as well would 18:49.690 --> 18:52.020 like to congratulate thank the 18:52.030 --> 18:53.974 foundation for taking care of this 18:53.974 --> 18:56.240 remarkable institution called the 18:56.240 --> 18:58.560 United States Coast Guard . I'm uh , 18:59.040 --> 19:01.450 you know , I think it's the 19:01.450 --> 19:03.870 institutions that support our 19:03.870 --> 19:06.060 profession are extraordinary . We've 19:06.060 --> 19:08.950 all got them and we we we really 19:08.950 --> 19:11.117 appreciate what you've done because as 19:11.117 --> 19:13.290 as admiral PAPP said , sometimes the 19:13.290 --> 19:15.530 government can't get it all done and 19:15.530 --> 19:17.697 that's okay . You know , sometimes the 19:17.697 --> 19:19.919 best things come from the bottom up and 19:19.919 --> 19:22.141 I applaud the Foundation for being part 19:22.141 --> 19:24.940 of that effort . I also , I have a just 19:24.940 --> 19:27.240 one quotation that I want to share with 19:27.240 --> 19:29.140 you and it's a Winston Churchill 19:29.140 --> 19:31.307 quotation and go something like this . 19:31.307 --> 19:34.100 We make a living by what we get , but 19:34.100 --> 19:37.480 we make a life by what we give . And 19:37.480 --> 19:39.647 I'd like to suggest to you that that's 19:39.647 --> 19:42.020 what being a Coast Guardsman is all 19:42.020 --> 19:44.600 about . You give a lot . So let me give 19:44.600 --> 19:46.044 you a round of applause . 19:50.140 --> 19:50.670 So 19:53.940 --> 19:56.880 let me also complement the band . I 19:56.880 --> 19:59.047 know you're , I think you're down here 19:59.047 --> 20:01.102 out of New London , which is a shame 20:01.102 --> 20:03.213 because now that I have your crest on 20:03.213 --> 20:04.880 the back of my coin , I would 20:04.880 --> 20:08.680 shamelessly borrow you for functions at 20:08.680 --> 20:11.710 quarter six . How about a round of 20:11.710 --> 20:13.154 applause for that group ? 20:16.840 --> 20:17.840 Yeah , 20:21.040 --> 20:22.984 yeah . Here's my commitment to you 20:22.984 --> 20:25.096 every once in a while when the budget 20:25.096 --> 20:26.929 pressure gets tight , you know , 20:26.929 --> 20:29.040 there'll be somebody writing for some 20:29.040 --> 20:31.870 newspaper . I won't say their name , I 20:31.870 --> 20:33.870 might get in trouble for that . Who 20:33.870 --> 20:35.870 will suggest that we probably don't 20:35.870 --> 20:38.220 need the music that binds us together 20:38.220 --> 20:40.442 as a profession . We don't need as many 20:40.442 --> 20:43.680 bands , I say nonsense . Those bands 20:43.680 --> 20:45.720 are part of our soul , and I think 20:45.720 --> 20:47.870 they're just terrific . And while I'm 20:47.870 --> 20:50.560 the chairman , you can count on support . 20:55.740 --> 20:56.360 Okay .