 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the U.S. Naval War College graduation ceremony. I'm Captain Cindy Dieterly, the Dean of Students, and will be serving as the MC for today's ceremony. You are welcome to take pictures at any time. We have official photographers taking pictures today, and you will find those photos posted on our Flickr site for you to download. At this time, as a courtesy, please put your cell phones on silent or vibrate. Please remain seated for the student procession. Please rise and remain standing for the arrival of the official party, national anthem, and the invocation. The national anthem will be sung by musician second class Holden Moyer from the Navy Band Northeast. Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming, And the rocket's red glare, Commander Richard Smothers, Command Chaplain, Naval Station Newport will deliver the invocation. Everyone to whom much was given of them much will be required, and from them to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. Lord, as these graduates complete this season of learning, we thank you for each of them. Their pursuit of mastery in the profession of arms has led them through a challenging season of education aboard the Naval War College. We pray for each graduate that mission success with enduring honor will be their legacy. May they and their loved ones experience great encouragement because of their time aboard. We give thanks today for the Naval War College team, staff, researchers, instructors, and students. May their tireless efforts bear much fruit for just and noble service in the years to come. Lord, now please bless those who will speak in this hour. May their words challenge and empower us to be men and women of integrity, zeal, honor, and fidelity personally and professionally. We ask these blessings humbly and gratefully. In your mighty name, amen. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. It gives me great pleasure to introduce the members of our official party. Professor Sean Hensler, Deputy Dean, College of Maritime Operational Warfare. Dr. Dean Peter Dutton, Interim Dean, Center for Naval Warfare Studies. Rear Admiral retired Margaret Klein, Dean, College of Leadership and Ethics. Professor Walt Wilderman, Dean, College of Distance Education. Professor Thomas Mangold, Dean, International Programs and Maritime Security Cooperation. Dr. Tim Schulz, Associate Dean of Academics. Dr. Jay Hickey, Interim Provost, United States Naval War College. Captain Patrick Kulakowski, Professor, Strategic and Operational Research Department. And Rear Admiral Shoshana S. Chatfield, the 57th President of the United States Naval War College. Several years ago, we began a tradition at the US Naval War College of allowing the graduating student body to nominate their guest speaker from amongst all the talented professionals at the college. I would like to ask graduating student Commander Matthew Hefinger to introduce your faculty guest speaker. Matt. Admiral, faculty and staff, guests, fellow graduates. It's my privilege to introduce Captain Patrick Kulakowski, United States Navy as a guest speaker for our graduation. Captain K is a career service warfare officer with a subspecialty in nuclear propulsion. He has served on three cruisers and two carriers and he commanded the USS car. In addition to a number of other staff assignments, he was the officer in charge of the Atlantic surface nuclear propulsion mobile training team, maintaining the safety of our nuclear fleet, as well as the NORAD Maritime Warning Chief responsible for early warning to both Canada and the United States of any maritime threats North America. Here at the Naval War College, Captain K is the Deputy Director of the Russian Maritime Studies Institute and the Director of the Holloway Advanced Research Program, which is a Russia focused war game. As I'm sure everyone has seen in the news lately, this has become much more topical than it was when we started classes. The Naval War College is an academic institution, but a unique one that is designed to train military leaders at the graduate level. Operationalizing academic concepts and putting them into practice can be far more complicated than it sometimes seems in the classroom, but that's why we're here. We're expected to apply Sun Tzu and Class Switch to the real world, navigate the interagency process and drive the planning of military operations. Captain K is the one that operationalized the Holloway War Game for us, making it more than just an academic exercise. His example in translating numbers and data into something real says an example for how we can use our education in the future. Those of us that had the opportunity to learn from him are very grateful for it. Captain K, thank you for speaking today. Ladies and gentlemen, Captain Kulikowski. So Matt, thanks for that introduction. It was more than I deserve. Admiral Chatfield, distinguished guests, colleagues, graduates and families, thank you for this opportunity to talk to the student body today. So I didn't plan on talking about it, but it was a rough day for me yesterday. We all know bad things come in three. So there was potential for bad things to happen today. So if you have cameras, get them ready, I could topple off the stage. So it began yesterday when I, Charlie Brown in the parking lot ended up on my back, couldn't breathe for a few minutes. That was exciting. Last night, my pit bull at seven o'clock at night decided to run off on me. So two hours later, I was in shorts and a sweatshirt. Two hours later, I got him back. So those are my two bad things. And if you didn't know, it was pretty cold last night. All right, so I don't know how you got me as your guest speaker. Only the Dean of Students truly knows the process that went on behind the scenes. But, you know, I just want to note this command is filled with lots of talented people. Many who are more, way more elegant than me, more thoughtful and better at communicating their thoughts. But somehow you got me today. So I'm not going to attempt to hide it. I'm not the most prolific speaker, but I got a few things for you. I think you can take away, should depart, go over the bridges. Just want to relate to the Dean of Students what happened when I was chosen. So it was like a sting operation. I was in my office and out of nowhere come students and the Dean of Students. And they just all started moving towards me. Do I know what a sting operation is like? Yes, I have actually been in the sting operation in 1993. If you'd like to talk about it afterwards, I'll give you that story. So she really thought I was going to try to back out of this. But quite frankly, if the students want me to speak and they were touched by me in some way, then I am here to speak and carry out my duty. And then after I graciously accept that I got my wallets and key back. So that helped too. All right, so I have an overwhelming need for transparency as my students know, as my wife knows and regrets many times as I tell lots of things that she wishes I wouldn't. But I will tell you this is my first graduation ceremony since 1988. And I don't remember it. I know there's pictures of me at my high school graduation in 1988. So I definitely was there, but was said I am not sure. So I was behind the eight ball about what the guest speaker was supposed to talk about. So lacking experiences watching guest speakers over the year, I went to my go to place YouTube. So I keyed up the first video that came up, and I felt like it was a flashback to the Seinfeld Festivus episode. I got a problem with you people. And I decided that is probably not something I want to do today. Second one was a little touchy feely. I'm not a very touchy feely person, so that probably wasn't the way to go either. So I gave up on YouTube, watch a couple more videos, but is it is what it is. So then I went to my Facebook community. So I got lots of friends out there, lots of previous people I've served with. I got enlisted people chiefs in there. I got senior officers, I got mid grade officers and I reached out to them and told them what I'd be doing today. And said hey, I need a little bit of help here. What should I talk about. And wow, I received dozens and dozens of comments, truly tremendous outpouring of responses, all just not appropriate for this venue. So then I thought about it and said okay, if I'm sitting in the audience with you guys, as you, what would I want to hear about. So I sat down and thought it through. You know, things you need to think about as you go off to your operational assignments. I came up with a list of five. So those five things I'll hit on, well I'll show this four because my wife nixed one of my five. So we won't hear about that. I'm also not going to quote behind. I won't talk about any historic naval battles or the planning process. You probably got your fill of that for now. All right, so before I go on further I want to address the most important people in the room which is not the front of the room, it's the families in the back. I want you, we can't do this. You're essential. And families I also mean friends. I don't know if it's a New England thing but I have lots of aunts, uncles and cousins who are related to me in no way at all. So you're a part of the family. So I'm sure you hear from your service member regularly how much you support them through good times and bad times. But if not, I'm here to thank you for what you do to support the armed forces when we're out there. Sometimes it's really challenging. You're fixated on what you're doing on the ship or the unit and the problem and you come home and you're still thinking about that. And the family has to deal with that. And they do and they support you. Sometimes when we're deployed and we're away and we can't be here to support the families as well. The most important thing I think the families do is to cut us down to size when we think we're up to here right we think we're all that. If that's never happened in your life before at some point that'll happen where you think you're all that you have all the answers and your families there and your friends are there to tell you. Come on come back down to earth. Be grounded. So the family members who were in Rhode Island with your service member hope you guys got out to enjoy my portion of the country. I know COVID presented a lot of challenges. But there's a lot to do in this area. Hope you get back as well. All right. Topic one. The value of any war college. So more about me. I did not attend the naval war college. Although I had orders to the naval war college I got about three weeks out when big Navy decided I had to go to the nuclear propulsion examining board. So quickly I changed what I was going to do and headed to North and consider lovely Newport had many friends arrive here and try to figure out what happened to me along the way. I explained it all. So although I didn't go here. I'm pretty confident in my first thought. Although the education you receive here is very important. It's not the most important important aspect of your time here. It's not what you learn in the core curriculum. It's not JMO. It's not national security decision making strategy and policy leadership and the profession of arms. As someone who directs who does an elective. I'm not here to tell you see electives either. So the most important real value here is everybody in the front and the conversation you guys had together. You know, inner service stuff having a slow talk to an aviator learn what they do having an army guy talk to a Navy guy learn what he does. And then if you have international partners as well that's an opportunity where you should interact. So moving forward. Your grades not the important part of this your degree is not the important part. I think regardless of your grades and how you did here. You have failed if you fail to keep in communications with the rest of your classmates, at least a small country. Right. So keep in touch as you go forward. Fewer students, maybe even one or two faculty. And use these people as you go forward. So especially if you go out to command is going to be some tough days out there where you can't talk to anybody at your unit. You need to find somebody. You know, feel free to reach back to the people you spent time with here and get their advice. See what experiences they've had. Or do what sailors do the best. Complain and just let off some steam when you need to. So stay in contact. Topic two knowledge and personal growth. So this shouldn't be shocking to hear, but you haven't learned everything you need know from this college going forward. You headed out to take charge and lead some very challenging situations. You have to commit to continuous learning. You need to be able to think critically. You need to develop your own personal curriculum, in my opinion, to continue to excel. There's not going to be some structured course for me going forward that's going to teach you everything. So with a commitment to continuous learning, you need to be well rounded. Yes, you need to continue to look at military history, leadership strategy books, lectures, podcasts, but expose yourself to other things. Expose yourself to things that you don't necessarily agree with different perspectives. As many viewpoints as you can get, the better. The more topics, the better. You might have felt that you've achieved a higher plane of knowledge while you've been here and you're ready to go out. Draft some Graham strategy. Maybe develop some old plans from scratch. Make sure that you go back to the basics to you need to know the capability and limitations of your equipment. The forces you'll bring to the fight. And speaking with my arpad on, you need to take time to study your potential adversaries as well. You need to know their equipment. You need to know their weapons. You need to know the tactics. So strategy and big picture thinking is great, but you got to get into the weeds as well. So Halsey Alpha Halsey Bravo and Holloway. We're only able to take a very few amount of students in. I wish everybody could go through one of the ARPs and learn wargaming and get some insights like that, but you can't. So my challenge to those who have attended the ARPs, go forward with that knowledge, take that to your next unit and spread the methods and the things we've taught you there. So I can only touch. I think we had 15 students this time. And if those 15 students go out and teach, you know, another 15 just multiplies and multiplies. That's how we're going to get that job done. Topic three, it's not about you. Right. So I've been through many leadership courses, many command courses, and every time somebody stands up and says it's not about you. Just remember, it's not about you. It's about your people, the mission. So I've sat, I counted it up. I did some brainstorming. I have 14 people I've sat through those classes with who have been fired along the way for doing inappropriate things. Like running aground is one thing, but there's other things you could do that you could prevent. So I want to take a different perspective on that. It's a little bit about you. And I think you need to realize it's a little bit about you. And you need to take time to think about your ego and ambitions. So when you get in some of those situations, you don't follow all those other people have gone before you're doing the bad path. None of us here want to go down the bad path. I'm sure you're all thinking good thoughts now. But it happens. You need to time that time to think about that and prevent it. You're all good people. Go out there and be good people. That's the topic for the last topic. Everybody's favorite topic is the last topic entitled rules and regulations. So it's critical that you know rules and regulations. And there's a ton of them out to go adhere to. And everybody says, Oh, that's enlightening. Well, I didn't know that. Thanks. So as a surface nuke. I'm in a career path that's known for following the rules strictly following the rules. In fact, we have a whole instruction that tells you the word shall or should mean shall. Right. But I'm going to tell you right now that sometimes you're going to need to break rules. So Patrick twitch it has a quote I like rules are for the guidance of the wise and the obedience of fools. Think there's a big difference between knowing knowingly breaking your rule and filing a rule you weren't aware of. So I validated rules when I was in command and other places but I knew what the rule was and I knew why I was going to violate it. Sometimes you need to do that. Rules are sometimes capture a picture in time or certain circumstances that might not fit where you find yourself. So you need to use your expertise and your experience and you also need to be prepared to stand up and say, Yeah, I broke that rule. And this is why I did it. And I'll accept the consequences good or bad. And you guys have made it through most of my speech. So war fighters, congratulations on completing this rigorous curriculum at the Naval War College. Thank you for enduring my nasally voice and what these been accent. And best of luck to all of you as you continue to move forward in your careers and continue to do good things out there. And one more thing. For you, those of you driving south today, watch out for those states in Connecticut and New Jersey. Captain Kulakowski on behalf of the students, staff and faculty. I thank you for your comments and your ongoing contributions and service to our country. For each graduating class, one student is selected for recognition as the president's honor graduate recipients of this award are chosen based on their outstanding achievement across a spectrum of disciplines, including academic performance, participation in Naval War College activities, participation in civic and community activities, and promotion of armed government services in the public interest. George Lang, Chief Executive Officer of the Naval War College Foundation, please join Admiral Chatfield in presenting these awards. For the College of Naval Warfare, the honor graduate for the March 2022 graduating class is Colonel Brad hip US Marine Corps, please come up on stage to receive your award. He finished number one of 16. He was JMO and NSDM seminar leader, JMO capstone exercise team lead, NSDM final exercise team leader. He participated in the President's Cup ax throwing competition, the Navy War College winter ball and the New Hampshire US Marine Corps birthday ball. He was also an assistant coach for his son soccer team. For his certificate, the Naval War College will be presenting him a Weems and Plath compass kindly gifted by the Naval War College Foundation. For the College of Naval Command and staff, the honor graduate for the March 2022 graduating class is Lieutenant Commander Ryan pedifer US Navy. Please come up to the stage to receive your award. Colonel pedifer finished number one of 45. He was a TSTM seminar academic rep, providing feedback information analysis, a vital element of ongoing dialogue and academic and operational decision making at the Naval War College. Along with a certificate, the Naval War College will be presenting him a Weems and Plath compass kindly gifted by the Naval War College Foundation. We will now give our honor graduates a few moments to address their fellow graduates and classmates. In the chat field, I've seen faculty and staff fellow students families and honored guests. I'm humbled and honored to receive this recognition. However, I didn't get to hear along. Like most meaningful endeavors success depends on having a robust support network and morale system to keep you motivated, even when your motivation fails. So instead of giving my thoughts on leadership or the future. I just want to thank a few people who have helped me along the way. First faculty, Dr. Nottingham seeing Dr. Gina Palmer stand out amongst them. Nottingham you captured my interest. It gave me a new lifelong career future career path and interest in your China African class. You know, you managed to convince the skeptic and devil's advocate of the importance of the nuanced approach to leadership. That gave me skills and frameworks for continuous growth and self assessment. Next, my fellow classmates, I value your honest and frank debates, both in and out of seminar. I can honestly say I learned as much from you as I did from the coursework itself. And this goes doubly so for our international partners, as well as our interagency classmates. So what's your what's your interests were prior to coming here, but I value that and you give me many things to think about here moving forward. Finally, I'd like to thank my family for the support, patience and encouragement. Your support and sacrifice enabled me to focus on the task of hand. During numerous hours spent reading, writing and researching Rebecca. You've been my first and best editor, you give me frank and honest advice and at times brutal about when my arguments failed to make any semblance of sense. So today, you all have enabled my success and I appreciate that. And finally, I just want to say thank you for the journey. And I wish you all the best in the future. So last Thursday afternoon, our seminar presented our final project for an SDM, and I thought I was done with the Naval War College. Then the students called me on Saturday I was skiing with my family in Vermont, gave me one more assignment, the opportunity to speak here at graduation. So here we are one more assignment. So bear with me. I also really look forward to the feedback on this assignment, which will inevitably be the NWC great job and corresponding grade of 88. Good afternoon Admiral Chatfield distinguished faculty and guests colleagues and most importantly families. In all seriousness it's an absolute honor to take the stage here in spruce throughout our time spruance sorry throughout our time here. Over our 14 months. We've had the service chiefs incredible panels and many excellent lectures from the PhDs across the institution, all of which stimulated deep reflection and taught us a great deal. As off cycle students, we most certainly have the best schedule. We showed up in the heart of COVID and had our warm up trimester SMP for the senior class and JMO for the junior class. Then like real college kids we got a summer break. It was amazing. Like many of you I showed up looking for a break from the high operational tempo of the fleet. And the time off in the summer was just what our families needed. Trimester was a brutal way to start. And I'm thankful to the NWC leadership for shouldering the risk to get us back on campus for our final two trimesters. Getting us back on campus was vital to the most significant advantage to attending the resident program here. That's the friendships and network we've built throughout our time through exposure to the diverse students from 56 nations. With many US agencies and all specialties throughout the armed forces, we've gained worldwide and unique perspectives from the best of the best. These relationships will not maintain themselves. My charge shows of us graduating today is to take the time and energy to maintain those friendships. These bonds may be the advantage that allows our joint force partners and allies to win the fights of the future. Fellow graduates we've accomplished quite a bit in the last year. We've read thousands of pages. We've read thousands of pages of challenging texts, written papers and taken part in rigorous academic exchange. The challenging program most certainly developed and advanced our critical thinking, preparing us for the complicated, complex and wicked problems of the future. The current stability of the world order is in question. Authoritarian governments are on the rise with indications that democracy may be backsliding. If there's anything that we can take away from last week, it's that despotic leaders will attempt to reshape the world order, stepping on the week to meet their objectives. I'm thankful for my time here to study and reflect on warfare and strategy of the past, and to consider warfare and strategy for the coming decades. As graduates of this fine institution, it's our job to ensure our country, its leaders, partners and allies and the joint force are prepared to compete on the world stage. Finally, when required, the officers in this room must be prepared to lead to correction, must be prepared to lead the joint force and fight and win across all domains. With all graduates, congratulations. The hard work has paid off. We made it. To the faculty and staff, thank you for your tireless support that helped all of us make it to graduation. We've learned an incredible amount from you. To our families, it's easy to ask for and justify family sacrifice when we're deployed, working late while leading, leading the operating, leading and operating in the fleet. It's much more difficult to ask for isolation to read a book or to write a paper. Thank you for your support and understanding over the last year. Finally, fellow graduates, good luck as you move on to your subsequent assignments. I hope our paths cross again soon. First of all, a master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies or defense and strategic studies as appropriate will now be conferred to the graduates. Will the graduates please rise and remain in place. For Admiral Chatfield, please approach the podium. Admiral, I have the honor to present the March graduates of the United States Naval War College candidates for the master of arts in national security and strategic studies or defense and strategic studies. They have been thoroughly examined and approved by the faculty. By the power vested in me by the Congress of the United States, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the New England Commission of Higher Education. I confer upon you the appropriate degrees and diplomas from the United States Naval War College with all the honors, rights, and privileges pertaining thereto. It's the March 2022 graduates of the United States Naval War College. Thank you Admiral graduates please be seated. Beyond the requirements for graduation, certain individuals have distinguished themselves through academic excellence. For those in the top 5%, they are receiving a diploma with highest distinction. Those in the next 15% will receive a diploma with distinction. Graduates will now receive their diplomas. Graduates please proceed to the stage as your name is read. Guests are welcome to come forward to take pictures. Please try to hold your applause until all names have been read. Rear Admiral Chatfield, Captain Kulakowski, Dr. Hickey, and Dr. Schultz please rise. Presenting the graduating members of the College of Naval Warfare. Captain David Blouser, U.S. Navy. Colonel Donald Brayman, U.S. Army. Captain Andrew Cook, U.S. Navy. Commander Edward David, U.S. Navy. Commander Harry Evans, U.S. Navy. Commander Andrew Gerla, U.S. Navy. Colonel Brad Hip, U.S. Marine Corps with highest distinction. Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Keane, U.S. Army National Guard with distinction. Commander Craig Macklemore, U.S. Navy with distinction. Captain Todd Santella, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Schaefer, U.S. Army Reserve. Commander Richard Smith, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Scott Steffen, U.S. Marine Corps with distinction. Commander Nicholas Walker, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Walters, U.S. Army Reserve. Presenting the graduating members of the College of Naval Command and Staff. Lieutenant Commander David Botwin, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Shane Brenner, U.S. Navy. Major Andrew Kaley, U.S. Army. Major Matthew Darnley, U.S. Army. Major Jason Decker, U.S. Army. Major Darrell Diltz, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Mark Edson, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander William Fenerman, U.S. Navy with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Alexander Glass, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Joshua Gray, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Mark Grissom, U.S. Navy with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Donald Hampton, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Matthew Harvey, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Timothy Henkin, U.S. Navy with highest distinction. Commander Matthew Heffinger, U.S. Navy with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Thomas Hoffman, U.S. Navy. Major Todd Horvath, U.S. Army Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Michael Jennings, U.S. Navy. Major Randall Kizer, U.S. Army National Guard. Major Jesse Kopchinsky, U.S. Army National Guard. Lieutenant Commander William Light, U.S. Navy. Major Alex Longo, U.S. Army Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Colin Lubey, U.S. Navy with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Christopher Martin, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Luis Martinez, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Kyle Mason, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Michael Melser, U.S. Navy. Commander Antonia Miggins, U.S. Navy. Major James Moore, U.S. Army Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Timothy Motlow, U.S. Navy. Major Jacob Oates, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Ryan Pettifer, U.S. Navy with highest distinction. Major Joshua Phyllis, U.S. Army National Guard. Major Brian Quinn, U.S. Army with highest distinction. Commander Catherine Burke-Repart, U.S. Navy with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Kevin Schroet, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Craig Searles, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Devin Snyder, U.S. Navy. Major Michael Spasic, U.S. Army National Guard with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Nathan Stein, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Christine Walker, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Timothy Warburton, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Eric Wright, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Andrew Wyman, U.S. Navy with distinction. Ladies and gentlemen, please join us in another round of applause for our graduates, honorees, and their families. Your Admiral Chatfield will now issue the charge to the graduates. Admiral? Well, I've got a smile on my face and I know that you are smiling behind your masks. What a fantastic day it is. I want to welcome you all again. I want to recognize our C&O Distinguished Fellows Admiral Guillermo Barrera, Admiral Nirmal Verma, Admiral Darsanis. Thank you for all you've done to enrich the lives of our students. I'd also like to recognize our Interim Provost Jay Hickey, our deans and chairs, our incredible faculty and staff, all of our graduates, and families and friends. Before I begin, let's just whoop it up one more time for these graduates. Boy, I really loved hearing from Captain Kulikowski. Thank you for your remarks to all of our graduates, to all of those assembled here and watching virtually. Thanks for the message. It really came from the heart and from the experience that you have. And I know that they'll appreciate it as they go on to higher levels of achievement and responsibility in their services within the Department of Defense, and continue to do valuable work with our interagency and our international partners. To George Lang, our Chief Executive Officer of the Naval War College Foundation, to you and your staff, to the wonderful and community-minded trustees and members of the Foundation, thank you for all of your generous gifts this year. It really provided critical funding for our programs. It's enriched and enhanced the initiatives that we have and the quality of life and educational experience of our students here at the college. To all those who work as faculty and staff, I know that you are cheering every time we see a graduate cross the stage. That confirms our purpose and mission here at the college, our efforts. And I wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving all that you do for the tremendous experience in education that our graduates walk away with. And now to our dedicated families. I know we've already heard from Captain Kulikowski. The families and loved ones, we rely so much on you, your love, your support, and sort of the patience and endurance that you have for how we are called and what we are called to do. You enable our warfighters to do those incredible things and develop the ability to protect and serve our great nation. We know that the pandemic has affected each of you and your families. It's affected your quality of life with COVID came very difficult decisions and transitions that you might not have made otherwise. For those who accompanied your student to Newport. We, we really appreciate the move, even on a short timeline, less than a year for this tour. And it adds additional stress to your families to have to settle in and then to have to move again. So thank you for that. And for all of you who supported your student from afar. We know that the separate that the separation that you endured added to your stressors this year, and that you've missed those personal touches that only come with face to face interaction and intimacy. Thank you all for supporting your service and your graduate. And to all of our spring 2022 are March graduates, you are now graduates of the United States Naval War College. For the last year you've been part of this colleges great mission. You've committed to education research and outreach, and now as graduates it's your responsibility to use your knowledge, as you return to the dynamic security environment that you will find yourselves in. And to serve your subordinates well. And to grow and develop as warfighters. You're provided with a new set of tools here. You're freshly honed. You're able to anticipate and prepare for the future. During your time here at the Naval War College. We've helped you to develop vertically and horizontally as leaders and warfighters. Our goal was to increase your knowledge by exposing you to new ideas concepts and perspectives. This would help you develop a greater cognitive capacity and help you enable you to succeed in a complex security environment. We've provided you new lenses and models to understand the world around you. And with that new skill set, we are counting on you to help strengthen the foundations of peace and to create a decisive warfighting advantage for the United States for our maritime partners and our allies. You see the United States is a maritime nation. Our security and prosperity depend on the seas. As President Biden stated in his March 2021 international security guidance, our world is at an inflection point. The United States must renew its enduring advantages so that we can meet today's challenges from a position of strength. As stated in our tri-service maritime strategy. Our service chiefs have committed to working together to build, lead and advance a rules based international system through shared commitments with our allies and partners. To maintain a naval force that is ready to defend our shores, maintain sea control and protect our national security and economic interests. You have only to turn on your television today to understand that this, this has never been more important than it is today. Graduates, we have loaded you up with academic concepts, theories, case studies, etc. It was your own self reflection, your own conversation with peers, your own personal growth that supported your vertical development as an ethical leader in the profession of arms. We provided the venues and opportunities for you to build a strong worldwide network of maritime partnerships, united in common purpose and with a relentless drive to anticipate, think creatively and lead through change. Your careers as service members have been filled so far with unpredictability and momentous change. Yet example after example proved to us that a dynamic reality can be leveraged for good as long as we support each other and keep our energy and our efforts directed toward a higher vision and clearly identified objectives. Our leaders have made clear that continuous learning is a strategic enabler. An enabler to the success of our fighting forces to the success of our interagency and to the success of our international partners. This year of education is a direct investment into gaining war fighting advantage and advances in the maritime environment. The development of our soldiers sailors marines airmen guardians and coasts guardmen are our most important consequential endeavor. Every one of our service members brings different and special contributions to our teams. Cultivating a high performing and innovative workforce built on the foundations of diversity and inclusion starts at the top, and it must be carried out by you, our frontline leaders. Set the example of inclusive leadership and hold your standards high for those around you. In order to create high performing and organizations, you are going to need to be able to tap into the energy and capabilities of all of your war fighters, valuing and integrating individual perspectives ideas and contributions. This type of inclusive leadership will cast new light on existing challenges and future obstacles and enable your units to maximize their potential. My charge to you, as you return to your operational positions throughout the world is to lean on and utilize the new tools that you worked on here. Analyze how we fight frame problems, develop and assess solutions and build winning teams. Although your academic year here in Newport is only a small slice of the continuum of learning that will take place throughout your career, you must continue to invest in personal and professional development for yourself, and for those you lead. So find time to continue to access our faculty and the content that we continue to generate here at the Naval War College. We have lots of content and reminders for you available through our YouTube channel and through your connection via hybrid lectures and our conferences. We know that our service leaders, we know that our service leaders have identified key traits that are sought in joint officers. Collaboration, integration, innovation. So do not be content to sit comfortably in your subject matter expertise. Press out to the edges seek opportunities to interact with others whose specialties and knowledge and viewpoints differ from yours. That is where innovative ideas are born, and those ideas just might be the key to our future success. Don't return to the old habits you had make a new habit in your work life that reminds you to access the knowledge and experience that you've gained here. New practices of intellectual engagement, wider sources and perspectives to access improved analytical skills. And lastly, you have spent the year here attaining a higher level of oral and written expression. Take the time to invest in building those skills in the high performing teammates you lead. Your job here is not complete because you are now members of the United States Naval War College alumni. It goes back 137 years. I encourage you to stay connected and engaged with each other and with us. Reach out and find those other Naval War College graduates within the Naval Joint Interagency and International Alumni. Among this group cultivate lifelong partnerships based on respect for diverse perspectives and enhanced by your mutual beliefs in upholding the principles of democracy. Of territorial integrity of sovereignty of respect for the international rules based order. And of working together collaboratively to enhance war fighting effectiveness and interoperability. We will continue to ask for your feedback as you navigate your future assignments. We hope that you will communicate with us. And that those pearls that you share with us will inform future changes to our curriculum and continue to enable improvements in our delivery of excellence in education research and outreach. I'd like to conclude my remarks by once again addressing our families and friends here today. Thank you so much for being the pillar of strength for your graduate. And for taking the time to share in the successes today. It's a momentous achievement. To all of our March graduates. Congratulations to those Navy types. We've done a really great job here and we wish you the best of luck. Congratulations. Please rise and remain standing for the benediction and the departure of the official party. Eternal Father, Almighty God, may we never forget the high privileges and weighty responsibilities entrusted to us as we serve and lead. Grant to each warrior family represented here your grace, strength and joy each day. And may each of these graduates go out in joy and be led forth in peace. Grant to them safe journeys to the next place of service and may each of us honor you, our great Creator God and everything we do each day. For all of these things we pray confidently in your most holy name. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our graduation ceremony. Thank you for joining us this afternoon.