USFFC ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND

Adm. Karl Thomas

NORFOLK, Va.

Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command

• GOOD AFTERNOON! I'M ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO BE STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE HANGAR BAY OF USS HARRY S. TRUMAN.
• THREE SEPARATE TIMES IN MY CAREER, I THOUGHT MY TIME AT SEA MIGHT COME TO A BITTERSWEET CLOSE AS I HEADED TO THE PENTAGON FOR YET ANOTHER TOUR OF DUTY. NO MORE SMELLING THE SALT FILLED AIR. NO MORE ADMIRATION OF THE BALLET OF THE FLIGHT DECK DURING FLIGHT OPERATIONS, AND NO MORE TIME ON THE DECK PLATES OF OUR INCREDIBLE WARSHIPS WITH OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET... OUR SAILORS....
• YET FORTUNATELY… I'VE BEEN WRONG EVERY TIME… AND I'VE WALKED OUT OF THE PENTAGON MUCH SMARTER AND WITH INCREASED VIGOR TO GET BACK TO THE WATERFRONT - BACK TO WHERE I TRULY BELONG.
• CNO AND GENERAL GUILLOT [GEE-oh], THANK YOU FOR THOSE VERY KIND WORDS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE TRUST YOU ARE PLACING IN ME TO SERVE AND LEAD DURING THESE CONSEQUENTIAL TIMES.
• I'D LIKE TO THANK THE US FLEET FORCES BAND FOR THEIR WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE TODAY. I'D ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND A HEARTFELT THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAD A HAND IN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT .
• SKIPPER PROCHAZKA [pro-HOSS-ka] AND CREW OF THE TRUMAN,... THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS MAGNIFICENT SHIP THE SHINING STAR OF TODAY'S NAVY-I KNOW ALL TOO WELL WHAT GOES INTO HOSTING A 4 STAR CEREMONY IN YOUR HANGAR BAY AND I'M GRATEFUL TO YOUR TEAM.
• I ALSO KNOW FIRSTHAND THE HARD WORK THAT IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW DURING YOUR SMART START PREPARING FOR REFUELING COMPLEX OVERHAUL-FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR... RCOH IS THE ONCE IN THE LIFE OF A CARRIER NUCLEAR REFUELING AND MASSIVE OVERHAUL OF EVERYTHING FROM 48" VALVES TO RUDDERS, THE CATAPULTS, A RIP OUT AND UPGRADE OF C4I SYSTEMS AND SO MUCH MORE... WE DO THIS AT THE 25 YEAR POINT OF THE CARRIER SO WE CAN OPERATE THESE MODERN MARVELS FOR AT LEAST 25 MORE YEARS-A TRULY GREAT INVESTMENT IN OUR NATION'S AND OUR NAVY'S ABILITY TO DOMINATE THE SEA.. THERE IS SIMPLY NO OTHER NATION THAT CAN BRING SOMETHING SO VERSATILE, SO CAPABLE, SO SOVEREIGN, AND SO PERSISTENT TO BEAR.
• IN FACT, I WAS BERTHED IN THIS EXACT SPOT MORE THAN 13 YEARS AGO WHEN I TOOK OVER ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND WAS CONDUCTING MY OWN RCOH SMART START WITH BRUCE EASTERSON WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE. SKIPPER PROCHAZKA [pro-HOSS-ka], WE HAVE MUCH TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GOING TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER WELL... BUT WE'LL SAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER DAY!
• CONGRESSWOMAN KIGGANS, CONGRESSMAN WITTMAN, ADMIRAL CAUDLE, GENERAL GUILLOT [GEE-oh], ADMIRALS, GENERALS, FLAG WARDROOM, MCPON, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY UNITED STATES FLEET FORCES COMMAND TEAMMATES, WELCOME!
• CNO, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME DURING WHAT IS A TREMENDOUSLY BUSY SCHEDULE. I LOOK FORWARD TO EXECUTING YOUR VISION FOR OUR NAVY AND SHARPENING THIS ALREADY LETHAL FORCE. FLEET FORCES COMMAND IS WELL POSITIONED UNDER YOUR LEAD TO TAKE OUR NAVY TO THE NEXT LEVEL; I WILL ENSURE THAT WE GET THERE, LEADING OUR FOUNDRY INTO THE FIGHT.
• THANK YOU FOR GIVING US GREAT VISION AND CLEAR DIRECTION AS OUR CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. THANK YOU ALSO FOR HAND DELIVERING THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE FROM MY GOOD FRIEND SAITO-SAN… THAT WAS FANTASTIC! YOUR MENTORSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP IS HIGHLY VALUED BY ME.
• JUNIFER AND I ARE TRULY HUMBLED BY THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE SERVING THE WORLD'S GREATEST NAVY DURING A PIVOTAL PERIOD IN OUR NATION' HISTORY… AND QUITE FRANKLY THE WORLD'S.

• I AM ALL TOO AWARE OF THE MANY GLOBAL CHALLENGES FACING OUR NATION AND THE DEMOCRATIC FREE WORLD. AS A MARITIME NATION, OUR NAVY WILL ALWAYS BE AT THE CENTER OF THESE CHALLENGES - JUST LIKE IT HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST 250 YEARS.
• FROM JOHN PAUL JONES' BONHOMME RICHARD TO NIMITZ'S FAST CARRIER TASK FORCES TO TODAY'S UNMATCHED SHIPS AND PROFESSIONAL WARRIORS - OUR NAVY HAS BEEN - AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE - A FORCE THAT WILL SAIL FAR OVER THE HORIZON TO QUITE LITERALLY EVERY POINT OF THE GLOBE-A TRULY GLOBAL NAVY - TO DEFEND ALL THAT WE CHERISH AT HOME AND ABROAD.
• PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH BECAME A DEFINING CORE PRINCIPLE OF PRESIDENT REAGAN'S FOREIGN POLICY AND IT IS REINVIGORATED TODAY BY OUR NATION'S LEADERSHIP. IT IS THE MOTTO OF THE USS AIRCRAFT CARRIER, RONALD REAGAN. I USED THIS IN EVERY BIG TOP CEREMONY I HELD ABOARD THAT CARRIER IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC AS BOTH CTF-70 AND SEVENTH FLEET. AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY PERTINENT TODAY.
• OUR CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP UNDERSTANDS THAT MILITARY AND STRATEGIC STRENGTH ARE THE SUREST PATH TO LASTING PEACE. SO DO OUR ADVERSARIES WHO SEE US SAILING OFF THEIR COASTS AROUND THE WORLD, FORWARD, EVERY DAY.
• THAT STRENGTH IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE SAILORS, SHIPS, SUBMARINES, AIRCRAFT, WEAPON SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE THE GRAVITAS, PROFICIENCY, AND UNFLINCHING EXECUTION TO BACK PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH UP.
• THIS AIRCRAFT CARRIER, USS HARRY S. TRUMAN'S MOTTO IS "THE BUCK STOPS HERE." WELL CNO, SIR, THE BUCK STOPS WITH ME ON COMBAT READINESS. I WILL ENSURE WE REMAIN READY.
  • READY ACROSS OUR FOUNDRY...
  • READY ACROSS OUR FLEETS....
  • READY TO RESPOND TO AGGRESSION OR ANY FIGHT IN ANY HEMISPHERE
  • NORTH/SOUTH... EAST OR WEST...

• WE ARE A GLOBAL NAVY- FORWARD DEPLOYED AND ALWAYS READY TO RESPOND AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE... IT IS WHAT MAKES OUR SERVICE UNIQUE...
  • WE CAN SAIL TO THE POINT OF NEED... AT THE SPEED OF NUCLEAR POWER...
  • WE CAN PROJECT POWER AROUND THE GLOBE AT THE POINT AND TIME OF OUR CHOOSING...
  • WE CAN SELF SUSTAIN OURSELVES ON OUR OWN SOVEREIGN PLATFORMS...
  • AND WE HAVE THE SKILLS, TACTICS, TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES TO DETER AND IF NECESSARY DEFEAT, WITH DECISIVE FORCE, OUR NATION'S ENEMIES.
• YES, IT IS INDEED GREAT TO BE BACK ON THE WATERFRONT!
• I'M ALSO THRILLED TO SHARE THE WATERFRONT WITH OUR U.S. MARINE CORPS AND NATO ALLIES AND PARTNERS.
• HAVING SERVED AS NAVIGATOR ABOARD BOTH A LPH AND LHD WITH MARINE CORPS TEAMMATES, AND THEN LIVING AND SERVING ABROAD IN BOTH EUROPE AND THE WESTERN PACIFIC, I'M ACUTELY AWARE OF OUR STRENGTH AS A COLLECTIVE TEAM OF TEAMS. AS WE FACE GLOBAL CHALLENGES, WE ARE MUCH STRONGER TOGETHER.
• I HAVE MANY TO THANK. GUMBY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED YOUR NO NONSENSE STYLE… AND I'M THRILLED TO HAVE YOU AS A TEAMMATE. THANKS FOR LEADING THE TEAM AND NOT ONLY KEEPING THE FIRES LIT, BUT RUNNING ALL FLANK AHEAD. JUNIFER AND I ARE EXCITED TO LEAD ALONGSIDE YOU AND DEE ANN.
• LIKE ANYONE THAT SERVES IN OUR NAVY, I DIDN'T REACH THIS POINT IN MY CAREER ALONE. WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF SOME VERY KEY PEOPLE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE RECEIVED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THIS STORIED COMMAND. THERE ARE TOO MANY FOLKS THAT HAVE KEPT ME FAIR IN THE CHANNEL OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS, MAYBE EVEN BROUGHT ME BACK IN THE CHANNEL WHEN I WAS PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO THE EDGE... BUT I WANT TO THANK A FEW PUBLICLY. LIKE ALL THINGS SHOULD START... IT BEGINS WITH FAMILY.
• I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE FOUND THE LOVE OF MY LIFE RIGHT NEXT DOOR. NOT ONLY DID JUNIFER LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, SHE WAS STEEPED IN THE NAVY WITH A DAD WHO SERVED HIS COUNTRY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS--FIRST AS A NAVY CHIEF AND THEN AS A GOVERNMENT CIVILIAN INSTALLING AND THEN SUPPORTING NALCOMIS-THE MAINTENANCE AND LOGISTICS SYSTEMS ON OUR WEST COAST SHIPS.
• SHE HAS A RETIRED NAVY CAPTAIN, RON RAVELO, FOR A BROTHER, WHO GRACIOUSLY TOOK OVER THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN FROM ME AND AS I LIKE TO JOKE WITH HIM-INHERITED THE HARDER HALF OF RCOH... IT IS ALL TOO TRUE. RON, SORRY YOUR VACATION WAS OVERCOME BY EVENTS, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING IT IN THIS MORNING.
• JUNIFER HAS BEEN BY MY SIDE DURING THIS CRAZY ADVENTURE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY-MOVE AFTER MOVE... COMMAND AFTER COMMAND. JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT WE WERE DONE MOVING... WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING OUR LIFE AFTER NAVY... WE'VE BEEN GIVEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO STEP UP AND TAKE ONE MORE SWING AT THE PITCH. JUNIFER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FANTASTIC TEAMMATE TO ME AND LEADER TO SO MANY...
• WHETHER SPONSORING READINESS GROUPS, SITTING ON COUNTLESS ORGANIZATION BOARDS, ENTERTAINING SPOUSE GROUPS IN OUR HOME, OR EXECUTING THE DUTIES SO WELL AS CNO'S OMBUDSMAN AT LARGE... SHE ROLLS UP HER SLEEVES AND ASKS HARD QUESTIONS, AND ALWAYS PROVIDES TREMENDOUS FEEDBACK.
• JUNIFER, YOU HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE SERVING OUR NAVY THAN ANY SPOUSE I'VE ENCOUNTERED. THANKS FOR ALWAYS STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE. YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME WITH YOUR INFECTIOUS POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU DEARLY.
• I'M ALSO SO VERY PROUD OF MY THREE KIDS... NATE, KYLE AND MEGAN. THEY ARE ALL VERY SUCCESSFUL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THEY ARE ALL JUST DECENT AND CONSCIENCES CITIZENS. THEY MOVED ACROSS THE GLOBE DURING THEIR CHILDHOOD AND ATTENDED 7-8 SCHOOLS A PIECE. I'M PROUD OF ALL THREE OF THEM AND THE WONDERFUL ADULTS THEY'VE BECOME.
• THEY ARE SUPER RESILIENT; THEY CAN LOOK YOU IN THE EYE AND CARRY ON AN INTELLIGENT CONVERSATION, AND THEY SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER; AND AS A DAD... THIS MAKES ME BOTH PROUD AND VERY HAPPY.
• BOTH MY PARENTS, OWEN AND MEG ARE IN THE AUDIENCE. MOM AND DAD, I'M THANKFUL YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND YET ANOTHER CHANGE OF COMMAND. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT 44 YEARS AGO WHEN YOU DROVE ME UP TO THE ARMORY AT RPI AND DROPPED ME OFF WITH GUNNY CUNNINGHAM… WHO IMMEDIATELY BEGAN RIPPING INTO ME THAT I'D END UP HERE.
• YOU GAVE ME ALL THE TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS NAVY CAREER-MOST IMPORTANTLY THE DRIVE, DETERMINATION AND MOTIVATION TO COMPETE, SUCCEED AND NEVER GIVE UP. I GET MY COMPETITIVENESS FROM MY MOM. I GET MY COMPASSION FROM MY DAD. THEY'VE BEEN GREAT ROLE MODELS... I LOVE YOU BOTH. THANK YOU.
• I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY WONDERFUL MOTHER IN LAW, JULIE. WE JUST LOST JUNIFER'S FATHER, BEN, BUT AS A YOUNG LIEUTENANT WHO WAS STATIONED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY AWAY FROM FAMILY-THEY BROUGHT ME INTO THEIR HOUSE AND ALWAYS TREATED ME AS A SON. THEY STILL DO TODAY.
• I KNOW DAD IS WATCHING FROM ABOVE AND BEAMING WITH PRIDE… MOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALWAYS OPENING UP YOUR HOUSE AND FOR RAISING SUCH A WONDERFUL DAUGHTER.
• FINALLY, TO MY SISTER AND BROTHER, NATALIE AND TIM WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. YOU'VE BOTH BEEN GREAT CHEERLEADERS THROUGHOUT THIS NAVY CAREER AND I'VE UTTERLY ENJOYED OUR FRIENDSHIP AND THE FACT WE'VE GROWN CLOSER AS WE'VE GROWN OLDER AND WISER. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR FAMILIES TIGHT.
• AND FINALLY, TO THE MANY MENTORS WHO HAVE GUIDED AND PRODDED ME ALONG THE PATH DURING THE PAST FOUR DECADES.
  • FROM CHILDHOOD FRIENDS... NINA AND DAVID, THANKS FOR MAKING THE TRIP
  • TO VERY FIRST SQUADRON HAWG-MATES FROM THE LATE 1980'S ([COOPS, BUBBA] KEN, RAY, KYLE )...
  • PM-63 CLASSMATES FROM POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL (ART AND RANDY)
  • TO PAST AND FELLOW COMMANDING OFFICERS (KENNY, BOLTER)...
  • AND COMMANDERS (VADM'S SHOEMAKER, MILLER, BRANCH AND MERZ)...
  • MY XOS AND MENTORS (HERM AND SARGE PECK)...
  • MY FORMER EA'S AND AIDES (BULL, CHRIS, JAMES, JORDON, WILL, KELSEY, AND RYAN)-WILL WINS THE AWARD FROM COMING FROM THE FARTHEST LOCATION-ALL THE WAY FROM GUAM.
  • JEN, THANKS FOR PICKING UP THE MANTLE OF N2N6 YET AGAIN
  • THERE ARE TOO MANY IN THE AUDIENCE AND ON LINE TO NAME YOU ALL... BUT YOU ALL HAVE HAD A ROLE IN SHAPING WHO I AM TODAY.
• TEAM FLEET FORCES, WE HAVE MUCH TO DO! MY LEADERSHIP STYLE IS PRETTY SIMPLE. SPEAK THE TRUTH; LISTEN AND BE APPROACHABLE; DON'T TAKE MYSELF TOO SERIOUSLY; BUT KNOW WHEN TO BE ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS.
• READINESS AND PREPAREDNESS IS OUR CLARION CALL. THE READINESS OF OUR SAILORS DEMANDS OUR UNCEASING ATTENTION-THEY ARE OUR NUMBER ONE ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE. THEY RAISE THEIR RIGHT HAND AND COMMIT THEMSELVES IN DEFENSE OF OUR GREAT NATION AND WE OWE THEM THE HIGHEST STATE OF READINESS.
  • READINESS OF OUR NUCLEAR FORCE STRUCTURE AS OUR #1 DETERRENT.
  • READINESS OF OUR SHIPS/SUBMARINES AND AIRCRAFT.
  • READINESS OF OUR NETWORKS AND SHORE PLATFORMS THAT ARE OUR CONNECTIVE TISSUE.. NCTAMS, NCTSS, NIOCS AND MOCS.
  • READINESS OF OUR SHORE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GENERATES AND SUSTAINS OUR FORCES AND SHIPYARDS THAT BRING OUR SHIPS BACK TO FIGHTING SHAPE.
  • AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, READINESS TO EMPLOY THESE FORCES WITH SUCH OVERWHELMING EXPERTISE THAT THERE WILL BE NO FIGHT- THE TRUEST FORM OF PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.
• THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD ARE PALPABLE: THE NEED TO DEFEND THE HOMELAND FROM THREATS THAT INCLUDE
  • TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS AND NARCOTERRORISM;
  • THE NEED TO BRING A LASTING END TO THE KILLING IN UKRAINE;
  • TENUOUS PASSAGE OF TRADE IN THE GLOBAL COMMONS OF THE RED SEA;
  • THE BOILING DISPUTE OVER CONTESTED FEATURES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA;
  • THE REAL FIGHT TO SECURE OUR NETWORKS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY;
  • AND THE CAMPAIGNING NECESSARY TO SECURE OUR HOMELAND AND ASSURE A DETERMINED AND CAPABLE COALITION OF ALLIES AND PARTNERS AROUND THE GLOBE.
• OUR NAVY IS CENTRAL TO THESE EFFORTS ACROSS THE FOUR POINTS OF THE GLOBE.... AND IT IS OUR NAVY THAT WILL DETER ADVERSARIES AND DEFEND THE PRECIOUS FREEDOM WE HOLD SO DEAR. WE MUST CONTINUE THIS
  • BY PREPARING OUR SHIPS, SUBMARINES AND AIRCRAFT LIKE NO OTHER NATION CAN,
  • BY COMPLETING MAINTENANCE ON TIME AND ON BUDGET....
  • BY ENTERING THE TRAINING CYCLE WITH ALL SYSTEMS OPERATIONAL SO THAT OUR SAILORS CAN TRAIN LIKE THEY WILL FIGHT...
  • BY OUR ABILITY TO REPAIR OUR SHIPS... TO GET THEM BACK IN THE FIGHT AND TO SUSTAIN THEM FORWARD...
  • BY LEVERAGING LESSONS LEARNED AND AI TO PROVIDE CUTTING EDGE TOOLS WHILE ADVANCING OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE ...
  • BY BEING AGILE, FLEXIBLE, INNOVATIVE...
  • AND MOST IMPORTANTLY BY ENSURING THAT OUR ADVERSARIES HAVE NO DOUBT... THAT TODAY IS THE ABSOLUTELY WRONG DAY TO THREATEN OUR HOMELAND
• I HUMBLY TAKE THIS CHALLENGE ON WITH CLEAR EYES AND STEADFAST DETERMINATION… TO ENSURE WE REMAIN THE WORLD'S PREMIERE MARITIME FIGHTING FORCE.
• CNO AND GEN GUILLOT, I'M READY TO ROLL UP MY SLEEVES AND GET STARTED! THE BUCK STOPS HERE. THANK YOU.