 may God bless America our country and the ship and all who serve in her thank you thank you mr. Coushess ladies and gentlemen lieutenant general David Berger commanding general first Marine expeditionary force thank you and good morning representative Rogers representative of Modi mayor Lee the honorable secretary Mabus and secretary stackley general mrs. Pace right behind me and Tiffany who's here I know Admiral Harris all distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen and most especially the captain and crew of the USS America welcome on behalf of general lamus who was our 35th command down of the Marine Corps congratulations on getting to this point this morning together with the chief of naval operations general lamus has been personally involved with making this ship a reality as much as he and Bonnie his wife would have liked to been here with us this morning I want you to know they're busy packing up their household belongings in Washington DC because next Friday he turns over the commandancy I'm humbled to represent general lamus here this morning I'm pretty sure he would rather be here than packing up his stuff back in Washington DC and marking boxes in November just talking to be a very first commandant of the Marine Corps he was in Philadelphia at the time that's where he was stationed and he asked Congress permission to lead the Marine detachment that was going to be assigned to a US Navy ship was being built at the time it was under construction that ship was the America the first America for the past 235 years Marines have sailed aboard US Navy ships that sail from America and for America today's USS America this is great warship right behind us this is the platform of the future with her we can respond faster to a crisis around the world with the right force at the right time she can stay on station for longer periods of time she can keep dozens of our very advanced aircraft up and flying so why is all that important because the unmistakable presence of naval vessels loaded with Marines off the coast of a brewing crisis that's what brings a sense of assurance to our allies and to our partners and they believe that we are there to make sure that crisis will not worsen all of us can leave here this morning at the end of this ceremony we can get in our cars drive home no one one thing is for sure this ship her crew and the Marines aboard will keep our nation secure for decades to come and as the USS America carries out her missions on distances our responsibility yours and mine is to continue to honor the service of our nation's sons and daughters who wear our uniform and serve so proudly in our military and thank them thank them sincerely for volunteering to stand the watch may God grant the America fair fair wins and following seas thank you and Semper Fidelis thank you general murder ladies and gentlemen the honorable Sean Stackley assistant secretary the Navy for research development and acquisition Mrs. Pace Lynn she's a beautiful ship very fitting very fitting general Pace secretary Schultz secretary Mavis Admiral Harris general Berger mayor Lee citizens of San Francisco today today we are all Giants fans today we are all shipbuilders today we are the sailors and Marines made welcome by your great city today we are America and what a great day today is it began as a bold and magnificent dream and it was defined for all mankind for all time by those words left to us by Thomas Jefferson we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal it would become as Abraham Lincoln foretold the last best hope of earth and it would take on the mantle and still remains as Franklin Roosevelt urged the great arsenal of democracy and today today it is as Ronald Reagan would often remind us the shining city upon a hill America the history of this great land is the history of opportunity and promise it is the history of freedom itself and throughout its history throughout our history that opportunity that promise that freedom these have been preserved these have been defended by the young men and women sailors and Marines who sail far from our shores who sacrifice and gladly sacrifice so that we here in America may continue to enjoy those freedoms we cherish so deeply who are these heroes standing in ranks before us they come from all walks of life from every corner of the country from the mountainous countryside surrounding Gunny Sergeant Trevor Bates hometown of Idaho falls to the quiet Long Island Hamlet of Ridge New York where air traffic controlman Kevin Kennelly first raised his right hand and swore that most solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States from Madison Wisconsin a thousand miles from the sea yet where it remains true even a thousand miles from the sea that we are a maritime nation and where aviation technician second class Zoe Nelson would begin her long journey bringing her to this day to this place this ship and crew to Tuscaloosa Alabama where aviation ordinance first class Christina Broadcorp would leave behind her family her home and to her beloved crimson tide to be a part of something big very big roll tide roll Christina from the Motor City Detroit Michigan to the freeways of Los Angeles master sergeant Jesse Ramirez and information technician second-class Alan she held but one thing in common before they became shipmates the desire to serve our country so to seem an apprentice Yan Chen who has made perhaps the longest journey a journey which began in China and San Francisco's own native son landing signalman first-class Anthony Solis in all 1,204 crew members from every corner of this land they're well educated well trained dedicated these are your heroes this is your America and today today they are well armed you've heard told of the marvels of this great warship tons of steel enough cable and pipe to stretch from San Diego to Portland two acres of flight deck range and power armor ammunition vehicles and supplies designed to carry into battle the most advanced combat aircraft in the world designed to carry into battle 1,700 Marines who will sail with this ship into harm's way and to design to provide aid to relieve suffering and provide hope to those in need it is the envy of all the world and it was designed and built right here in America by yes heroes heroes like Randy pageant John Wilson Harry Rucker George Jones and the many skilled craftsmen of Ingalls shipyard and Navy designers and supervisors like Fred Hofmeier how lamb commanders Cedric McNeil and John Littorno the tenant Tabitha Booth and Michael Arnold all under the able leadership of Captain Chris Mercer they too are the envy of the world we here today understand ours is a freedom which is not a God-given right it comes with great burden and sacrifice and so it is today that 85,000 sailors and Marines are deployed providing security on every continent every ocean every sea soon to be joined soon to be made more strong by this ship and crew the skipper officers and crew who proudly call yourself the America always keep in mind that when you sail where you sail America sails and upon America rests the opportunity the promise the freedom the hopes of all the world it began as a bold and magnificent dream God speed America God bless these United States thank you Secretary Stockley ladies and gentlemen Admiral Harry Harris Commander United States Pacific fleet I'll never follow an eloquent man to the podium great speech Secretary so what I was having a cup of coffee this morning at that coffee shop right across the the highway there a very distinguished woman came up to me very excited she said wow you must be Captain Hall what could I say but yes ma'am and welcome to the USS America and ladies and gentlemen a welcome to the USS America so distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen sailors and Marines of America good morning and what a great Navy day as we gather together during San Francisco Fleet Week just two days before our great Navy before your great Navy celebrates our 239th birthday to commission our nation's newest warship a great Navy day indeed I've always found the citizens of the Bay area to be such gracious hosts and I'm honored to be here with you today to help celebrate this region's history of military service and maritime tradition as we commissioned this great ship the United States ship America as I look around I realize that there are so many distinguished guests that it would take a whole hour just to name them so I won't but I do want to acknowledge a few Secretary Schultz Secretary Mabus Congressman Rogers and Amadai Mayor Lee Assistant Secretary Stackley some of our industry partners including Mr. Brian Kuchus our engineers including Mr. Frederick Hoffmeier you know ladies and gentlemen America builds great ships and if you think about it for a moment the last captain of this ship behind me is not yet born now that's a return on investment indeed and of course Mrs. Lynn Pace the ship sponsor Mrs. Tiffany Pace the mate of honor and I'm betting that former chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Pace is somewhere here as well right sir and my brown and well hello there's Adam McKay General Burger fellow flag and general officers distinguished guest ladies and gentlemen good morning I'd like to thank everyone on behalf of the Chief of Naval Operations animal greener I like to thank everyone involved in today's commissioning ceremony we can't thank you enough for all the great work that you've done it's important work and it matters I want to come in Captain Bob Hall and the entire crew of this great ship for their tremendous work through acceptance trials and then sailing around the Americas to arrive here in San Francisco for this her big day I had the pleasure to be aboard America during her recent port visit in Chile and I'm proud to say that you all are living up to the ship's motto prepared in peace or in war that's important because we live in an uncertain world where conflict and crisis can arise at any time and as our nation conducts a strategic rebalance to the Pacific warships like the USS America and the magnificent sailors and Marines who man her will be needed now more than ever ladies and gentlemen I love a microphone and I could go on and on but I won't because our guest speaker a man who speaks with much more eloquence much more clarity and much more gravitas than I ever could he will address this more fully so I have the easy job today I get to introduce the guest speaker but my challenge is to quickly convey to you the nature of the man who is the secretary of the Navy without taking the easy way out and simply reading his bio you can read his bio and I encourage you to do so but wait until he's finished speaking so you don't miss some important learning so way back in the eighth century BC King Gordius of Phrygia tied his oxcar to a post using a complicated knot this was a long time before auto locks before the club or before even car alarms if you didn't want to stolen you had to tie it down now I bet you are wondering where this is going now this knot was so complex that it became legend that whoever could open Gordius is not the Gordian knot would become king of all Asia no need to get out the vote no elections just open or not and congratulations and it's good to be king so a lot of people tried and a lot of people failed until about 500 years later and 333 BC along comes Alexander the great who decided to give it a go now Alex worked it hard but he couldn't untie it either finally he realized he was going about it the old way so he drew his sword and with one bold stroke he cut the Gordian knot an innovative solution to a seemingly impossible problem so what is cutting the Gordian knot have to do with our guest speaker well let me tell you about it back in the 1980s Secretary Mavis had a desire to help the people as him of his home state of Mississippi roll tide did I hear someone say his home state of Mississippi he could have volunteered in a number of different ways but he came up with a truly bold solution and at age 39 he became the youngest governor of that state in 150 years unafraid to tackle the toughest challenges he focused his efforts on growing the state economy on improving education and cutting through the many obstacles in his path during the 1990s he was appointed as the ambassador of Saudi Arabia where he decided to help diffuse a border crisis with Yemen he dealt with terrorist attacks and international child abductions some monumentally difficult problems that he sliced right through and he's still cutting through barriers bureaucracy baloney and BS and these times have shrieking budgets increasing fuel costs and higher carbon emissions he's leading our Navy Marine Corps team and our nation really an energy reform thanks to his vision we're using biofuels to demonstrate our great green fleet we have energy saving hydrant propulsion systems like the one that drives the USS America behind me and we're harnessing the power of the Sun and wind to generate energy for our shore installations he's solving complex problems as our nation rebalances to the Indo-Asia Pacific as we continue to confront challenges in the Middle East now while our nation's Navy is stretched a bit then we meet all our obligations around the world because he's unwilling to accept the usual paradigm of doing of doing more with less instead he's found a way to do more with more if ever there was a more modern-day Gordia not it's our acquisition process but because we have we have the right leaders at the helm like secretaries Mavis and Stackley our Navy Marine Corps team is upgrading technology developing unmanned systems and growing our fleet to meet our global commitments we have 65 ships currently under contract and we will have a Navy of over 310 ships by the end of this decade so expect to see a lot more ship commissionings like this one ladies and gentlemen it's no exaggeration that our Navy and Marine Corps team is on the right course in speed because of our guest speaker because of our secretary's ability to find innovative solutions to the difficult problems of our time so ladies and gentlemen please join me in welcoming a true visionary the 75th secretary of the Navy Secretary Ray Mavis thank you Harry Harris one of the most amazingly good introductions I've ever had I only wish two people were here my mom and my dad my father would have been very proud my mother would have believed every word of it Mr. Mayor this great city captain of the USS America to our distinguished platform guests I want to take just a moment of personal privilege as a couple of speakers have done to recognize secretary Mrs. George Schultz former secretary of state former head of protocol for the city of San Francisco and maybe most importantly Marine George Schultz and I also want to recognize a couple more people one is our former deputy secretary of defense Ashton Carter thank you for being here today and my family my wife Lynn our daughters Annie and Kate today is my birthday I don't want to thank all of you for coming to celebrate with me my only question is what do we do next year to top this I couldn't be more honored more pleased to be here with the magnificent sponsor of this magnificent ship Lynn Pace Congressman Rogers and Amelda with the people of San Francisco with the shipbuilders of USS America and the shipbuilders of America with all of you this city this area has been great friends longtime supporters of our Navy and Marine Corps we have a long and storied history and to Lynn Pace we have so few opportunities to recognize the deep contributions our military families make so thank you for all you have done with your husband General Pete Pace over a very long career and we look forward to more decades of service as your sponsor of America now Lynn Pace I have to tell you that Lynn Labus is here today to pick up some tips on being a sponsor of a big-deck Amphib because she is a sponsor of the next big-deck Amphib LHA-7 the Triple E and and Pete Pace I'm here to pick up some tips on how to be a supportive spouse in these ceremonies the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps are so closely joined with this great nation that our founders enshrine the relationship in the Constitution our Constitution requires Congress to provide and maintain a Navy then as now our Navy and our Marine Corps uniquely provide presence around the world we are where it matters when it matters and we provide that presence in peacetime no less than in wartime our sea services give our leaders options in times of crisis no matter what those crisis may be because we come from the sea we do not take up an inch of any one sovereign territory we carry everything that we need and we can stay for a very very long time the commissioning of America is an extension of the American spirit this ship forged in a shipyard in my home state of Mississippi with components and systems and parts manufactured all across this great country is a symbol of the long and historic links between the citizens of this country and our Navy and Marine Corps who defend them having a ship named the America sailing the world's oceans defending freedom and peace and helping those in need as we have for more than two centuries is crucial to America and to our Navy and Marine Corps as Secretary Stackley said the bit this vessel that we commissioned today is the most advanced of its kind anywhere in the world it's technology absolutely unmatched from that fuel saving hybrid drive to the advanced sensors and weapons systems to the Ospreys and the joint strike fighters she'll soon be carrying American technological innovation and American manufacturing skill have always been some of our most powerful advantages they are represented here in America by the thousands of shipyard workers who built her their dedication their expertise their incredibly hard work will fashion and has fashioned from steel and wire and electronics this premier platform that is America as Admiral Harry Harry said we have to have these ships quantity becomes a quality all its own and I am proud that we have arrested the slide in the size of our fleet and that we are growing that fleet to meet our global responsibilities giving the namesake of this ship America what we need as a country to do what America does USS America will participate in missions all around the globe working with our partners and our friends and creating new operational concepts she'll serve our nation for decades across the wide expanses of the Pacific home patrol taking the name America around the world I've had the privilege to be on America three times in the past few months the first was in Huntington Ingalls Pascagoula when I was there for the keel laying of the Tripoli the next time was when I joined her in the Straits of Magellan at the various southern tip of Chile and the fact that the USS America went around the Americas going from Pascagoula to San Diego and to San Francisco showed the bond of these two great continents and the reception that this ship got her captain her crew her Marines was spectacular many times the sailors and Marines aboard ships like America are the only Americans people from outside this country will ever meet and they are amazing representatives of our country America will deploy with a marine expeditionary unit aboard those Marines who embodied the long history of our Corps that history written in blood and sacrifice and with an ethos of honor and courage and commitment that is always here always around us the epic battles in the row call of marine heroes are never far from our memories the names of those battles like searing poetry echo down through the years and through the generations bellow wood, tarawa, Iwo Jima, Shosen, Kuei the Marines serving today are the rightful heirs to the Marines who preceded them their skill their courage their sacrifice their warrior spirit are equal to those of any Marines who have ever served the names of El Anbar and Helmut will be inscribed in that illustrious marine history today there are almost 40,000 Marines for deployed ships in the Pacific on the shores of the Black Sea they're joined by tens of thousands of our sailors in the world's oceans they are there far from home far from family standing the watch doing everything from combat operations to special operations to partnership building to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and they are performing magnificently if you ever become concerned about America go talk to a young sailor or Marine you will not be concerned anymore and something that I'm reminded of and it is reinforcing me every day I serve as Secretary is that although our technology gives us an edge the heart of our Navy and Marine Corps and the thing that gives us the greatest advantage or the skilled the dedicated the always courageous always faithful United States Sailor United States Marine today as you look around in this crowd you see the veterans who have served our nation in far-fung places from the veteran the World War II's greatest generation to our current great generation they join us here today to honor this ship and all she stands for you'll also see sailors and Marines in uniform today you'll see them today but most of the time you don't see them because when they're doing their job they're usually a long long away from home today USS America joins our away team it is fitting and proper that when the sailors and Marines are home when they're with us when they're here to remember them and to thank them to thank them for giving us that presence to thank them for the sacrifice that they and their families make every single day and to thank them for keeping us safe every day of the year so now now it's time to commission this great new ship to carry the name of our nation and to represent our values so the crew can take it to see and defend this nation just as their predecessors have done for 239 years we remain as the Marine Corps motto says simple for Dallas always faithful and from the Navy simple for us always courageous thank you thank you Mr. Secretary I would be honored sir if you would place America in commissioning will the guests please rise ships company a 10 hut for the president of the United States I hereby place United States ship America in commission may God bless and guide this warship and all who shall sail in her thank you mr. Secretary executive officer hoist the colors and the commissioning pennant hi I captain ladies and gentlemen I direct your attention to the ship's mast as we hoist the colors and the commissioning pennant quartermaster hoist the colors in the commissioning pennant hi sir will the guests please be seated captain the colors and commissioning pennant are flying over United States ship America very well I'll now read my orders from commander naval military personnel command to Captain Robert Andrew Hall Jr. United States Navy subject bupers order number 1433 of 20 February 2014 when directed by reporting senior detach in April 2014 from present duty report the pre-commissioning unit America as commanding officer upon commissioning of USS America report for duty as commanding officer Admiral Harris United Stateship America is in commission and I am in command executive officer set the first watch hi captain officer the deck set the watch hi sir the officer the deck is the commanding officer's direct representative and while on watch is responsible for the safe operation of the ship and her crew the long glass is the traditional symbol of an officer the deck's authority in a ship of the line we're pleased to have rear Admiral Robert Beasley United States Navy retired the last commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS America CP 66 he will pass the long glass to Lieutenant Commander Brian Cable our ship's navigator and first officer of the deck the pediast of the watch is aviation ordnanceman second-class Courtney Powell of Kailene Texas the Bosons made of the watches Bosons made first-class Nancy Romero of Los Angeles California and the messenger of the watches Bosons made third-class Ronald Latimer of Flinch Michigan sir the watch is set very well captain the watch is set very well we're delighted to have our sponsor Mrs. Lynn Pace with us today Lynn Chris in America and Pasca Gula Mississippi on October 20th 2012 Lynn I'd be honored if you join me and give the order to man our ship and bring her to life before I do that there are two things I would like to do I would like to acknowledge the families who are here in support of all those and I would like the men and women who serve on this ship to take my heart and my love with you as you sail ready officers and crew of the USS America man our ship and bring her to life ladies and gentlemen please be seated we thank the Marines the first Marine expeditionary force Camp Pendleton for embarking our ships initial landing force as USS America came to life ladies and gentlemen USS America salutes you we're proud to serve in your Navy Marine Corps team ready to captain the ship is manned and ready very well Admiral Ponds USS America is manned and ready and reports for duty to the fleet mr. Secretary request permission to break your flag sir executive officer break the flag of the secretary of the Navy hi captain quartermaster break the flag of the secretary of the Navy hi sir captain the flag of the secretary of the Navy is flying over USS America very well ladies and gentlemen captain Robert Hall United States Navy commanding officer United States ship America mr. Lynn Pace our wonderful sponsor secretary Mavis whom a secretary Schultz mayor Lee Admiral Harris assistant secretary Stackley the 10 general burger vice Admiral Hilarides distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen family and friends welcome aboard this is a you may think that commanding a warship this large is tough but I'll tell you talking in front of a crowd this large and this distinguished I think it's a little bit more challenging but fortunately for me all the great speeches have already been done thank you very much Admiral Harris the secretary and everyone on the podium for making my job will easier taking the pressure off so all I have to do is really thank all those that helped me to get here today first course I want to thank God for the many blessings I've received in my life whatever I'm doing I just hope I continue to keep doing it I want to thank mayor Lee in the city of San Francisco for walking us into your beautiful city which is richly steeped in naval tradition thank you sir I want to especially thank ramble Tom Brown and the entire commissioning committee we've been working non-stop for over a year the true of this commissioning was an event worthy of the name America and that the entire week was something the crew would remember their lives thank you all so much for the time dedication and tireless effort you put into making this a great week thank you of course I need to thank the United States Navy primarily for being a first-class organization that I've been fortunate enough to be a part of this so long and in particular want to thank them for assigning me to command this incredible warship in this extraordinary crew if you know me at all you'd know that there's no greater honor for me than to be a signed commanding officer of the USS America as Johnny Cash puts it his song of the patriot I am a flag waving patriotic nephew of my uncle Sam and although it's the Navy's 239th birthday on Monday happy birthday Navy it's the secretary Navy's birthday today happy birthday Mr. Secretary you know I feel like I'm the one getting the present here this is just a great day for me of course thank you and it's wrapped in red white and blue so that's pretty awesome of course I can't thank the Navy without also thank the United States Marine Corps for everything they do for our country and for being an extraordinary partners and teammates at sea and support of our nation's interests simplify so you are incredible sponsor this is Lynn Pace I want to personally thank you riding the crew with a role model of exceptional determination and grace you set the example for selfless service start great country in your positive spirit and indomitable presence will surely stay with us and guide the ship on the right course throughout her service life thank you Lynn thank you to the America carrier veterans association thank y'all for your efforts to get another capital ship named America and for the extraordinary legacy that you and every one of the CV 66 sailors have left for me and my crew to live up they're very big shoes that we have to fill but we are very much looking forward to the challenges thank you very much all former USS America sailors thanks to our Navy partners Captain Mercer Captain Mitchell Captain to the many outstanding men and women we've worked so closely with its soup ship and the program office your dedication flexibility and professionalism ensured the Navy Corps received his ship ready for tasking so thank you thank you to our industry partners on the hull of this warship should be a stamp that reads made in America thanks to Brian Coushius George Jones Randy Padgett all the great shipbuilders at hunting and hunting and Ingalls for the years of dedication blood sweat and tears you poured into delivering a great ship and to make it sure that made in America stamp really meant something thank you personally I want to thank all my Navy and hometown friends for making a trip to be here today I was raised in a great neighborhood in a town called Bill Wreckham Massachusetts just outside of Boston and many from Bill Wreckham come on many of our my my old neighbors are actually here today I want to thank you all so much for coming particularly my oldest friend Jack McGowan his lovely wife Charlene and their mother Jan thank you so much for being here I've been blessed to come from a very large family my dad who unfortunately is no longer with us but I know he's definitely with us in spirit he loved the Navy told some great stories and really encouraged me to give everything my best effort so thank you dad to my mom who is here today raised seven children always doing whatever she could for us and never thinking about herself she taught us the value of family to always treat others with respect she taught us to be compassionate and she also taught us to be very competitive but I think she's the saint myself thank you mom being here love you thank you my brothers and sisters who are my best friends are all incredible human beings Laurie Eric Sarah Bill and Ellen thank you all and my nieces and nephews and in-laws of being here today for being with me my entire life and always being there to my youngest brother Ed who we lost to cancer thinking about your brother I know you here with us today so my kids although they're adults now Andrew and Rebecca you are the lights of my life you think just thinking about you both makes me smile even on my worst days I'm so incredibly proud of the young men and women you've become and I thank God every day who blessed me with you both and I want to thank you for always being there for me even though when I couldn't always be there for you don't cry back to my beautiful wife Casey the second greatest decision I ever made is when I listened to you when you suggested I joined the Navy the greatest decision I ever made is when I decided to ask you to marry me throughout my career you've been my rock you picked me up and encouraged me to soar when I needed it and you brought me back down to earth what I probably more often not needed that also you've been a wonderful carry mother to our children hugely supportive wife you've been a great Sony board and advisor and you've been my best friend since we've married nearly 26 years ago and although I'm going to miss another anniversary next week as we'll be underway I'm definitely looking forward to the next 26 years honey I love you and thank you for all your support to the crew of USS America as plank owners we've been granted the awesome responsibility and great privilege to set America out to sea on the right course you've worked extremely hard thus far to get her to this point performing extraordinarily on our maiden voyage around South America and I thank you for that incredible effort but I'll tell you it's just the beginning as a ship of the line America be called upon to defend our nation's values and interests around the world and we must be prepared I know you feel as honored as I do to be given this amazing opportunity and I know as Admiral Ponds puts it you have the pride the patriotism the professionalism and the passion to succeed at whatever mission we're assigned and I'm very proud to be serving with all of you finally we in the military get thanked often for our service to our country and although it's truly an honor to serve it's great to be appreciated for what we do well the crew and I want to personally thank all of you here today for what you do in service to our nation this ship USS America was named after the greatest country on earth but it's only the greatest country because it values everyone's contributions the doctors the accountants the small business owners the salesman the policemen the teachers the computer program is all professions takes every one of us doing our part working together and dedicating ourselves to preserving the ideals of freedom and democracy that make this country great and that's why we thank all of you for your service and what you do to make America strong every day so thank you all. Thank you. The Admiral Burke said for in this modern world the instruments of warfare and not solely for waging war far more importantly they are the means for controlling peace. America's motto bello velpachi pratis translates to prepared in war or in peace carrying the latest Marine Corps aviation and over 1700 Marines America will certainly have the capability to strike mightily in wartime but as that will work said perhaps more importantly she'll also have the capability to be a significant deterrent in peacetime there are great times ahead for America our incredible country there are great times ahead for America this awesome warship my crew and I are very much looking forward to it feel incredibly blessed to be a part of both God bless America our ship in our country and God bless all of you for being here today thank you so much ships company attend hut well the guests please rise chaplain johns will now lead us in the benediction let us pray eternal God we thank you for your presence among us this time honored ceremony as we conclude Lord bless the USS America and she begins her service to our great nation make her a symbol of justice and freedom for all the world to see may her nation look to her with pride and as a model of excellence and execution of every task may she be a respected adversary in conflict an effective deterrent to war and a welcome means of compassionate assistance when needed may the sailors and the Marines who serve on her strive to honor the legacy she represents thank you Lord for the dedication and the commitment of all who have participated in making the commissioning of the USS America a remarkable success we celebrate this glorious day with deep gratitude may we ever draw our strength and support from you whose perfect love is our peace and whose peace is our power in your name amen thank you chaplain johns ladies and gentlemen please be seated and please remain seated until our platform guests have departed the ceremony