 Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Please be seated. Welcome to Baltimore and the commissioning of the United States ship Zumwalt. I'm Captain Scott Tate, the ship's executive officer, and it is my privilege to be your master of ceremonies today. Before our ceremony begins, please turn off your cell phones or place them on silent mode. We are here today to celebrate commissioning of USS Zumwalt, the first ship of the long-awaited Zumwalt class destroyers. The ship was christened in Bath, Maine on April the 12th, 2014. Today, she is complete and this crew is proud to serve on the most technologically advanced combatant in the United States Navy. Our crew is dedicated to carrying out the visionary legacy handed down to us by her namesake, Admiral Elmour Bud Zumwalt, Jr. Like this ship, Admiral Zumwalt was ahead of his time as the youngest admiral ever to serve as chief of naval operations. He steered the Navy through turbulent times during the Vietnam War and led a service that reflected the deep divide on our country during the civil rights era. He worked tirelessly to improve life for our sailors and to remove barriers based on gender or ethnicity. The ship's crew is honored to serve in a ship, which bears his name. Our ceremony today is a time-honored tradition, which began with the commissioning of our very first ship in 1775, a captured British schooner called the Martiretta. Since then, thousands of ships have undergone the ritual transformation from silent hull to a fully alive warship. Our commissioning crew, forever hereafter known as plank owners, are in formation among you and ready to bring our ship to life. In just a few moments, the United States Navy ceremonial guard, color guard, and the United States Navy band from Washington, D.C., along with our saluting battery, will render honors to the honorable Dush Ruppersberger, United States Representative from the 2nd District, State of Maryland. Ship's Company, hot 10, hot! Will the guests please rise and remain standing for the arrival of our official party, honors, and the invocation. Ladies and gentlemen, our platform guests, Captain Michael Taylor, United States Navy, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath, Maine, Captain Kevin Smith, United States Navy, Program Manager, DDG-1000 Shipbuilding Program, Mr. Brent West, Director and DDG-1000 Program Manager, Bath Ironworks, Mr. Wesley Kramer, Vice President Raytheon Company, and President of their Integrated Defense Systems Division, Rear Admiral William Galinas, United States Navy, Program Executive Officer, Ships, Rear Admiral Scott Sanders, United States Navy Reserve, Retired, Chairman, USS Zumwalt, Commissioning Committee, Rear Admiral Mark Tid, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy, Retired, our Ceremony Chaplain, the Honorable Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor of the City of Baltimore, Vice Admiral Thomas Moore, United States Navy, Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Vice Admiral Thomas Rodin, United States Navy, Commander, Naval Surface Forces, the Honorable Sean Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, the Honorable Boyd Rutherford, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Maryland, Admiral Harry Harris, United States Navy, Commander, United States Pacific Command, Admiral John Richardson, United States Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, the Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy. Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Muzeta Zumwalt Weathers, one of our ship sponsors, escorted by Mr. Russell Zumwalt IV, grandson of Admiral Zumwalt, who will assist us in setting the first watch today. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Anne Zumwalt, our other ship sponsor, escorted by Command Master Chief Leonard Green, the Honorable Dutch Ruppersberger, United States Representative, Second District, State of Maryland, escorted today by Captain James Kirk, United States Navy, USS Zumwalt's prospective commanding officer. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now render honors to the Honorable Dutch Ruppersberger. Platform and salute. Platform. Ready? To. Advance the colors. Platform and salute. Ladies and gentlemen, we are Admiral Tid. We will now deliver our invocation. Will you pray with me, Eternal God, we gather today to bear witness to the commissioning of the Honorable Dutch Ruppersberger. of this mighty warship, a ship that is meant to go to sea and to sail far from her home waters in order to carry out her mission to protect our nation. And on this day, we bear witness that this ship inherits a proud legacy, the legacy of Admiral Elmo Bud Zumwalt, who led sailors in war as well as in war. And by the love of his beloved bride, Musa, who is truly his strength, and by the love of their children, Anne, and Musetta, and Jim, and Elmo, he led with courage and honor throughout his career and beyond. Always in devoted service to his nation. So be with us here today as we mark this legacy and as we bring this ship to life. We pray this in your holy name. Amen. Will the guests please be seated. Zumwalt, parade, rest. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Boyd Rutherford, Lieutenant Governor for the State of Maryland. Thank you and good afternoon. Thank you and greetings on behalf of the great state of Maryland and Governor Lawrence J. Hogan and our entire administration. I am really honored, truly honored to be here on this momentous occasion. Today is a great day for the United States of America, for the State of Maryland, and for Baltimore City. Today, the powerful or the power of our United States Navy is on full display as the USS Zumwalt officially takes its place among our country's naval forces. And we are very proud to host this important time-honored commissioning ceremony right here in Baltimore. The supremacy of this incredible warship begins with its name. L. M. R. Budd Zumwalt Jr. was the Navy's youngest rear admiral, its youngest vice admiral, and its youngest admiral and chief of naval operations. Time magazine once said that he brought the U.S. Navy kicking and screaming into the 20th century. So it's only right that the warship bearing Budd Zumwalt's name truly represents the next frontier of U.S. naval preeminence. The USS Zumwalt is the largest, most technologically advanced warship in our country and our world has ever seen. In an increasingly globalized world where threats are constantly evolving and ever-changing, this warship will no doubt help give our military forces a much needed advantage. Again, on behalf of Governor Hogan and our entire administration, congratulations to everyone involved who helped make today possible. God bless the crew that will proudly serve this man of war. God bless the United States Navy. God bless the great state of Maryland. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much. Thank you, Lieutenant Governor Rutherford. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Brent West, Director of Operations and DDG-1000 Program Manager for Bath Ironworks. Well, thank you. On behalf of the 6,000 shipbuilders of General Dynamics Bath Ironworks, I offer congratulations to Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Zumwalt as she joins the fleet of the United States Navy. My colleagues and I have the distinct pleasure of designing and building this magnificent ship at our shipyard up in Maine. And while it wasn't easy, we are immensely proud of what we and our partners in industry and the Navy have achieved. Together, we have built a ship that will play a major role in defending our freedom in the 21st century. Just about everything in this ship is new. Her sleek hull and embedded antennas ensure a low radar signature. Her integrated power system allows Captain Kirk to direct the generated electrical power not only to propel the ship, but also to provide auxiliary power and to control the mission systems. Her engineering control system enables low manning through remote and automated operations. This, for us, was an adventure that started in 2009 when we fabricated the first steel shapes for DDG-1000. It continued in 2011 when we laid the keel, the transfer of a unit weighing some 4,000 tons from our construction hull to the building ways. In 2012, we received via barge the 800-ton composite deckhouse constructed in Mississippi by Ingalls Shipbuilding. And on a snowy day, one December night, we erected it onto the ship hull. In October 2013, we launched her into the Kennyback River. And in April the following year, we celebrated the christening by witnessing a superbly choreographed breaking of champagne bottles by our sponsors, Ann Zumwalt and Mazuda Zumwalt Weathers. Late last year, we took the ship on her first sea trials. She performed remarkably. And as an indication of the goodness that this ship will bring, we performed at the request of the Coast Guard, the rescue at sea of a commercial fisherman who was having a life-threatening health event. Finally, earlier this year, we completed two additional sets of trials, and in May transferred the custody of the ship to the Navy. Undoubtedly, for those of us at BIW, the highlight of this experience has been getting to know the wonderful Zumwalt family. Son James spoke eloquently, several times to our workforce, about the life and times of his father and about the values that guided his life. Our sponsors have been frequent and welcome visitors to the shipyard, and became a big hit with our workers by distributing home-baked cupcakes on board ship. Muzeta visited frequently and made close ties with several shipbuilders, including longtime BIW electrician Larius Stegna, who became her deck plate compatriot. Last month, this life experience of building DDG-1000 turned another page as she departed Bath. Many gathered at the pier to wave goodbye, others gathered at various spots along the Cannebac River to watch her gracefully make her way to sea. The traditional gathering spot at Fort Popham, located at the mouth of the river, was overflowing with friends, family, and well-wishers. I stood with a few fellow workers at the end of our land-level transfer facility and looked southward as she made the bend in the river and disappeared from view. We at BIW follow with great interest the adventures and missions of the ships we build, almost like watching adult children after they have left home. The USS Zumwalt is special in so many ways, and we look forward to tracking her. Perhaps a favorite child progressed over the years in defense of our country. Again, Captain, congratulations, and Godspeed. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. West. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Wesley Kramer, Vice President, Raytheon Company, and President of the Integrated Defense Systems Division. Congressman Rupersberger, Secretary Mabus, Admiral Richardson, Admiral Harris, members of the commissioning committee, sponsors, members of the Zumwalt family, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor to represent Raytheon's 61,000 employees, engineers, integrators, and innovators whose life's work is dedicated to solving the world's toughest technology challenges, and many of whom played a role in the design, development, and delivery of this revolutionary warship. We welcome to the fleet today the USS Zumwalt. Together with the Navy, the shipbuilders at Bath Ironworks and Huntington Ingalls, BAE, more than 1,400 subcontractors, and 100 government agencies, universities, and suppliers, we led the effort to transform the Navy's visionary ship requirements to reality, creating a warship that is unlike any other in history, designed and built to go where no modern surface combatant has gone before, carry the fight to our nation's enemies, win, and return home safely. Working side by side, sailors and civilians, we delivered on our commitment to the Navy's mission success, and in the process achieved many groundbreaking technical and operational firsts, including the first ship with optimized stealth and integrated sonar system to allow Zumwalt to operate and engage in the latorals while delivering accurate, long-range, persistent fire support. An unprecedented level of automation, driven by the first of its kind, total ship computing environment, advancing the efficiency and operation of the ship while helping the Navy to achieve its manning goals, and a state-of-the-art battle-resistant weapon launching system designed to fire missiles for sea, land, and air attacks. These are just a few of the technological advancements that Raytheon has had the privilege to contribute to this revolutionary ship class. As the largest and most technologically advanced destroyer in the world and the future of the Navy's surface fleet, it is a fitting tribute to the innovative and transformative leader for which it is named, and a visible testament to the power of partnership, collaboration, and commitment to excellence. Raytheon is proud of the role we played in bringing the leadership of the Zumwalt class to this day. On behalf of the men and women of Raytheon, thank you for the opportunity to be a part of the Zumwalt legacy and its role in the future of the Navy fleet. To our captain and crew, we stand with you and the systems that power, navigate, and arm the Zumwalt. We are confident that she and her sister ships to follow will meet the difficult challenges our Navy faces to fulfill their mission to make the world a safer place. May the men and women of the USS Zumwalt have fair wins and following seas. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kramer. Ladies and gentlemen, Vice Admiral Thomas Roden, United States Navy Commander, Naval Surface Forces. Family, friends, and distinguished guests, it is a true honor to represent the Navy's surface force today. More importantly, I am thrilled to welcome USS Zumwalt into the surface force. When I was a kid, my dad, who served proudly in the Zumwalt era, would take my brother and me down to the pier to visit his ship. I was in awe of those mighty warships. To us, they were bigger than life. Decades later, I stand here in awe of this mighty warship. Isn't she impressive? And she truly captures the spirit of her namesake. To say the Navy was transformed by Admiral Zumwalt is an understatement. Indeed, every leader on this stage and the great crew standing before us has benefited from Zumwalt's passion to make the Navy even better. So today, we welcome this revolutionary warship to the fleet, a ship that demonstrates daring design and cutting-edge capability. She builds upon more than two centuries of fighting spirit and innovation. Indeed, 241 years ago, our nation and Navy started with six frigates, which were also revolutionary in their time. And through bold tactics, courageous leadership, and ideas fueled by deep conviction, the United States became a preeminent naval power. Battles and names remaining grained in our collective conscience—Jones, Farragut, Dewey, Spruance, McCain, and, yes, Zumwalt. This ship symbolizes our commitment to remain bold, to remain the world's preeminent naval force. It has been said that Admiral Zumwalt's forward thinking brought the Navy kicking and screaming into the 20th century. Indeed, it is only fitting that this ship's forward design and innovative technology will set the pace for the 21st century as well. And just like Bud Zumwalt, this ship and her crew remain dedicated to our Navy and our nation in good times and bad, and for decades to come. As we forge USS Zumwalt's future, our fundamental principles persist. USS Zumwalt and its crew will provide the deterrence, as well as the offensive punch, to prevent those who attempt to deny us the freedom to sail the world's oceans. And sailing this magnificent ship are the people who, I believe, are the greatest weapons system this world has ever seen—our U.S. Navy sailors. These exceptional sailors are receiving the most incredible ship of our absolutely. These exceptional sailors are receiving the most incredible ship of our time. It's a remarkable time to be a part of the surface warfare community, and it's a remarkable time to be a part of this mighty warship. To the Zumwalt family, Jim, Anne, and Muzeta, it has been a pleasure developing a personal relationship with you on this journey. A ship bearing your dad's name is long overdue. And make no mistake, we are committed to living up to Admiral Bud Zumwalt's legacy. If you will permit me a brief moment, I would like to directly speak to the crew of this phenomenal ship. I present you sincere thanks from the surface force, the Navy, and this country. Sail the ship fast, treat her well, and give her everything you've got. And if called upon to fight, fight hard and win. On behalf of the United States Naval Surface Force, I proudly accept ownership of the Navy's newest ship of the fleet. Thank you very much. Thank you, Admiral Rodin. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Sean Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. Congressman Rupersberger, Mayor Blake, from Memorial Stadium to Camden Yards, in all of your years in the stands at those Oriole games, have you ever witnessed this hometown crowd stand so silent, so reverent, for every note, every oh, of our national anthem. Fleet Week in Baltimore, one of the world's great seaports, made renowned by the famous Clippership. Half a leg from here, at Fell's Point, the keel of our Navy was laid more than 200 years ago. And here, high above the ramparts, those broad stripes and bright stars inspired a young Francis Scott Key, as a rabble in arms, Baltimore Patriots, repelled the great British Navy. And, across the river, at Sparrows Point, Baltimore's great industrial might forged the steel and built the ships that waged the war in the Atlantic and won the war in the Pacific. Here, where every landmark stands as a testament that we are a maritime nation, we commission the newest ship in our Navy. Secretary Mabus, CNO, it doesn't get any better than this. Now, in chronicling the turbulent, truly incredible history of the last century, Tom Brokaw coined a phrase that captured our imagination while capturing the story and the character of Americans who came of age in an era marked by equal measures of sacrifice and achievement. He called these Americans the greatest generation. Who earns the right to be numbered among the greatest generations? So let me take you back to the darkest hour of the last century and the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor as the waters flooded past twisted steel openings and the black smoke billowed from the pierced halls along battleship row. President Roosevelt went on the radio to address the nation. This generation of Americans, he said, has come to realize with a present and personal realization that there is something larger and more important than the life of any individual or any individual group. Something for which a man will sacrifice and gladly sacrifice not only his pleasures, not only his goods, not only his associations with those he loves, but his life itself. In time of crisis, when the future is in the balance, we come to understand with full recognition and devotion what this nation is and what we owe it. Those words at that hour of darkness would serve as a call to arms and today we pay tribute to one who answered that call. Now in telling the story of the extraordinary career of service and achievement of Admiral Bud Zumwalt, today's distinguished speakers tell the story of our nation. From the Second World War to Korea to Vietnam and the Cold War to the years spent repairing the wounds of those wars to the years spent redesigning and rebuilding our Navy and our nation to defend against future war, a story that spans six decades. Ann, Rosetta, Jim, I believe that I speak for all of us here. When I say that if your father were the only member of his generation, it would still be the greatest generation. And today, as you bring to life the ship that bears his name, today the torch is passed, the torch is passed to the next generation, the next great generation of sailors who yearn to follow in your father's footsteps. They are the next strong link in that long, unbroken chain of Americans who understand with full recognition and devotion what this nation is and what we owe it. They are the men and women who proudly call themselves the Zumwalt. And they're dedicated, well educated, well trained. And today, today they are well armed. For when they sail from your warm embrace, they sail in the largest, most advanced destroyer in the world. 15,700 tons of sea power, stealth above and below the waterline, survivability from stem to stern, 78 million watts of power, driving the largest electric propulsion motors afloat, and two, the Navy's most advanced multifunction radar, a ship whose firepower promises to give naval gunfire all new meaning. And when they sail, they will sail far from our shores to calm troubled waters, so that we here in America may continue to enjoy the freedoms we cherish so deeply. So Skipper, Captain Kirk, when you sail, sail boldly. Sail with impunity upon any sea, for you are the next great generation. You are the Zumwalt. And so Godspeed. Godspeed, USS Zumwalt. God bless your sponsors who give you grace. God bless your sailors who give you strength. And God bless these United States whom you will defend. Thank you. Thank you, Secretary Stackley. Ladies and gentlemen, Admiral Harry Harris, United States Navy, Commander, United States Pacific Command. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the unenviable, even daunting task of following Sean Stackley to the podium and speaking before John Richardson. I am indeed daunted. I know there's a lot of speakers for this ceremony, so I'll get on with it so you all can get on with it. But let me quickly recognize Congressman Ruppersberger and federal, state, city and industry leaders, Secretary Mabus and Navy leaders, C&O Admiral Richardson and fellow flag and general officers active and retired, family members of the legendary Admiral Bud Zumwalt, distinguished guests and most importantly, Captain James Kirk and the crew of USS Zumwalt. Ladies and gentlemen, I can't think, ladies and gentlemen, I can't think of a better place to commission this ship than the port of Baltimore. Thank you, Mayor Rawlings-Blake. We're only a few miles from the Naval Academy and within the site of Fort McHenry where the rocket's red glare of history blazed over a nation barely three decades old. This is an epic venue and in my opinion we're adding a page to its storied past with the commissioning of this revolutionary platform. Make no mistake about it, while this is a Navy ceremony and this is a Navy day, we now live in a world where we must think, learn and fight jointly and rightfully so. It's important to take note of the degree to which our military, your military, has involved in the most powerful joint fighting force the world has ever seen. So today we go back to our roots and take special note of what lies at the very core of the joint force. The continuing recognition and indeed celebration of who we are and what we value as joint military leaders, the absolute nature of accountability, the exercise of command and the art of leadership. Now before I went to flight school a hundred years ago I was stashed in Maine and I lived in Bath. I learned then what I know now, a bath built ship is a ship built for war. After I visited DDG 1000 when she was being built I said if Batman had a ship it would be the USS Zoom wall. Now folks I'm no Bruce Wayne but like Batman's alter ego I've been accused of having an insatiable appetite for cutting edge technology to fight the forces of darkness in my neighborhood. To that I'll simply say guilty as charged. As long as our president and you the American people have an insatiable appetite for security then I have an insatiable appetite for the stuff to underwrite that security. Stuff like this magnificent ship behind me. I've been a provider of readiness and now I'm a consumer of readiness and I assure you the latter is a lot more fun. I intend to consume all the readiness that this ship can provide. I have big plans for the USS Zoom wall and her two sister ships. Thanks to our strategic rebalance to the Indo-Asia Pacific everything that's new and cool in your military arsenal is debuting and they come. We can't get this technological marvel to the Pacific fast enough and it couldn't come in a more pivotal moment in our nation's history. Secretary of Defense Carter has rightly called the Indo-Asia Pacific the single most consequential region for America's future. He's named five challenges that confront the United States and four of those challenges North Korea China Russia and ISIL are in the Pekong area of responsibility. There's no more immediate threat that North Korea which is on a quest for nuclear weapons a means to miniaturize them and the means to deliver them into continental Italy. Zoom will play a heavy role in giving us the clear edge in these challenges. We must continue to develop and field combat power like this ship to defend the U.S. homeland and the homeland of our allies. Indeed it's fitting that Zoom wants motto as Pax Proctor Vim, Latin for peace through power. As a Pekong commander I've adopted the motto Vim Vim Vim. That's Tennessee Latin for there's no such thing as too much power. The technology in Zoom wants unique hull and the ingenuity of her stalwart crew are powerful guarantors of peace. They are the embodiment of America's determined will. As our newest class of destroyer interactive service I can't imagine a ship more like its namesake. Admiral Zoomalt was an innovative visionary and the groundbreaking DDG-1000 delivers not just credible combat power but incredible combat power. Zoomalt will assure our Navy and our entire joint force remain ready to fight tonight. I'm told that Admiral Zoomalt was guided by Edmund Burke's warning all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. If he were here today I'm sure the Admiral would tell us that with this ship evil will not triumph. That's been the mission of Pekong since the end of World War II cooperating with our regional allies and partners while confronting threats to peace and stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific. As our nation's oldest combatant command Pekong will mark our 70th birthday this January 1st. I can't think of a better birthday gift than the USS Zoomalt. Thank you Secretary and CNO. I truly look forward to seeing this ship and her outstanding crew on station in the Indo-Asia Pacific. May God bless the USS Zoomalt and the sailors who manned her. May God bless the United States of America which will always be the land of the free and the home of the brave. Thank you very much. Thank you Admiral Harris. Ladies and gentlemen the honorable Dutch Rupersberger United States Representative Second District State of Maryland. Thank you. Well welcome Baltimore what a great turnout today and it's great that we can all take part in the commissioning of the Zoomalt. And by the way Admiral Harris you're not really easy to follow either. You give a good speech and you have some humor in there but thank you for your service. You've got a real obligation in the Pacific but we're glad that you're there and thank you for your service too. To go forward first thing I want to acknowledge Lieutenant Governor Rutherford. It's good to have you representing the state of Maryland and Mayor Rowling's Blake. I'm happy you're here representing the great city of Baltimore. And also I want to acknowledge all members retired and active from the United States Navy. And let's give them a hand because we thank you for your service. And I do want to acknowledge all the admirals. We probably have 50 admirals here today either current or retired. You know and it's been said that admirals never retire they just get a little dingy. Well it came as no surprise to us that the Port of Baltimore was chosen to commission the USS Zoomalt given its commander Captain James Kirk and I mean the real Captain Kirk. Now for those of you that don't know the captain is a Maryland native and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy of which I am a proud board member. It is my understanding that the commander is required to provide the secretary of the Navy with three options for a commissioning location and Baltimore was Captain Kirk's first choice. Secretary Mabus thanks for listening to him. Now it goes without saying that Baltimore has a strong marine tradition. Just beyond the harbor is Fort McHenry where we stopped the British Navy in its tracks during the war of 1812 and we have a long welcome our country's ships for port visits and fleet week. But never before have we seen a ship like this one. We are standing before 15,000 tons of raw power. The Zoomalt is not only the Navy's newest and largest destroyer. It is the most powerful and technologically advanced in U.S. history. This ship introduces our major innovations in electric propulsion and stealth design that makes it 50 times harder to spot on radar than an ordinary destroyer. Its weapons can strike targets more than 100 miles away and require a much smaller crew to sail. It is truly fitting that it is named after an American sailor unlike any the Navy had ever seen when he became its youngest chief of naval operations in 1970. Like this ship, Bud Zoomalt was a true of revolutionary who fought discrimination within the ranks. He was a crusader for equality and is credited with bringing naval personnel practices into the 20th century. He promoted the first female and first African American officers to flag rank. He allowed women to become naval aviators. He opened up ratings for Filipino sailors whose service had long been limited to steward. And he demanded the Navy fight housing discrimination against black sailors in cities where they were based. Sadly, Zoomalt died of a cancer from asbestos that he was exposed to while serving our nation throughout decades in his long career. On behalf of a grateful country, I want to acknowledge his family members here today and thank you for your service and sacrifices. You know, I really would have liked your dad and granddad. He was a little bit of a rebel. He wore sideburns when they were generally frowned upon in the Navy. He let sailors wear civilian clothes when they weren't on duty. But like your father, this ship breaks the mold of modern naval design. The Zoomalt is a ship that we can be proud of. That we can show the rest of the world the might and the power of the United States Navy. So I wish Captain Kirk and his crew Godspeed and thanks for having me here today. And again, I'm just very impressed the turnout we have here today for this very auspicious occasion. Thank you. Thank you, Representative Rufersberger. Ladies and gentlemen, Admiral John Richardson, United States Navy, Chief of Naval Operations. Well, good evening everybody. Thank you again for turning out. Welcome to all of you and especially to our distinguished guests and most especially to the Zoomall family. I've got to tell you it's been magnificent sitting up here. You have no idea what it's like to be the seventh speaker in a row. Secretary Mamus and I are just sitting up here with pens that's taken, that was covered, never mind. I really have almost nothing left to say at this point. But that's not going to stop me. I've got 30 minutes. It is great to be here. In fact, I would say that if you are at all, if you identify yourself with the Navy, this is the place to be right here and right now at this celebration. So there are thousands of people here and I've got to confess I've maybe heard the applause of 100. And so I'd like you all to warm up right now. This is a wonderful celebration and let's make it sound like a celebration. Let me just hear you give it up for the Zoomall from the car. And it is a wonderful time for celebration. This commissioning really continues a celebration of our Navy's birthday on October 13th, just this past week. And of course we're also celebrating Fleet Week here in Baltimore. And so there are a number of occasions to celebrate and this occasion this commissioning tops it off. But we've been underway for some time in this ceremony. We've had a number of speakers. They've covered the map all over the globe. And I've got to tell you, we Navy guys and we've been underway for a little while. We get a little nervous and when we get nervous we take a fix. And so that's what I thought I'd do right here for you is take a fix. And any mariner knows that a solid fix includes three lines of bearing. And so I'm going to cover that. In fact our theme for our Navy's birthday this year included three great navigational aids by which we can fix our position today. Our Navy for 241 years, tough, bold and ready. And so let me slew our gyro around and look in the direction of the fixed star of toughness. And I'll tell you as you look through the reticle, you see the city of Baltimore. The city of Baltimore here since the beginning of our Navy and the beginning of our nation. Here for 241 years. It is here in the city of Baltimore where the first USS warship was built. The first US warship, the USS Constellation. It is here at the city of Baltimore that after burning Washington DC and moving north, the city at the Battle of North Point and at Fort Henry repelled the British invasion and turned them back and led to the collapse of their entire Chesapeake campaign. And it is here in the city of Baltimore where heroes such as Joshua Barney, the hero of the war of 1812, heroes such as Admiral Spruance, the hero of Midway and here that great novelist and supporter of the Navy Tom Clancy was born. And so as you look down the bearing of toughness, it is no doubt you see city of Baltimore. Mayor, thank you so much for being a wonderful host for us. You have a wonderful city here. So now let's go, that's the first line of bearing toughness, second line of bearing boldness. And when you look down the bearing of boldness, you see Admiral Zoomwall. I've got to tell you, when I first became Chief of Naval Operations, it took me a couple of days to go into that office to look at that desk and get behind it. It took some time to work up the nerve, the courage to do that, to get behind the desk that had been the desk for Admiral Zoomwall. He was bold. He defined boldness, especially during his time as CNO and you've heard it. He was known as the Sailors Admiral and he moved us in so many ways. Our social programs, the way we think of our sailors, the way we treat them, he moved us into the 21st century. He ensured that our institution, the Navy, lived according to its values. And that is why at his funeral 16 years ago at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, President Clinton during his eulogy said, if Admiral Burke was the spirit of the Navy, but Zoomwall was his conscience. Now I'll tell you, Admiral Zoomwall is well and justifiably recognized for everything he did for our sailors, but he was also a supreme naval warrior. He spent a tremendous amount of time and energy and creativity in a time of decreasing budgets, a tumultuous global environment. Sound familiar? And through his personal initiative and his guiding hand and his experience, through his strategic efforts like Project 60 and the tactical ones like leading his sailors forward, he brought us through that time onto very solid ground. And he did so with an amazing amount of servant leadership and humility. In fact, one of my favorite quotes, someone once asked him how he was going to handle being the chief of naval operations. And he said, in my entire career, I have always done what I thought was right. And if that isn't good enough, then I know I can always get another job. Well, it was more than good enough and Admiral Zoomwall launched us into the 20th century, launched us, gave us the momentum to achieve victory against the Soviet Union in the Cold War. And so as you look down the bearing of boldness, there is Admiral Zoomwall. Let's now get our third line of bearing, see where our fix takes us. Readiness. Well, you don't have to look any further than right behind me to see the definition of readiness, this magnificent ship and that magnificent crew. Okay, let's give it up. They are ready in every possible way. You've heard it. They are stealthy. They are survivable. They bring more power, more automation, advanced sensors, controlling advanced weapons. This ship is ready to move us forward, to fend our nation for decades to come. That crew, they're more than ready, right? They've been waiting for this day for years to enter the fleet and start on their mission. Team, this day has come. The fleet is ready. We're waiting for you to take care and do the job. So these three lines of effort are fix. Toughness, boldness and readiness. Here in the city of Baltimore, honoring Admiral Bud Zoomwall with this magnificent ship, it cuts to a pinpoint fix right here, right now, the place to be if you fancy yourself a naval person. So let's one more time give it up for the USS Zoomwall and her crew. Alright. This is a celebration. And while we have spent the day, if not the week, celebrating and looking forward to this, I will tell you it is not a day of celebration for everybody. There are those who threaten freedom of navigation around the world and would choke off free trade. There are those who would suppress their people, denying education to women, to minorities, denying religious freedom. There are those who threaten our way of life and our values. To them, this day is not a celebration. This day is their worst nightmare. They will stay awake at night tonight, trembling with fear at what the Zoomwall brings to our fleet and to our nation. And they will lie awake knowing that their worst nightmare is being in the crosshairs of the USS Zoomwall and the United States Navy. To them, this is not a celebration. So we'll bring it back. It's a wonderful celebration for all of us here. I would ask that when you finish your celebration tonight, before you put your head down, say a prayer for the USS Zoomwall and these sailors that will take us to sea, take her to sea. Say a prayer for all of those sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines deployed around the world, putting their life on the line, defending that thing that allows us to be here under an umbrella of that very fragile thing we call freedom. Thank you all very much and God bless the United States Navy and God bless America. Now, I had to talk long enough to let the sun go down below this building so that it did not burn the retinas of the Secretary of the Navy when he got up to sea. So I have achieved my mission and it is now my great pleasure to introduce our keynote speaker today, a man who, again, if you fancy yourself to be involved with the Navy needs very little introduction. He is the longest tenured Secretary of the Navy since World War I. He has been an advocate for our Navy, an outstanding leader. Please, ladies and gentlemen, join me in a very warm welcome for my Secretary of the Navy, the 75th Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Ray Mavis. See, you know, thank you so much. Thank you all for being here today. Thank you to the city of Baltimore. Madam Mayor, what a wonderful city for welcoming us, hosting this crowd, this ship, this commissioning, and also Fleet Week. And thank you and welcome to the Zumwalt family, represented today by the sponsors Anne Mozzetta. And all the dignitaries on the platform have been introduced and so many people in this audience. But I want to take just a moment to introduce a couple more people. My distinguished predecessor is Secretary of the Navy, Don Winter and his wife, who is president of our Society of Sponsors. And Secretary Winter oversaw the early days of this program. Shipbuilding is not the job of one secretary or one administration. Thank you, Secretary Winter. And to Senator Charles and Mrs. Robb, thank you so much for being here. Like the Zumwalt, who has the privilege of two daughters of its namesake as its sponsors, Linda Robb and her sister are the sponsors of DDG 1002, the Lyndon B. Johnson. Thank you for being here. You know, when you're eighth on the list, there's a chance that some of the material that you had in here might go away. The CNO even took my line of being last on the program. I follow some of the most articulate and distinguished people we have in our Navy, particularly Sean Stackley. Now the longest serving assistant secretary of the Navy in history. I don't know if you've heard of the person he passed to get that title. It was an assistant secretary named Franklin Roosevelt. Harry Harris, not only the commander of the Pacific Fleet, but also one of the great representatives of our Navy and our nation and our CNO. And we've heard, we've heard about the great shipbuilders that Bath Iron Works, the hardworking, uniformed and civilian program managers that brought this ship to life. We've heard how this ship is going to strengthen our fleet and enhance our capabilities in the Indo-Asia Pacific. We've also heard what it means to commission this ship in Baltimore. And we've heard about how this ship's namesake, Admiral Elmo Zumwald, continues to have a lasting impact on our Navy and how the crew of the new USS Zumwald will carry that legacy into the future. And as the secretary of that department, I say amen to all those sentiments. I want to be a little bit personal during this commissioning ceremony. Talk about what it means to me personally and what it represents also in many ways the culmination of the priorities that we've set over the past. You know, if you look around in the inner harbor this evening, you'll see streets with a lot of our sailors. But that's not normally the case. Absent fleet week and outside Navy's upcoming 15th victory in a row of Army, which will happen right down here. You don't usually see a lot of sailors and Marines on the streets of Baltimore. You don't see them because when they're doing their job, they're usually a long, long way from home. They're America's away team. They don't ever get a home game. We don't want a home game. Our Navy and Marine Corps uniquely provide presence around the world, around the clock. We ensure stability. We reassure allies. We deter adversaries and we provide our nation's leaders with options in times of crisis. Sailors and Marines equally in times of peace and times of war are not just in the right place at the right time. They're in the right place all the time. There is no next best thing to being there. And in every case, from high in combat to a regular warfare to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, our naval assets get on station faster. They stay longer. They bring everything they need with them. And because they're operating from sovereign U.S. territory like this ship behind us, we don't have to ask anybody's, any other nation's permission to get the job done. To get that presence, to keep that presence, we rely on four fundamentals. Our people, the sailors, the Marines, the civilians, the families. The platforms, our ships like the Zumwalt, our aircraft, power, how we use energy to make us better warfighters and partnerships. Our strong relationships with industry, with our international friends and allies, and with the American people. Of those four basic bedrocks, the American people, the American people, our friends and allies, and with the American people. Of those four basic bedrocks, people come first for a reason. And that reason has been reinforced for me by Elmo Zumwalt. Elmo Zumwalt was my CNO when I was a young naval officer. I witnessed him transform the Navy, one Z-gram at a time. From seemingly small things like allowing you to grow a beard, and those of you who have seen my junior officer picture know that I took advantage of that, although I'm not sure it could be called a beard, to the monumental. Things like removing demeaning and abrasive regulations. Mickey Mouse regulations is what he called them, and moving to eliminate the scourge of racism and sexism in our Navy. In his words, ours must be a Navy family that recognizes no artificial barriers of race, color, or religion. There is no black Navy, there is no white Navy, just one Navy. The United States Navy. To that end, among a lot of other initiatives, we opened flight training for women and increased recruiting of underrepresented Americans. And has always been the case, when we open opportunities in our Navy and Marine Corps, we get stronger. I've had the great privilege to serve with three amazing CNOs. Admiral Gary Ruffhead, Admiral John Greenert, and now Admiral John Richardson. And there's another great CNO sitting on the front row here, Admiral Mike Mullen. But I also had the great fortune to be in the Navy when Admiral Elmo Zumwalt was a CNO. I never met him. Why would I? But he had no idea who I was or who the hundreds of thousands of sailors, most of us, were. But you felt like you always thought that there was somebody in charge who cared about you. Who cared about you as an individual, who cared about you as a United States sailor. And who was willing to back up that caring with action. In my time in this job, I've used Admiral Zumwalt as true North. And as a guide in the way I make decisions. The question is, are the decisions that are being made, is it just some Mickey Mouse regulation, which doesn't make us better warfighters, doesn't help us recruit and keep the best America has to offer, or is this the decision that's going to help sailors do their job better? Is it going to help their families? Is it going to make us a more diverse and a better force? I'm connected to Admiral Zumwalt. I feel connected in so many ways. I told this story at the christening and forgive me, I'm going to tell it again. I only met Admiral Zumwalt once in my life. I had finished with my time in the Navy. I was going to Harvard Law School and he came and spoke to the law school. And at the end of his speech you could get up and ask questions and when it came to be my turn I said, my name is Ray Mabus and I was an officer in your Navy. Now I've been out of the Navy about a year then and I might not have had a haircut for that year. And I might have had a Fu Manchu mustache going. And I probably had my Navy great coat on with the epaulets removed. And I was wearing the one pair of blue jeans that I owned to go to law school. And when I introduced myself as having been one of his officers, Admiral Zumwalt looked at me and said, no way. The next time I heard from Admiral Zumwalt was when I was Governor of Mississippi. And he had met a mutual friend of ours and he called me just to tell me he was proud of me. And what I had done after my career in the Navy. But the way that I think I feel the most connected is his love of family. The daughters that represent him today. And maybe, most importantly, his love of ice cream. If you eat ice cream every day, you will be a better person. Elmo Zumwalt recognized that and our Navy recognizes that. The Navy and the nation are different and we are better because of Admiral Elmo Zumwalt. So on our watch, we've tried to continue to carry that torch. I and many of the people here strongly supported the repeal of don't ask, don't tell Admiral Mike Mullen being one of the foremost advocates for that. And led the implementation to open service in the Navy and Marine Corps. Also open service in 2010 on submarines and riverines to women. Call for an increase in the number of female midshipmen at the Naval Academy, which is happening. And our superintendent is here today and advocated for opening all combat specialties to women across the Navy and Marine Corps. Which happened this past January. And working with the Presidents of Harvard and Yale and Princeton and Columbia, we brought ROTC back after an absence of more than four decades. But at the same time, established ROTC units at Rutgers and Arizona State, two of our most diverse campuses in this country. We're doing it not diversity for diversity's sake, but a diverse force is a stronger force. A force that has the same backgrounds, thinks the same way, has the same set of experience, it becomes dangerous. It's dangerous for a military force to become predictable. A predictable force is a more defeatable force. It's also dangerous when there's too wide a gap between those being protected and those doing the protecting. Diversity gives us strength and guarantees that our Navy and Marine Corps are both reflective of and representative of the nation that we defend. In terms of ships, almost more than anyone, Elmo Zumwalt understood the importance of having a fleet that was big enough to provide presence. In a report titled Project 60, as C&O he acknowledged the challenges facing the Navy at the time, he wrote, potential budget reductions would curtail our capabilities critically, would stretch our construction dollars, and we have to find innovative financial approaches. As a C&O said, sound familiar. Using a plan he called high, low, Elmo Zumwalt reshaped the Navy's effort to replace large numbers of aging World War II ships with newly constructed vessels and succeeded in his effort to get more gray hulls on the horizon. And that challenge continues every day. When I took office, we were faced with a shrinking fleet and a shrinking budget. In 2001, we had 316 ships in our Navy. Seven years later, by 2008, we were down to 278 ships. In those seven years, 41 ships were put under contract. Not enough to keep our fleet from continuing to shrink and not enough to keep our shipyards in business. In the seven years since 2009, we have put 86 ships under contract, growing the fleet. We're going to get back to 300 ships by 2019 and back to our assessed need of today of 308 ships by 2021. It takes a long time to build a ship. It takes a long time to build a fleet. The motto of the Zumwalt is appropriately peace through power. In a Navy, power can mean a lot of things. This destroyer, more than any other in our fleet, is capable of projecting that power. A lot larger than today's destroyers, much bigger flight deck. And it has a vertical launch system that's second to none. But how a different power system was deliberately incorporated into this design. From keel to mast and bow to stern, from concept to commissioning is what makes it unique. It generates enough power to power all its systems and has enough left over to power a small city. Or in its case, the weapons systems, the things that are going to come later. This is an example of a larger initiative we have to change the type of power that we use, the way that we use it to make us more operationally effective to give us a cutting edge. The most important partnership we have is with the people of America. Our partnerships with industry, with our international allies are important. But it's the people of this country. From the Battle of Baltimore, where as you heard and know our national anthem was composed, to the commissioning of this great warship, our Navy is a part of the fabric of this city. It's part of the fabric of the state of Maryland. And it's an indelible part of the fabric of America. So to everybody here, take a look at this ship. It's different. It doesn't look like other ships. And it does things other ships cannot do. So like its namesake, it's unique to the crew of the Zumwalt. Look at this crowd. Look at the city of Baltimore. Remember the values that the people here and this city represent. Remember that as you stand the watch far from home. To those of you here, look at the crew of the Zumwalt. These are America's sons and daughters. They all are volunteers. They are volunteered to serve and defend this country around the globe and around the clock. Captain Kirk, the men and women of Zumwalt, your Navy, your nation are with you today. And we will be with you throughout the life of this ship. And finally to the Zumwalt family. And to all of those who, like me, have been influenced by the life and the legacy of our 19th Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral Elmo Bud Zumwalt. A loving husband, a loving father, a warrior, a poet, a leader, a visionary. And now the namesake of this ship. This ship and her namesake are the epitome of our Navy motto, Simper Fortis. Always courageous. Thank y'all. Thank you, Secretary Mabus. Mr. Secretary, I would be honored if you would now play Zumwalt in commission. For the President of the United States, I hereby place United Stateship Zumwalt in commission. May God bless and guide this warship and all who shall sail in her. Thank you, Secretary Mabus. And as we start to get things rolling here, Executive Officer, hoist the colors and the commissioning pendant. Aye, aye, sir. Zumwalt, hot tan, hut. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise. I direct your attention to the ship's mast atop the central deck house as we hoist the colors and the commissioning pendant. Quartermaster, hoist the colors and the commissioning pendant. Aye, aye, sir. Captain, the colors and commissioning pendant are flying over USS Zumwalt. Very well. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. I will now read my orders from Commander Naval Personnel Command to Captain James A. Kirk, United States Navy. Subject, Bupers Order 3272 of 25 January 2013. When directed by Reporting Senior, detach in March of 2013 from present duty and report to pre-commissioning unit Zumwalt, DDG-1000 as commanding officer. Upon commissioning of USS Zumwalt, report for duty as commanding officer. Admiral Richardson, United States Ship Zumwalt is in commission and I'm in command. Executive Officer, set the watch. Aye, aye, sir. Officer of the deck, set the first watch. The officer of the deck is the commanding officer's direct representative and while on watch is responsible for the operation of the ship and the safety of the crew. The long glass is the traditional symbol of an officer of the deck's authority and a ship of the line. We are pleased to have Russell Zumwalt IV, grandson of Admiral Zumwalt with us today. He will pass the long glass to Lieutenant Junior Grade Michelle Rowley of Troy, Michigan, our ship's auxiliary officer and first officer of the deck. The petty officer of the watch is petty officer's second class, Matissa McCoggle from Lakeland, Georgia. The messenger of the watch is Seaman Daniel Pineda of Houston, Texas. And the votes are made of the watch is petty officer's first class, Shi Chin of San Bernardino, California. The watch on deck, section one. Sir, the watch is set. Very well. Kevin, the watch is set. Very well. We are delighted to have our sponsors, Miss Ann Zumwalt and Mrs. Mazzetta Zumwalt-Weathers here with us today. Ann and Mazzetta christened this ship in Bathman in April 2014. Ladies, I would be honored if you would join me and give the order to man our ship and bring her to life. I would like to say to the crew of the USS Zumwalt, your footprints are etched on my heart forever. And I am here for you always in times of darkness and in times of joy. To Captain Kirk and the crew of the Zumwalt. As my father embodied the pioneer spirit of his Californian ancestors, you too are pioneers. My father vigorously defended the principles upon which this nation was founded. You too, with this warship. You too, as my father did, will brave life's certainties and brave life's uncertainties. May God bless you all. Thank you. So what do you think? Should we bring this ship to life? No. Officers and crew of the USS Zumwalt, man our ship and bring her to life. Ladies and gentlemen, the crew of USS Zumwalt salute you. We are proud to serve in your great Navy. Zumwalt, ready? Two. Will the guests please be seated? Captain, Zumwalt is manned and ready. Very well. Admiral Rodin, USS Zumwalt is manned and ready and reports for duty. Secretary Mavis, request permission to break your flag, sir. Executive Officer, break the flag of the Secretary of the Navy. Quartermaster, break the flag of the Secretary of the Navy. Aye, sir. Captain, the flag of the Secretary of the Navy is flying over USS Zumwalt. Very well. Ladies and gentlemen, Captain James Kirk, United States Navy, commanding officer, United States ship, Zumwalt. Well, I know what you're all thinking, so let's just get it over with. Live long and prosper. Okay, what a marvelous day, what a marvelous evening to celebrate a ship and a crew joining the fleet. Like those who've gone before me, I do want to acknowledge and thank all the distinguished guests on the platform here today. We are grateful for your presence. I'd also like to recognize the presence of our other distinguished guests, both military and civilian here today in the audience. Admiral Sanders and your amazing commissioning committee, thank you for all the hard work and marvelous support. The city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland, thank you for being such a gracious and marvelous host. I'd like to start by recognizing our families and friends who've supported us along the way. Our spouses and loved ones deserve our thanks to my wife, Sherri, our daughter, Samantha, Sarah, Jessica, my father, William, whose father's name was James and who I'm named after, and my mother who could not be here today. Thank you for your love and support. On behalf of all the Zumwalt sailors, to all those we hold dear and who have supported us, thank you for caring for us as we went about our duties to our ship and our shipmates. If I could ask the parents, the siblings, the loved ones, our ombudsman, Monica Ritticell and family readiness group leader and Mary Deck to stand for a brief moment, if the family's friends could stand for a brief moment, we'd like to thank you for your support. We couldn't do it without you. We'd also like to recognize and extend our thanks to those who have trained us, readied us to fulfill our responsibilities and mentored us along our careers to all the sea captains and salty sailors out there and trainers both in government and the civilian industry who are in our midst and took the time to pass on your wisdom. We thank you. Today we have the great fortune to celebrate three wonderful things. First in welcoming United States ship Zumwalt to the fleet we are honoring a great man, Admiral Elmo Russell Zumwalt Jr. Bud Zumwalt had a meteoric career that spanned World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War. His intellect, work ethic and compassionate leadership led to his being selected as the leader of our Navy, the chief of naval operations in 1970 during one of the most challenging times in our history. He reformed the Navy both as a fighting force to ensure it remained the preeminent sea power and as an institution demanding of his beloved Navy that it become a shining example of fairness and justice to the nation it served by treating each sailor with dignity, affording opportunity to all sailors and with his beloved Muza by his side introduced policies and programs aimed at strengthening support to Navy families. DDG-1000 is and will be a powerful warship but its power is not only found in its ability to fight when called upon by her country. Sending Zumwalt to sea is also a powerful expression of the values we hold dear and each generation's commitment to forming a more perfect union and passing it on to our sons and daughters in puberty. In Admiral Zumwalt's life we find the finest example of a warrior and citizen who lived these values, who acted upon his conscience and now we welcome the warship carrying his name to sail forth and defend the ideals upon which our nation was founded. Admiral Zumwalt's daughters and our sponsors Anna Mozzetta, you, your brother Jim have been kind and generous to us. You have imbued us with your father's spirit, know that we seek to honor your father's legacy in our service in what is now United States ship Zumwalt. The second cause for celebration is the ship DDG-1000. The product of thousands of talented hard working folks from across this nation. Zumwalt is today a technological marvel. When deployed our Navy nation will have on its Navy and Marine Corps team a multi-mission destroyer with the stealth, survivability and combat power to take on our most challenging missions and DDG-1000 shines a brilliant light upon the path to what the future demands and is a mandatory waypoint to that future. To the industry teams led by General Dynamics, Bath Ironworks and Raytheon, we thank you and your teams. Brent, you and Phil, Steve Kofor, Lou Lozano, Mark Haynes, Josh Miller and Larry Stegna and all of the shipbuilders of Bath Ironworks, we thank you. Wes, to you, Pat, Lance, Wade and the entire Raytheon team, I extend a thanks to you for all the hard work you have done and I extend a thanks to all of the other industry partners, BAE, Huntington Ingalls, Rolls Royce, GE, Converteam, DRS, L3 and many more. I mentioned them because these industry teams were more than just the builders of the ship and suppliers of equipment. They also trained us on this equipment and became partners in our success. To the government teams past and present, Captain Kevin Smith, Program Manager, Captain Mike Taylor, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Admiral's Hamilton, Searing, Downey, Gale, Goddard, Bush, Moynihan, Emergalinus and to all those who played a role in the development and delivery of our ship, we thank you. Finally, and most importantly, I want everyone here to know about this crew. I wish I could tell you the story of each sailor, why and how they decided to join the Navy, why they chose to raise their hand and take the oath to serve their nation as a sailor. Each is a story of a different hue, some joined while still in high school looking for something beyond the bounds of a small town or big city. Others lived a little and then saw an adventure, training and an opportunity for a career and a stepping stone to further education. Others went to some of our universities and academies. Their stories are weaved together here in Zumwalt and in them we find the tapestry of our nation. Men and women possessing all of the many things we encounter and can be seen and used to differentiate us as human beings. All here in United States, Jim Zumwalt serving alongside one another unified in service to nation, Navy, ship and shipmate. This is a more seasoned crew, both older and more senior than other ships. Some have spent much of the last three years away from their loved ones. Children were born, loved ones left us, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations came and went, snow came. And more snow. And yes, more snow. All the while these sailors went about their work. They learned this very different ship from stem to stern. They readied themselves to operate their ship and respond to every emergency. They did all of this and much more. DDG-1000 is a marvel of technology. But it remains true that sailors mean more than guns in the rating of a ship. These are a tough bunch. They are because of their personal dedication and effort, technical experts on this ship. And they are team players. They happily share the burdens with one another to get done what must be done. They consistently put the good of their ship and their shipmates first. For this and much more, our requests we all stand and celebrate their victory today. And we got a big crowd. And we have a kind of traditional cheer we've done on Zommel. And I'd like this crowd to join us in providing it to the crew as motivation and inspiration for what they will do. If you would repeat after me, who ya Zommel? Who ya Zommel? Who ya Zommel? Who ya Zommel? Thank you all for joining us today. And I failed in one thing and my crew is going to give me feedback on this. Zommel, parade, rest. Now XO can put them back in attention. Ship's company, Aten Hut. Will the guests please remain standing. River Emerald Tid will now lead us in the benediction. Let us pray. Gracious God, we have gathered here today in your presence to give thanks for those who have designed and built this ship for their expertise and their innovation and their skill. We've also gathered to ask your blessing upon all who will sail in her. Those who, in the words of the Psalmist, will take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. Give to them the wisdom and the strength that they will need to meet every challenge they encounter. Watch over their families during their times apart. In grant, we pray that those who serve in this ship will always reflect both the moral as well as the physical courage of Admiral Zommelt and that they will continue to bear his name with honor. We pray this in your holy name. Amen. Thank you, Admiral Tid. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated and remain seated for the departure of our platform guests. Ladies and gentlemen, the USS Zommelt Commissioning Committee invites you to join us for refreshments on the pier.