 Good morning. Good morning. Welcome to the graduation of International Maritime Staff Operators for IM SOC 23 Tag 02. I'm Professor Raymond Pasta Tordorelli and it is my distinct pleasure to serve as this morning's master of ceremonies as we honor our IM SOC graduates. For those joining via Zoom, good morning. We are in the Naval War Colleges Museum in Newport, Rhode Island. We welcome you virtually to this place of learning where your loved ones, our students have spent a majority of these past three months. This is both a great and somber moment for us. Great because our assumed to be graduates have accomplished so much in a short time. Great because we know they will soon see friends and family who anxiously await them at home. Yet this moment is somber you see, because this class has built up friendships and become part of a team that they must now leave. It's also somber for us, their faculty and staff, who will be so very sad to see them depart. Before we begin, I'd like to introduce our distinguished guest, Dr. Steven Mariano, Provost Naval War College, Dean Edward Cashman, Dean College of Maritime Operational Warfare, and Dean Thomas Mangold, Dean of International Programs. I'd also like to say hi to one of our students, Fathers. Dr. Luca from Peru, his father, call sign Tito, is here, so thank you to see this, much appreciated. Online with us is Admiral Del Carpio, director of the Peruvian Naval War College, a former professor here at the US Naval War College. From the Dominican Republic, we have Captain Benjamin Valdez Esono, Chief of Division Naval Operations, and Colonel Edgar de Barcio, barn liaison officer for Joint Interagency Task Force South. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the faculty and staff of IM SOC, international programs, especially the International Military Student Officer Office, who's been so instrumental to include Mr. So, even though in a new position at the college chose to see this class through to the end. Thank you, Eric. Also a special thanks to our many guest lecturers who helped to make this course truly unique our chiefs of naval operations fellows, retired Admiral Swift, retired Vice Admiral Powell, Admiral Akin, Manderforth Fleet, Dr. Milan Vago, Dr. Sarah Yonan, Dr. Mark Janess, Dr. Christopher Young, author of Gators of Neptune, retired Captain Mark Turner, Captain Patrick Oyshausser, from the German Navy, Colonel Chris Halber and Lieutenant Commander Nassato Makuchi, Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force. Class 2302, you must be very, very special for all this attention, and special for your companies to essentially. IM SOC is a course mandated by the US Chief of Naval Operations to Naval War College. And so today we recognize your significant accomplishment. You were challenged to understand maritime operations at the operational level of warfare. You learned the foundations superimposing today's terminology on Operation Neptune D-Day. And we challenge you to crawl, walk and run through the Navy planning process, working in planning teams to develop and execute an operations order. You even got to sprint as part of the crisis action. Yet, if I could describe this class in a word, it would not be team, but family. We say here that the best ship in the Navy is. We're so happy to count you all among our friends. You're all so special. Imagine taking this course, not in your native language, and just after having finished language school. That is I'll leave from Camero's, and I stress, not Cameroon, Camero's as he was so after Midas, whose wife and three children have been waiting for him, well beyond the 12 weeks of IM SOC because of that language school. And Jean-Té from Haiti, who taught us that adversity brings strength. As much as Jean-Té must deal with in his country in these tumultuous times, he came to class always cheerful and trying to, and trying to fight the nine days that it took his love story. Of course we sat everyone alphabetically and Carlos from Dominican Republic wound up next to Haiti, which is funny in and of itself since they share an island. Carlos was what we would call a workforce in the class always always there to get the job done. And he reminded us that politics are for politicians, and that in the end it's people that matter. Thank you for that Carlos, and Carlos like many of his classmates was also one of the travelers in this class. The students traveled as a class to Boston and Cape Cod while here, but sometimes they traveled elsewhere on their own. New York District of Columbia. Did I say that right? Well, Columbia Naval Academy in Annapolis Salem, Salem again, must be Halloween, Boston again and again Boston and again Boston. In fact, Pedro from Argentina now prefers to be called a Bostonian. In our Spanish speaking travel mates saw live the Patriots football team, the Red Sox baseball team the Celtics basketball team and the New England Revolution soccer, aka football team. I've never seen any of them so so good job. Speaking of football, we have an ass from Jordan, who does not understand why American football is not actually called and a So thank you for that visualize that he is a true thinker and is the essence of operational art and will certainly be missed. And many polyglots among us, like lamb Jed from Tunisia as an example, who speaks Arabic, French and English. And I understand that he could speak loudly and all three languages. One of our other travelers from our Arabic speaking group. Now when the Spanish group and the Arabic group are both in New York at the same time, what do they do. They meet together. That's more than a team that's a family. I understand lamb Jed will just show up in a place mysteriously and disappear sometimes. Sometimes via bus sometimes even bicycle. I wish you luck for turning to your three young daughters twins among them. Since we're on the subject of bikes. Choco from Indonesia, a country of many languages and cultures whose slogan is United and diversity, known as Choco Blake. We're being the keeper of bikes, early on but later with his videography skills and directing ability he was known as commander combat camera. Always smiling always making us smile. Likewise, I met from a long, always a gentleman, when asked to brief the protection working group he said, No, I offer it to you. But then in true form he briefed. More than this I'm an always had something nice to say thank you I'm in just for being you. Thank you for any frank discussions in this class. Abdullah, otherwise known as Booyah from Bahrain. I thank you for those open discussions. He taught us his cultural ethos of getting to know people by sharing with them. And there is nothing like sharing a smoke is there. That said he accomplished more during spoke race than most of us accomplish in a day. We were lucky to have him in this class. And they make you think of the Arabic word hookah. And we happen to have an 80 year aviator from Peru, who's called scientists hookah. He reminded us during ethics lectures of how important family really is, and how it changed his view on life. So hookah, I look forward to meeting that family of yours and started with your father already so thank you for that. In fact, Peru was kind enough to send us three officers from three different backgrounds to us naval postgraduate school graduates. Gonzo, a Submariner true to form detailed and precise in his briefs and Pedro a surface warrior, who both helped find the class and taught us a few things. So it did not go unnoticed that you're always there for your classmates often first asked questions of guest lecturers first to participate in our lectures. And Pedro won the coveted master and commander title during the Trafalgar War Game here are three Peruvians mesh together like the years of the clock. We also learned from them that the founder of the Peruvian Naval War College was a former president of our Naval War College by several pie. It really is a small world. Columbia Colombian students, Julian and Wolf, who have been friends since childhood, have taught us to accept each other as brothers. Julian very inquisitive was often heard to say, Excuse me, sir, I have a question. And well, pretty much told Admiral Swift that helicopters are better than at 18. Seriously, they have both seen so much in their countries. They reflect the principle of perseverance, the two of them represent the lifelong learners this world needs. And then we have Marlin from Jamaica with his very smooth Jamaican accent. It seemed that every opportunity volunteered to brief. Okay, maybe his classmates volunteer him. We just liked hearing you speak Marlin. Marlin and I look forward to hearing such wonderful things about you in the future. And Tara from the Bahamas, who lives by the creed the world is her country, people her brethren, and doing good her religion. I think the world needs more people like Tara. We have some celebrities among us, Daniel, done done. Nana of the group from Malaysia, who both had a spot on Malaysian news station back home while here. Congratulations on your, your new role as famous people in your country. They came here, said the upper club on ready to sacrifice. Certainly excellent representatives from their nation and we both certainly missed their talents. Now, no one here goes as much to their life as Sadiq from Nigeria, who has four sons waiting at home for him. As Sadiq would say though, how ever. It's not too late to try for a daughter. He bought extra bags to bring both some gifts. And now today he's actually getting two certificates one says lieutenant commander, one says commander, because he is being promoted on his return. And you know Sadiq was commissioned by King, then Prince Charles. So we wonder who will do his promotion when he gets back, we'll be looking forward to some pictures of that. Peter. Peter from both. Peter from Bulgaria was one of the first people I picked up to the airport. I noticed, he has only two fingers and a thumb on his right hand, but out of respect, I didn't say anything. Now does anyone know what we do for icebreaker and I am sorry. So, I was worried about his bowling and, you know, bowling with a handicap so to speak. Turns out the rest of us were the handicap wise. Peter's nickname is now striker, because he pulled more strikes than anyone that day. He made us laugh through the class when I, when I told the class we were done teaching the seven operational functions of the joint world. He said that is good because I can not count any higher on my head. Peter your sense of humor infected us all, and that was greatly greatly greatly appreciated. Finally, I must mention Glauco from Brazil. And I know he is humble and will prefer to be great from afar. But a great team needs a great leader. Glauco, I want to thank you especially for representing the class, hurting the cats together, keeping the faculty and staff in line. I don't know which one was harder for you. Glauco's task now is to bring all this experience back to the resilient war college where he teaches. I expect you will accomplish great things. And I do hope to see you here yet. Thank you so much. Now I'd like to introduce our guest speaker, Provost and Dr. Steven Mariano, who most recently served as the Deputy Commandant and Dean of NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy. He also served on the faculties of the School of International Service at American University, National Defense University, the Royal Military College of Canada and the US military cap. He was a BA, Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and economics from the University of California Santa Barbara and MA in national security affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a PhD in war studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. Dr. Mariano, I present to you a class that would hold up against any staff, a class I'd be happy to serve with. At this time I'm honored to invite Dr. Mariano, Provost of US Naval War College to recognize I am SOC class 2302. Thanks our class. Thank you. Well, thank you and congratulations. Let me add my thanks and congratulations to Pasta and all those that will likely have done it already and are going to continue to do it. And let me just point out all the folks online and welcome to Admiral Del Carpio and all the guests, officials and family members that are here in presence as well as online. As I see Admiral Del Carpio there, I think he might have been in his car. It's a good reminder we shouldn't forget what technology is delivered to us in the last couple of years. Before COVID that we would imagine really doing this in an institutional way. We might have done it on an individual way, but then we would have a new norm where we could implement this sort of technology is phenomenal. So thanks for all your support past the present and certainly future. I also want to just put the thanks up front to echo what Pasta just said about the support of the team that puts this together. Instead of save until the end, I just want to thank Dean Mangold and Dean Cashman, and all the professors that gave you the lectures and the staff that put this together, this time, but for the dozens of time before and for all the hard work they do, they just don't happen magically. It's a lot of work to put this on, as well as our hosts here at the Naval War College Museum. It's been fantastic facility. We're very lucky to have it here and to be able to use it. There's so many things that I'm listening to Professor Tortorelli, newly promoted Professor Tortorelli by the way, so congratulations. That I wanted to build on but I won't do that I'll just pick up on one theme and that was I heard I heard that the best ship in the Navy is. Okay, so I want to add three ships to that right I want to add seamanship. I want to add leadership and I want to add relationship to that to that ship. And the first in seamanship, what you learned here in the course is important to what you're going to do. And that's what we really pride ourselves on here at the Naval War College being that the home of thought for the Navy and hopefully the knowledge that you gained in the planning processes and integration, the case studies that you did, we're going to benefit you in the future we're confident that they will and that's why they're in the design of the course that way, but it's not just about the seamanship part of that the naval planning process and so forth it's the discussion you had on on ethics and and and on jointness and hopefully you learned a little bit about cultures not only the American culture but each other's cultures. These are the reasons we come together and of course the in presence model really facilitates that in terms of your professional development, we hope that this I am soft course adds to your seamanship and you bring it home with you as you continue your work. The second ship is leadership. For my own personal experience but pasta didn't really mention was that I spent 30 years in the military and I was a strategic planner, and that means I found myself in courses like yours and then turning around either being in joint planning teams or operational planning teams or leading them. And one of the number one things that I saw coming out of that was not just using the knowledge of the curriculum that you just got in the planning processes and how to write an but it's really the leadership aspect of being able to lead an OPT and operational planning team or a joint planning team. That's what commanders value the most. They want somebody that can lead that team that knows the content so well they don't have to refer to the training manual. They can lead the team, because they had a lot of reps and sets in the gym, call the Naval War College. So, being able to lead those planning teams, my own experience whether it was in the Balkans or Afghanistan or Iraq or a post September 11th in Europe. Having the knowledge of the content of the course and have an opportunity to develop leadership skills for leading a planning team. That's the second ship leadership. And the third of course, no surprise at building on the friendship ideas relationship. So, hopefully, you've developed a bit of a relationship here with the United States. Happy to host you here in Newport with the United States Navy with the Naval War College with your professors, and most importantly with one another. The relationships might have started here in Newport. Over the last several weeks, but they're going to last a lifetime and they're going to span the globe. And you can see that evidence the little bit by our participants online and some of the folks in the front row that have continued to maintain relationships with students in the past. So, the last thing I'll conclude with is I, if I understood the curriculum correctly, you studied decision points. And so I would suggest that you're now at a decision point. And the decision point that you have now is will you use your seamanship, your leadership, and your relationships going forward or not. Will you use it for the benefit of your Navy or service or your nation, and for the friendship with the United States. I certainly hope so. Congratulations to you all. Be brief be done and have fun. And I look forward to, to all the good things that you're going to do in the future. Thanks for allowing me to join you. Thank you so much. It sounds like you have a decision support matrix to do. Class of 20302 would now like to share some words of their own. Representing the class is Commander Glauco. Mr. Steven Mariano, Provost, Naval College. Mr. Edward Cashman, Dean, maritime operational warfare school. Mr. Thomas Mengel, Dean, international programs, faculty and staff of the international maritime personnel operators course. Fellow IMSOC graduates. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. It's a great honor to address a few words to you about the IMSOC 2020302 class. And in fact, it has been a great honor right from the start. Just to have the opportunity to be part of this fantastic environment. Naval College is one of the most important academic institutions in the world and was founded to be the stage for various historical moments and decisions. Moments when the international environment began to present problems so complex that the solution became too complicated. How do we solve these problems? Well, there are some essential elements used by nations. We can talk about power represented as diplomatic, informational, military and economic, also known by the acronym DIME. We can also talk about hard power, soft power, smart power. In both perspectives, we can perceive the presence of the armed forces as a tool to solve problems. And that's what we are and what we have been doing for the last 12 weeks. We were trying to use our capabilities to solve complex problems. But over the years, since this institution was founded, these complex issues have become even more complex. The world has become so deeply integrated that it has also started to demand global solutions. And then creating global solutions became another issue. How should we do it? What language to use? What procedures? What resources? And once again, that's what this class has been doing here. Trying to find solutions to complex problems in support of our nations. And this is the human factor represented by well-trained, capable and motivated personnel. In this context, we have learned that the best way to solve these complex problems is through teamwork. And during this journey of knowledge, we often come across words like trust, diversity and friendship. That's what IMSOC represents to me. We are a group of well-trained and capable officers from around the world who build teamwork through trust and friendship and develop a common language to deal with complex global threats. We are 21 officers, men and women, from 17 different navies and coast guards from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and South America. We have many backgrounds and experiences. Likewise, we have also various skills from photographers and comedians to dancers and boulders. What's more, we have two fantastic mothers who have stayed strong during this time away from their children. But we speak more than 30 different languages and dialects. And we have the will to do things right and to support our nations in a lot of ways. On behalf of IMSOC, 2022 class, I would like to thank Admiral Garving, president of the Neighbor College, represented by Provost Stephen Mariano, for the welcoming, for welcoming us and providing our nations with this opportunity to share a glimpse of our culture and our perspective on current global challenges. And above all, for allowing us to meet some of the world's most qualified experts, such as Professor Milan Vigo among others. To Dean Mengel for hosting us in the International Programme Societies, as well as Captain T and Captain Furlong for all their hospitality, we will always have fond memories of Pringle Hall. To Dean Cashman for his team's efforts in planning and delivering this course. It's incredible how much knowledge you've been able to share with this class over those three months. This reflects your high standards and excellence in teaching. Thank you, sir. To the faculty and staff of IMSOC, I just don't have enough time or words to describe the feelings, thoughts and gratitude that this class has for how lucky we are to have had the opportunity to join you during this period. In every moment and in every little detail, we feel the passion that everyone has put into this course. You have given us much more than just the academic curriculum. You've made it personal. So we've learned through practice how to be a trust and develop friendship. Trying to sum up this emotional melting pot in a few words, I would say that all of you, professors and staff have become much more than just your job description. Your example will follow us throughout our careers as a standard of professionalism and camaraderie. Thank you for everything for my colleagues. It's time to go home. Mission accomplished. But better than that is the fact that this is not the end. I have a question for you. This is the most important chip. My friends, it's just the beginning of this fellowship. We've heard so many times that we, we are the future leaders and that we're going to come together again to keep doing with what we've learned here. I consider it a mission, a mission received from the higher headquarters. It's now up to us to initiate the mission analysis in order to develop courses of action to achieve the design and state. Let's take on that mission. Let's keep in touch. Let's talk about the global challenges and let's do our best to make this world a better place for the future generations. Thank you all. Now the highlight of our program. Each student will be presented with a class certificate by Dean Maggold, and an IM SOC coin and the PELPIN from Dean Cashman. As I call out your names, come up and receive your certificate, pause for a picture, and receive your coin and the PELPIN before returning to your seat. I invite the deans to join me in the front. Class 2302, we can stand by a row. First row. Now give me great pleasure. Commander Glauco Figuaredo, Brazilian Navy. Lieutenant Commander Pedro Ignacio Basi, Argentinian Navy. Lieutenant Rupert Thera Simulet, Royal Bahamas Defense Force. Major Abdullah Aljanade, Bahrain Coast Guard. Thank you very much. Lieutenant Commander Peter Arzo, Bulgarian Navy. Lieutenant Commander Julian Orlando Quintero, even as a Colombian. Lieutenant Commander Cesar Augusto Roja Sidalgo, Colombian Navy. Captain Maradi Ali, Army of National Development of the Comoros Islands. Lieutenant Commander Carlos Miguel Meija Minguez, Dominican Republic Navy. Lieutenant Commander Doral Jonte, excuse me, Haitian Coast Guard. Lieutenant Commander Joco Arianto, Indonesian Navy. Lieutenant Senior Grade, Marlon McEw, First District, Jamaica Defense Force Coast Guard. Major Anas Ayed Ayasra, Royal Jordanian Navy. Lieutenant Commander Daniel Bin Erfanizun, Royal Malaysian Navy. Lieutenant Commander Nura Suhana Vinti Kasim Fakri, Royal Malaysian Navy. Lieutenant Commander Abu Bakar Sadiq Adamu, Nigerian Navy. Lieutenant Commander Ahmed Saeed Eldali, Royal Navy of Oman. Lieutenant Juan Carlos Adrianzen Perry, Peruvian Navy. Congratulations. Congratulations. We love you. Congratulations, Juan Carlitos. Lieutenant Pedro Haydn Salazar, Peruvian Navy. Bravo, bravo, bravo, hijo. Congratulations, Pedro. Lieutenant Peruvian Navy. Bravo, bravo, bueno, hola. And last, but not least, Lieutenant Commander Ade, Mama Fenlan Lamjed, Tunisian Navy. Thank you. It's a great pleasure to present you the class. I am so class graduates. Thank you all so much. A wise woman once said that I am a sock about I am sock. I get it. I am sock is making the world a better place. 2302 as Glauco said, you have a higher calling when you leave here, be the lifelong learners that you've seen presented before you advocate for a better future where team isn't just an unreachable concept or something only on the football. We're so proud of the progress you've made and from all the faculty and staff. Thank you for this time we've spent together. This brings us to the conclusion of the formal graduation ceremony. Thank you all for making Naval War College your home for a short time. Remember, we are a short phone call away. Thank you to the Provost deans and all of our honored guests here today for sharing this momentous event with us. There'll be a cake cutting ceremony downstairs, but we will leave the zoom on here for friends and families so you have a few moments to talk to them before we So thank you very much. Oh, I'm sorry. Don't just say one thing. I'm leaving here to get on an airplane to go to India for our next regional alumni symposium. I hope you guys, the girls in the future will think about coming through the Razzes. Now I send invitations to your Navy commander and they pick books. Watch will put out advertisements so you hey I want to go I want to go love to have you there so again you're part of this team hope to see you in other classes. This is just to start your your your Naval War College. Right. So look forward to seeing you around in campus and around the world. Okay. Congratulations.