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President Donald J. Trump expressed pride in the Coast Guard's
mission in his address at the 136th
U.S. Coast Guard
Academy commencement in New London, Connecticut on May 17, 2017.
Each year, the president delivers the commencement address at
one of the U.S. military service academies, and this was Trump's
first address to a service academy graduating class as commander in
chief.
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May 17, 2017 - President Donald J. Trump salutes the 195 cadets during the 136th U.S. Coast Guard Academy Commencement in New London, CT. Each year, the president delivers the commencement address at one of the U.S. military service academies. This was the first time Trump addressed a service academy graduating class as commander in chief.
(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley)
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"The Coast Guard stands watch at our ports, patrols our
waterways and protects our infrastructure," he said. "The
Coast Guard is deployed in support of operations in theaters
of conflict all around the world, but not only do they
defend American security, they also protect American
prosperity. They help keep our waters open for Americans to
do business. It keeps our rivers flowing with commerce, and
it keeps our ports churning with American exports.
"You help billions and billions in goods to navigate our
country every day," the president continued. "You’re the
only federal presence upon our inland waterways. You pursue
the terrorists, stop the drug smugglers and keep out all who
would do harm to our country. Together we have the same
mission, and your devotion and dedication makes me proud to
be your commander in chief."
Praise for
Public Service Work
The president recognized
the 195 cadets commissioned as Coast Guard officers today
for their public service work, including serving breakfast
at a local food bank, rebuilding a home with Habitat for
Humanity and donating 24,000 hours in community service.
"You’ve done amazing work, and
in true Coast Guard fashion, you had fewer people and fewer
resources, but you accomplished the objectives," Trump said.
"You did it with skill, with pride, under budget and ahead
of schedule."
As millions of high school and college
graduates have their own commencement ceremonies, the
president said, they may ask themselves, "What now?" But the
cadets won’t have that issue, he added.
"Years from
now, when they look back, they may ask themselves, 'Did I
make the right choice?' In the Coast Guard, you may face
many challenges, but that question isn't one of them," Trump
said. "You'll know how you spent your time, saving lives and
serving your country. You were a leader in the United States
Coast Guard."
Cadets at the academy pursue a
four-year program for a bachelor's degree in science. They
pay no tuition and are required to serve in the Coast Guard
for five years following graduation.
Leaders of Character
In his remarks to the graduating class, Coast Guard
Commandant Adm. Paul F. Zukunft advised the new
officers to be leaders of character.
“We run the
business of military service as national security, and with
national security comes public trust,” he said. “These are
interwoven, and you have neither without leaders of
character. Today, the United States Coast Guard operates in
the waters of over 60 nations throughout the world, using up
to deadly force to enforce fishery regulations [and] to go
after drug smugglers. We had over 27 metric tons of cocaine
in the holds of Coast Guard cuttters that we seized in the
last three weeks alone. We have leveled the playing field
because we have leaders of character carrying out those
missions.”
Zukunft said the Class of 2017's motto,
"Storms Yield Courage," meant something different 40 years
ago when he was at the academy.
"There was only one
storm on the horizon, and that was the Cold War,” he told
the class. “It was a war with high stakes, but it was a
predictable war. You’re going to be leaders in a world that
has storms on many fronts. It’s going to require leaders
with character to lead this great nation. A leader is not
what you wear on your shoulders. A leader is what you hold
in your heart.”
Secretary of Homeland Security John
F. Kelly, who served 45 years with the Marine Corps from
private to four-star general, said his advice to the young
officers was simple.
"Take care of your people. Train
them, mentor them and defend them," he said. "They will do
anything you ask them to do. They'll show up to work on
time. They'll put their lives at risk on the high seas
interdicting drugs, dealing with the most dangerous men on
the planet, or they'll jump out of a helicopter in the
middle of the night in the raging seas to save somebody. All
you have to do is lead them."
The Coast Guard is part
of the
Department of Homeland Security.
By Shannon Collins
DOD
News
Copyright 2017
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