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UNCLAS //N05060//
NAVADMIN 177/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/JUL//
SUBJ/ALL AHEAD FULL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BEGIN MY TOUR
OF DUTY AS YOUR CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.  AS I DO, I ASK YOU TO
JOIN MY WIFE, DEBORAH, AND ME IN EXPRESSING OUR GRATITUDE TO ADMIRAL
AND MRS. VERN CLARK FOR THEIR FIVE EXTRAORDINARY YEARS AT THE HELM
OF THE GREATEST NAVY IN THE WORLD.  THESE TWO PATRIOTS HAVE HAD A
PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR NAVY FAMILY DURING ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL
TIMES IN THIS NATION S HISTORY.  THEIR SELFLESS SERVICE AND
DEDICATION MADE POSSIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE COULD NOT EVEN HAVE
IMAGINED JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS AGO.  WE ARE TRULY, DEEPLY, IN THEIR
DEBT AND WISH THEM ALL THE BEST AS THEY BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR
REMARKABLE LIVES.
2.  THANKS TO ADMIRAL CLARK S BOLD VISION AND INNOVATIVE REFORMS,
OUR NAVY PLIES THE OCEAN TODAY MORE AGILE AND MORE CAPABLE THAN I
HAVE EVER SEEN IT.  HE HAS POSITIONED US WELL TO CONTINUE PROVIDING
THIS NATION AND OUR ALLIES DOMINANT NAVAL POWER WHEREVER AND
WHENEVER IT IS REQUIRED.  FROM THIS POSITION OF STRENGTH, WE CAN NOW
-- AND WE MUST -- PUSH OPEN NEW BOUNDARIES AND EXPLOIT NEW
OPPORTUNITIES.  TO DELAY IS TO LOSE THE MOMENTUM AND THE ADVANTAGE
HE GAVE US.  MY FIRST ORDER IS "ALL AHEAD FULL."
3.  I SEE THREE PRINCIPAL CHALLENGES FACING US IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
FIRST IS THE NEED TO SUSTAIN THE CURRENT READINESS WE WORKED SO HARD
TO ACHIEVE.  IT IS NOT FREE, AND IT IS NOT A GIVEN.  I AM COMMITTED
TO KEEPING IT SHARP.  SECOND IS THE NEED TO BUILD A FLEET FOR THE
FUTURE, ONE OF THE PROPER SIZE AND MIX OF CAPABILITIES TO DETER OR
DEFEAT THE ENEMIES WE MAY FACE TOMORROW.  IT WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM
THE ONE WE HAVE TODAY.  WE MUST ENSURE IT IS EVEN STRONGER, THE
RIGHT NAVY FOR ITS TIME.  AND THIRD, NO LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE
PRECEDING TWO, IS THE NEED TO TRANSFORM OUR PERSONNEL SYSTEM.  OUR
NAVY CAN NEVER BE BETTER THAN ITS SAILORS, BUT IT CAN DELIVER FOR
THOSE SAILORS AN ACCESSION, ASSIGNMENT, DISTRIBUTION, AND EDUCATION
SYSTEM EVERY BIT AS MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED AS THEY ARE.  WE NEED A
FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY, SO THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO COMPETE FOR THE INTELLECTUAL TALENT WE WILL NEED IN THE
FUTURE.
4.  THESE THREE CHALLENGES NOW COMPRISE MY MAJOR STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES.  I INTEND TO USE SEA POWER 21 AND ALL ITS SUPPORTING
TENETS AS A FRAMEWORK TO ATTACK EACH ONE AND TO SERVE AS THE
BLUEPRINT FOR OUR CONTINUING TRANSFORMATION.  IN THE COMING WEEKS I
WILL ISSUE ADDITIONAL, SPECIFIC GUIDANCE, BUT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO
KNOW WHAT PRINCIPLES WILL SHAPE THE DECISIONS I MAKE AS YOUR CHIEF
OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
A.  WARFIGHTING.  THE NAVY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A FIGHTING,
SEA-GOING SERVICE -- ALWAYS HAS BEEN.  THE WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGY
CHANGE.  THE SHIPS, AIRCRAFT, AND SUBMARINES CERTAINLY IMPROVE OVER
TIME, BUT THE JOB REMAINS THE SAME: TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY
SO THAT HE CANNOT TAKE IT TO US.  IT IS WHAT WE ARE PAID TO DO.  WE
HAVE WORKED LONG AND HARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO PURSUE
EFFICIENCIES THAT ALLOW US TO SUSTAIN THIS EFFORT, BUT I WILL NOT
FORGET -- AND I URGE YOU NOT TO FORGET -- THE PROMISE WE MADE "TO
DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC."
B.  JOINTNESS.  DEFENDING FREEDOM TODAY REQUIRES A REAL COMMITMENT
TO SUPPORTING THE COMBATANT COMMANDERS AND OUR FELLOW SERVICES,
AGENCIES, ALLIES, AND PARTNERS.  IT REQUIRES TEAMWORK.  YOU DO NOT
HAVE TO LOOK ANY FURTHER THAN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AND
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM TO SEE THE TRUTH IN THAT STATEMENT.  AS I
WRITE THIS THERE ARE MORE THAN 3,800 SAILORS ON THE GROUND IN
AFGHANISTAN, KUWAIT, AND IRAQ FIGHTING ALONGSIDE AMERICAN SOLDIERS,
AIRMEN, AND MARINES, NOT TO MENTION THE THOUSANDS MORE DEPLOYED
ABOARD SHIPS AROUND THE GLOBE.  THEY ARE DOING MAGNIFICENT WORK,
HELPING MILLIONS OF OTHERS LIVE FREE.  THE NAVY BRINGS TO THE FIGHT
UNIQUE MARITIME CAPABILITIES, BUT AS THEIR WORK CLEARLY
DEMONSTRATES, THOSE CAPABILITIES ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE
CONTRIBUTION THEY MAKE TO THE TEAM EFFORT.  I WILL BE ACTIVELY
SEEKING WAYS TO IMPROVE THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE JOINT FORCE.
C.  NAVAL CHARACTER.  I WAS STRUCK BY THE STORY OF HOSPITAL CORPSMAN
THIRD CLASS BRIAN ALANIZ OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, WHO IN THE EARLY
DAYS OF THE IRAQ WAR LOST PART OF A LEG TRYING TO RESCUE A WOUNDED
MARINE FROM A MINEFIELD.  WHEN ASKED LATER ON THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW
IF HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF A HERO, ALANIZ RESPONDED SIMPLY, HUMBLY, "I
WAS ONLY DOING MY JOB."  THAT IS NAVAL CHARACTER -- NAVY-MARINE
CORPS TEAMWORK AT ITS FINEST -- AND I CONSIDER IT A NATIONAL
TREASURE.  I WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE
CORPS TO ENSURE OUR TEAM STAYS STRONG AND RELEVANT FAR INTO THE
FUTURE AND THAT WE LIVE UP TO THE CHARACTER AND DEVOTION BRIAN
ALANIZ DISPLAYED FOR "HIS MARINES."
D.  PEOPLE.  YOU, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY,
SAILORS ALL -- ACTIVE, RESERVE, AND CIVILIAN -- ARE ITS LIFEBLOOD.
YOU ARE THE WORLD S BEST, AND I AM COMMITTED TO YOUR GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT.  THERE WILL BE FEW, IF ANY, DECISIONS I MAKE WHERE I DO
NOT ASK MY COMMANDERS FIRST ABOUT THE IMPACT THOSE DECISIONS HAVE ON
YOU.  THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR FAMILIES.  I BELIEVE OUR FAMILIES ARE
EVERY BIT A FACTOR IN OUR READINESS AS OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR
TRAINING.  THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO WHAT
WE DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.  DEBORAH AND I ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING
THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR LARGER NAVY FAMILY THAT
SHARES A RICH TRADITION OF SEA SERVICE.
E.  LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY.  I FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THAT
WITHIN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US LIES THE CAPACITY TO LEAD.  NO
MATTER WHERE WE STAND IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, WE ALL HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO DEVELOP OUR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL AND THAT OF THE
SAILORS IN OUR CHARGE.  I ALSO BELIEVE THAT A TENET OF GOOD
LEADERSHIP IS HOLDING ONESELF ACCOUNTABLE TO HIGH STANDARDS.  THE
QUALITY OF OUR WORK AND OUR PERSONAL CONDUCT SAY MORE ABOUT WHO WE
ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR THAN ANY ONE OF OUR HUNDREDS OF SHIPS OR
THOUSANDS OF AIRPLANES.  WHEREVER WE GO, WHATEVER WE DO, WE
REPRESENT THE IDEALS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION WE SERVE.  ARLEIGH
BURKE SAID IT BEST: "WE NEED MEN AND WOMEN WHO BY THEIR PERSONAL
INTEGRITY, SENSE OF MORAL PURPOSE, AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE REQUIREMENT
FOR HARD WORK WILL EXEMPLIFY THE BEST IN THE LEADERSHIP TRADITIONS
OF THE NAVY AND OF OUR COUNTRY."
3.  THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EXPECT MUCH FROM US.  THEY EXPECT US TO
COMMAND THE SEAS AND TO STAY THE MOST POWERFUL NAVY IN THE WORLD.
THEY EXPECT US TO DEFEND THEIR FREEDOM, TAKING THE FIGHT TO THE
ENEMY -- WHOEVER AND WHEREVER THAT ENEMY IS.  THEY EXPECT US TO BE
FLEXIBLE AND TO OPERATE JOINTLY WITH OTHER SERVICES AND ALLIES
ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF CONFLICT.  THEY EXPECT US TO CHALLENGE THEIR
SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO A LIFE OF CONSEQUENCE, WITH SERVICE THAT
MATTERS AND LEADERSHIP THAT INSPIRES.  THEY EXPECT US TO BE DREAMERS
AND INNOVATORS, BUILDING FOR THEM A FLEET THAT WILL ENSURE THE
SECURITY OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.  THEY
EXPECT US TO ACT AS GOOD STEWARDS OF BOTH THEIR MONEY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.  MOREOVER, THEY EXPECT US TO COMPORT OURSELVES ALWAYS
WITH HONOR, TO LIVE UP TO THE LEGACY LEFT US BY NAVY HEROES PAST AND
PRESENT.
4.  I BELIEVE WE ARE MEETING THESE HIGH EXPECTATIONS EVERY DAY, BUT
WE WILL NOT REST.  WE HAVE BOTH THE GREAT PRIVILEGE AND GREAT
RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING OUR NATION AT A CRITICAL TIME, CONFRONTING
THE MOST DEMANDING SECURITY CHALLENGES IN HISTORY.  OUR ABILITY TO
OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES WILL AFFECT NOT ONLY AMERICA S FREEDOM,
BUT ALSO THE FREEDOM OF MILLIONS OF OTHER MEN AND WOMEN THE WORLD
OVER.  OUR ENEMIES WILL NOT REST, AND NEITHER CAN WE.  WE MUST MOVE
OUT SWIFTLY, DELIBERATELY, BOLDLY.
5.  AS I TAKE THE HELM FROM ADMIRAL CLARK, I DO SO WITH THE FULL
UNDERSTANDING THAT SUCH BOLDNESS CANNOT SUCCEED WITHOUT YOUR
SUPPORT.  I NEED YOUR IDEAS.  I WANT YOUR IDEAS.  WHEN I VISIT YOU,
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.  THIS IS YOUR NAVY.  I WILL LISTEN.  I WILL
LEARN.  AND I WILL LEAD.  BUT I WILL NEED YOUR HELP TO DO ALL THREE.
 IT IS TIME TO REMOVE THE STOPS AND OPEN THE THROTTLE.
6.  RELEASED BY ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//
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