 Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of Commanding Officer, Officer Training Command Newport, welcome to the graduation ceremony for Officer Candidate School Class 15, Tak 2-2. Guests are encouraged to take photographs from the seating area at any time during the ceremony, except during the playing of the National Anthem. The order of events for today's ceremony is as follows. At 1300, Captain Alcorn, United States Navy, Commanding Officer of Officer Training Command Newport, and Rear Admiral David Goggins, United States Navy, the guest of honor for today's ceremony will arrive. Guests will be asked to rise for the arrival of the official party and remain standing for the playing of the National Anthem and invocation. The commanding officer and guest of honor will address the graduating class and administer the oath of office. The graduates will then be recognized for the presentation of their commission by the commanding officer and the guest of honor. Guests will be asked to rise for the playing of the service songs and the final dismissal. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the arrival of the official party and remain standing for the National Anthem and invocation. Officer Training Command Newport arriving. Rear Admiral, United States Navy, arriving. Ladies and gentlemen, Chaplain Butts will now offer the invocation. Let us pray. Eternal Father, you have fashioned and created us as a people, and called us as a nation to a place of trust and leadership in the world. We honor this day our newest naval officers, and we ask for your special blessing upon them as they embark on their journey into the fleet. Father, today our hearts rejoice, and the day these graduates have dreamed of has finally arrived. So many are proud of their achievements. However, we are mindful that our achievements are possible only through the life you have given us, through the parents who have loved and nourished us, the host of peers and friends a long life's way who encouraged us, and those here at Officer Training Command who guided and molded each life, developing them into our nation's newest naval leaders. No one person is an island, and none are perfect, and each is a witness to your watchful care and forgiving grace. With every accomplishment and privilege came added responsibility, and each one of these officers stands here today, accepting of the duty that our nation has entrusted to them. Bless all who stood by these we honor and give them an extra portion of your love. Watch over and protect them as they head off to their new commands. Today they stand on the shoulders of the greatest naval leaders of history who've inspired generations to fight for the freedoms that make our country great. Give them the strength and courage to carry on that legacy. Be with us today and forever. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, Captain Everett Alcorn, Officer Training Command Newport. Ladies and gentlemen, Admiral Goggins, former Assistant Secretary of State, Stillwell, former Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, Cropsey, Captain Winner, Captain Blivin, Captain Maderal, distinguished guests, Officer Training Command Newport staff, family members and friends, and most importantly, soon to be commissioned officers of Class 1522. Good afternoon. I'm excited to welcome our 66 newest graduates into one of the most challenging and rewarding careers, that of naval officer. To the family and friends joining us, I applaud you for the great work you did preparing these impressive young men and women, these leaders prior to their arrival here. Your love, support and encouragement have produced the quality individuals seated before us. It has enabled them to make sound choices, and we are grateful to these graduates for their choice to serve. They could have gotten to this point, they could not have gotten to this point without careful guidance and support of family and friends. On behalf of the Navy and a grateful nation, please accept my most sincere thank you for a job well done. To the graduates here today, as commanding officer, Officer Training Command Newport, I am proud of all of you. You've had many other options besides volunteering to serve your country, yet you chose this path. I thank you for your patriotism and your willingness to serve. I assure you that a life of service holds many rewards and will bring great fulfillment. You have completed rigorous military, academic and physical training. You overcame obstacles, nothing was handed to you except opportunity. The opportunity to make something more of yourself, to learn, to grow and to lead. You've seized that opportunity and today you reap its rewards. I congratulate each and every one of you on this significant and memorable achievement. It's now time to embrace a new opportunity to lead sailors in the fleet. In the years ahead, your knowledge and leadership skills will be tested off of them. You'll be standing watch working alongside fellow officers and sailors around the world, around the clock. Know that you are doing significant and meaningful work for our country. Work hard, learn the warfare and professional skills of your designator. Strive to be the best and give your country 100% effort. Nothing else will suffice. The nation and the Navy expect the best from you. The highest standards of personal and professional conduct. Excellence in leadership and strict adherence to the Navy's core values. Honor, courage and commitment. I applaud your accomplishments and perseverance. You're about to embark on a great adventure, an adventure which I hope you find both professional success and personal fulfillment. It will be unlike any job you have ever had or will ever have. Regardless of how long you serve our nation, it will most assuredly be a time in your life upon which you can look back with much pride and satisfaction. Congratulations to each and every one of you. I wish you fair winds and following seas. It is now my privilege this afternoon to introduce you to our guest of honor, we're Admiral David Goggins, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Development for Australian, United Kingdom, United States Partnership. Admiral Goggins is a native of Los Angeles, California. He graduated from the University of Cal Berkeley in 1989 with degrees in nuclear engineering and material science engineering. His graduate degrees includes a master's degree in operations research from the Naval Postgraduate School, two master's degrees from MIT in mechanical engineering and naval architecture and marine engineering. His career in the Navy began as a Submariner aboard USS Tecumseh, where he served as electrical officer, reactor controls assistant and assistant operations officer. He was then selected for lateral transfer to the engineering duty officer community and reported to the supervisor of shipbuilding, conversion and repair in Groton, Connecticut. There he was the lead ship coordinator for pre-commissioning unit Connecticut, SSN 22, from the initial hull wreck to the initial stages of post-shakedown availability planning. Subsequent shore duties include serving as assistant repair officer at Naval Submarine Support Facility in New London, Connecticut, as a Seawolf class project officer and program managers representative at Subship Groton, SSGN conversion project officer and program managers representative at Subship Groton, and as the Virginia class assistant program manager for new construction within PEO Submarines. A staff assignment with the Office of Chief of Naval Operations under Sea Warfare Division in 97. He's also served as an individual augmentee participating in operation Iraqi Freedom. While in Iraq, he supported the military's counter ID effort and responsible for fielding over 3,000 mission critical systems to counter directly evolving IED threat. He served as a major program manager of the Virginia class program and the Columbia class program. Under his leadership and guidance, the Virginia program delivered three submarines to the fleet, started the initial design work on the Virginia payload module and acoustic superiority. They won the DOD Value Engineering Award and the David A. Packard Award for acquisition excellence. As the Columbia program manager, the program competed in Milestone B, awarded the detailed design and construction readiness contract, and started prototyping efforts. Previous assignments include program executive officer attack submarines and program executive officer submarines. In June of 2022, he was assigned to the special assistant to the assistant secretary of the Navy for research development and acquisitions for the Australian, United Kingdom, United States partnership. His leadership is essential to the continued success of the world's greatest Navy. We're truly fortunate to have him with us here today to share his thoughts. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming our guest of honor today, we're Admiral David Goggins. Hey, good afternoon. Now we're going to do a task for the parents. Good afternoon. I think you guys were louder the candidates. It's awesome. Hey, good afternoon. It's great being here. It's literally an honor and a privilege to do this today. And I still remember when I got my commission, 1989 at UC Berkeley, I still remember my parents being there, my grandmother being there, and just that day was a beautiful day, you know, overlooking the bay and all that. And I remember who my guest speaker was that I do not remember, but I do remember that day very vividly for the parents, family and friends. It's great having you here today. Actually, in your seats, one month ago, when my daughter graduated from here, and she's now at Bethesda doing the medical military program at UCES, and now she's in the United States Navy. So a great day. Enjoy this moment and celebrate this day with your son or daughter. I've also heard that this is the best OCS class. Is that true? Yes, sir. Now when my daughter graduated, she was told she was the best class to graduate. But I also heard there was a tug-of-war, a relay race with her class and all the other classes, so we know who won, but for today you are the best OCS class today at this moment. And for class 15-22, it is truly an honor and a privilege to talk to you guys today. You are joining the greatest Navy in the world, and it is an awesome opportunity to lead and the opportunities that present it to yourself. When you look at my career, I came in. I thought I'd do five years and get out. I thought I'd be on the West Coast the entire career. I've been on the East Coast the entire career, and I've had a blast. I've had fun. If you talk to my kids and my daughter, they'll tell you, Dad's had fun every day. And make the best of this because you never know where you'll end up in the future. In the Navigation Plan 2022, our CNO, Admiral Mike Gilday, writes, The seas are the lifeblood of our economy, our national security, and our way of life. Today we are in a reflection point as indicated by the world events as you read every day. Our Navy is being tested by nation states, China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and others. They wish to impede that free trade. Restrict the rights and liberties of others and make freedom-loving nations bend to their will. For over 247 years, the United States Navy has been the ultimate protector of our great nation and our allies. Today we are the only Navy, the only Navy that routinely operates far from our shores. We do that to keep those who wish us harm far from our homeland and to ensure global peace and prosperity. Today, you not only joined the greatest warfighting team on the planet, you've become a leader within the best Navy in the world. So congratulations on today and your next adventure here in the U.S. Navy. Since 21 May, you've been working toward this day. You've been instructed, drilled, coached, mentored, counseled. And my daughter went through here, so I know you guys went through the early mornings, the late nights, and I understand you couldn't really talk at some of your meals initially. And I will say it took her about a day to get back. When she sat down for a meal, she sat down normally. So give you about 24 hours where you'll sit down normally at your meals. And I say to before, you are entering the ward room at a very critical time in our nation's history. But most of all, the most dynamic time our Navy's ever seen. We are in the middle of a technological and cultural revolution within our Navy, and we need your leadership to push us into the future. Look at where I come from. I work down in D.C. with fellow program executive officers, and our jobs provide capability to the fleet so you guys can fight and win. We deliver the U.S.S. forward. We're delivering the U.S. District of Columbia ballistic missile submarine. We're working on the constellation of class frigate. All these platforms ensure you guys have the best capability to fight and win. But we're doing more than that. We're also making advancements in our combat and our sensor systems. Push them on our existing platforms. That will ensure that our current platforms in the fleet today have the best war fighting capabilities, bring a new life into these ships. That's the technology side. And what you'll see, we're also in a fundamental change on how we're operating our ships, our submarines, our planes. We are moving away from a operating base on instruction, roles, and checklists. Moving really toward a dynamic learning and innovation environment driven by desire to improve on how we operate. We are embracing self-assessments to see how we can self-correct and identify issues before they grow into larger, more systematic issues. For some of the Navy, that is a huge cultural shift that grew up that way. But to you, our newest leaders, hopefully this just makes common sense. And we need your leadership to bring on this new technology and this new cultural change on how we operate our submarines and our ships and our planes. And I'll get back to the senior and the vice senior's comment of get real, get better approach to demonstrate what we need to do in the future. And this is foundational to our core values of honor, courage, and commitment. So as you graduate today and report to your first duty station, you are ready, you are ready to lead. Whether it's a four-deployed warship or a short duty, you are ready to take on those responsibilities of leadership that we placed upon you. When you report to your first duty station, you'll report to a workforce. That is more than people who work at the same place at the same time each day. When you report to your duty station, you're going to meet a team, sailors, some-case civilians, who have a group of diverse individuals who enjoy working together and are committed to working cohesively to help that organization achieve its common goals, fulfill its purpose in our United States Navy. So I have three challenges for you and hopefully you remember them. First, I'll tell you this, when I look back at my career, 33 years, three things come to my mind of why I've been successful. First one is fundamental essence of leadership. Help your people reach their full potential. Mentor them, train them. Help your team maximize their gifts, their talents. Make them become the best version of themselves and demonstrating an unrelentless focus on helping others succeed in their collective efforts. You've got to build your team, grow their team, build their talent in their skill set. If you take care of your people, they will take care of you. Second, when I look at my career and I look at others, remind of the proverb, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. There is immense power in a group of people who work together toward a shared goal and examine any successful command enterprise team. That organization has key talent tenants that make it successful. Teamwork, exceptional people, outstanding leadership and consistently outstanding results all bound in a sense of purpose. You as leaders need to inspire your team, motivate them, challenge them, provide them that sense of purpose. That is the most important thing you can go do so you can achieve the results we need for our U.S. Navy. Third, as you take your next step as a Navy officer, learn all you can, volunteer, push the limits of yourself, take jobs that you feel uncomfortable with. That is how you become a better leader and a better candidate for our U.S. Navy. I need you to develop your skill sets within your community. Where you go from here is entirely up to you. You stand at the start of your journey in the U.S. Navy. Whether you make this your career or choose something different, today marks the start of an amazing adventure you will have a blast and have fun. As I said earlier, I thought I'd get out in five years. I've been having fun, been having a blast, enjoyed every tour, every job I've done. Even my year in Iraq was an awesome tour that I did for the U.S. Army when I was out there. So I'll leave you with this. Do not accept the status quo, constantly challenge your team to improve and at the same time provide your team the resources, the mentoring and the training they need to be successful. And before I yield the podium, I really want to thank the parents, family, friends. Thank you. Thank you for what you have done. You have raised amazing women and men. You have chose service over self. You have chose country over self and you'll see when you do the oath. The oath is to the Constitution. And they are now insins in the United States Navy. So a big round of applause for your parents in the back row for getting you where you are today. You guys can clap. And Captain Edcarn, thanks for the opportunity to allow me to speak today. This is truly an honor and a privilege to speak to this class of OCS. Thank you. The graduating class will now receive the oath of office. Would all military personnel in uniform please come to the position of attention? Class 15, Tak-22, raise your right hand. Aye. State your name. Have been appointed an ensign in the United States Navy. Do hereby accept such appointment and do solemnly swear that I'll support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. That I'll bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. That I will well and faithfully discharge the duties to the office on which I'm about to enter. So help me God. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. The distinguished graduates assembled will now be recognized by the commanding officer and guest of honor for their achievements at Officer Training Command Newport. Ensign Osado. Ensign Osado has been awarded the Lieutenant Thomas Edie Award for achieving the highest average in academics, military training, and physical fitness while attending Officer Candidate School. Ensign Osado has been designated a submarine warfare officer and has been assigned a nuclear power school in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Osado is a distinguished naval graduate. Ensign Stokes. Ensign Stokes has been awarded the Rear Admiral Stephen B. Loose Award for obtaining the highest academic average while attending Officer Candidate School. Ensign Stokes has been awarded the Commander Jack Leavitt Award, Leadership Award, having been chosen by his peers as Candidate Who Most Inspired His Class and personifies as the highest standards of personal example, sound management practice, and moral responsibility. Ensign Stokes has been designated an intelligence officer and has been assigned a naval intelligence officer basic course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ensign Stokes is a distinguished naval graduate. Ensign Kim. Ensign Kim has been awarded the Chapel Clarity USMC Physical Fitness Award for obtaining the highest overall grade in physical fitness while attending Officer Candidate School. Ensign Kim has been designated an intelligence officer and has been assigned a naval intelligence officer basic course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ensign Kim is a distinguished naval graduate. We will now recognize the remaining graduates. Ensign Dodge. Ensign Dodge has been designated a submarine warfare officer and has been assigned a nuclear power school in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Chericova. Ensign Chericova has been designated a supply corps officer and has been assigned a naval supply corps school in Newport, Rhode Island. Ensign Morgan. Ensign Morgan has been designated a surface warfare officer and has been assigned to the USS Bain Bridge in Norfolk, Virginia. Ensign Souter. Ensign Souter has been designated an intelligence officer and has been assigned a naval intelligence officer basic course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ensign Souter is a distinguished naval graduate. Ensign Cortez. Ensign Cortez has been designated a surface warfare officer and has been assigned to San Diego, California. Ensign Drew. Ensign Drew has been designated a supply corps officer and has been assigned to the naval supply corps school in Newport, Rhode Island. Ensign Drew is a distinguished naval graduate. Ensign Raphael. Ensign Raphael has been designated a surface warfare officer and has been assigned to the USS Mustin in San Diego, California. Ensign Regent. Ensign Regent has been designated a surface warfare officer and has been assigned to the USS Macon Island in San Diego, California. Ensign Buenig. Ensign Buenig has been designated a submarine warfare officer and has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Villegas. Ensign Villegas has been designated an intelligence officer, has been assigned to Naval Intelligence Officer Basic Course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ensign Madril. Ensign Madril has been designated a Cryptological Warfare Officer, has been assigned to Navy Information Operations Command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Ensign Alexander. Ensign Alexander has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer, has been assigned to USS Howard in Yakuza, Japan. Ensign Anderson. Ensign Anderson has been designated a Submarine Warfare Officer, has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Anderson. Ensign Anderson has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer, has been assigned to USS Laboon in Norfolk, Virginia. Ensign Baker. Ensign Baker has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer, has been assigned to USS Preble in San Diego, California. Ensign Bean. Ensign Bean has been designated a Submarine Warfare Officer, has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Bliven. Ensign Bliven has been designated a Submarine Warfare Officer, has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It's embossed. It's embossed. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS Okane in San Diego, California. It's in Brink. It's in Brink. It's been designated a submarine warfare officer, it's been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It's in Brown. It's in Brown. It's been designated a cryptological warfare officer, it's been assigned to Navy Information Operations Command in Hawaii, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It's in Campanella. It's in Campanella. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS John Paul Jones in Everett, Washington. It's in Clicke. It's in Clicke. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS Chancellorville in Yacuzco, Japan. It's in Conlin. It's in Conlin. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, Nuclear. It's been assigned to USS Mason in Mayport, Florida. It's in Crook. It's in Crook. It's been designated a submarine warfare officer, it's been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It's in Krause. It's in Krause. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS Harper's Ferry in San Diego, California. It's in Dallas. It's in Dallas. It's been designated a cryptological warfare officer, it's been assigned to Navy Information Operations Command in Georgia, in Fort Gordon, Georgia. It's in Daniels. It's in Daniels. It's been designated an information professional officer, it's been assigned to Information Professional Basic Course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It's in Daniels. It's in Daniels. It's been designated a submarine warfare officer, it's been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It's in De Leon. It's in De Leon. It's been designated a cryptological warfare officer, it's been assigned to Navy Information Operations Command in Texas, San Antonio, Texas. It's in Dunn. It's in Dunn. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS Picney in San Diego, California. It's in Dunn. It's in Dunn. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS Gridley in Everett, Washington. It's in Elkisam. It's in Elkisam. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS Fort Lauderdale in Norfolk, Virginia. It's in Evangelista. It's in Evangelista. It's been designated a surface warfare officer, it's been assigned to USS Mustin in San Diego, California. at some Ferringer, at some ferringer has been does need a submarine warfare officer has been assigned a Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It's in 4G, only it's in 4G only has been designated a surface warfare officer has been assigned to USS Bruins in San Diego, California. It's in gay on it's in gay. Has been designated a submarine warfare officer has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. It's in Gibson. Henson Gibson has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer Nuclear and has been assigned to the USS Russell in San Diego, California. Henson Gibson is a Distinguished Naval Graduate. Henson Gorely. Henson Gorely has been designated a Civil Engineer Corps Officer and has been assigned to Civil Engineer Corps Officer School in Port Waimimi, California. Henson Gray. Henson Gray has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer and has been assigned to USS Momson in Everett, Washington. Henson Hayden. Henson Hayden has been designated a Submarine Warfare Officer and has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Henson Haley. Henson Haley has been designated a Supply Corps Officer and has been assigned to Naval Supply Corps School in Newport, Rhode Island. Henson Hathaway. Henson Hathaway has been designated a Submarine Warfare Officer and has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Henson Hibbard. Henson Hibbard has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer and has been assigned to officer has been assigned to the USS America in Sasebojapan. Ensign Horegi has been designated a surface warfare officer nuclear and has been assigned to USS John McCain in Everett, Washington. Ensign King has been designated an intelligence officer and has been assigned to the intelligence officer basic course in Damneck, Virginia. Ensign Kreitzer has been designated a submarine warfare officer and has been assigned to nuclear power school in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Leatherman has been designated a surface warfare officer and has been assigned to USS Ashland in Sasebojapan. Ensign Lemon has been designated a submarine warfare officer and has been assigned to nuclear power school in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Leth has been designated a cryptological warfare officer, has been assigned to Navy Information Operations Command Hawaii in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Ensign Lewis has been designated an information professional officer and has been assigned an information professional basic course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ensign Lopez has been designated an information professional officer and has been assigned to information professional basic course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ensign Mackie has been designated a surface warfare officer, has been assigned to USS Iwo Jima in Norfolk, Virginia. Ensign Mackley has been designated a surface Warfare Officer has been assigned to USS Rammage in Norfolk, Virginia. Ensign Medina has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer, has been assigned to USS Tripoli in San Diego, California. Ensign Picard has been designated a Submarine Warfare Officer, has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Powers has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer, has been assigned to USS Wasp in Norfolk, Virginia. Ensign Rankin has been designated a Supply Corps Officer, has been assigned to Naval Supply Corps School in Newport Island. Ensign Riley has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer, has been assigned to USS Somerset in San Diego, California. Ensign Rosenberg has been designated a Surface Warfare Officer, has been assigned to USS Mobile Bay in San Diego, California. Ensign Stevens has been designated an Intelligence Officer, has been assigned to Naval Intelligence Officer basic course in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ensign Sough has been designated a submarine warfare officer, has been assigned to Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ensign Chanda has been designated a surface warfare officer, has been assigned to USS New York in Norfolk, Virginia. Ensign Trujillo has been designated a surface warfare officer, has been assigned to USS Stockdale in San Diego, California. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in recognizing United States Navy's newest ensigns. We will now conclude the ceremony. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the service songs and the final dismissal. Please remain in your places until after the graduating class has taken their class photo. And remember, the only authorized visitor locations are K Hall and Nimitz PT Field.