Colorado Leaders Join in Conversation with the Country

DENVER (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and Deputy CNO for Information, Plans and Strategy Vice Adm. John Morgan presented Colorado citizens the Navy's new Maritime Strategy on March 27.

The strategy was explained as part of a Conversation with the Country tour, which includes stops in nontraditional Navy cities.

The Marriott Denver City Center Hotel was the site of the dialogue, intended to provide the Sea Services' senior leadership with opinions and feedback from nearly 200 local civic, military and business leaders. Those opinions and questions will be carried back to Washington for consideration as the strategy is implemented.

Morgan opened the symposium with an overview of the current course and heading of the Navy in the world's changing political and economic tides. "The reason we are here in Denver is to talk about why and how your naval services, the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard, are important to you," said Morgan. "Why are they important to our future and our American way of life?"

Following Morgan's remarks, Dr. Karl Walling, a professor at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., provided historical perspective with a 30-minute background lecture bringing naval strategy forward from late in the Age of Sail to the present day.

The Navy officials were joined by service leaders from the U.S. Marine Corps and Coast Guard demonstrating the cooperative nature of the Maritime Strategy that was signed by all three Sea Services' chiefs Oct. 17, 2007.

According to Morgan, the three maritime services will be layering their resources and capabilities for the first time, in keeping with the first new strategic plan in more than two decades. The new document will also drive new combat capabilities, while at the same time making the strong statement that preventing wars is now as important as winning them. Humanitarian relief efforts will now be an expected function of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard team, recognizing that any disruption to the global economy can have adverse effects on the U.S. economy in a very short period of time.

Marine Maj. Gen. James L. Williams, commander of the 4th Marine Division, spoke on a number of topics, specifically about his personal and professional concerns that other countries are producing engineers in far greater numbers than the United States.

"The strength of any organization is its people," said Williams. He went on to explain how the U.S. military needs to keep its edge by continuing to add bright and agile minds to its ranks with each successive generation. In Williams' opinion, the highest priority of the U.S. military is to recruit the best and the brightest people available, thereby ensuring a future military with a competitive edge.

Coast Guard Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Robert J. Papp spoke on behalf of his service. His words encouraged the Denver audience to take an active interest in the future of the sea services, and to work within their communities toward a stronger and secure nation. He also addressed how the Coast Guard is working to maintain stability in the global economic system.

"The Coast Guard is all about determining ways to make our seaports more secure across the country, as well as, making seaports more secure in other countries that ship to us," said Papp. "It is far better to press the security efforts far off shore before they get here."

As a law-enforcement agency, the Coast Guard is the only one of the Sea Services with the authority to arrest persons believed to be in violation of the law, making their participation in anti-terrorist and anti-piracy efforts crucial. "Without the ability to share information, those efforts would be hindered," Papp said.

The keynote address was delivered by Roughead who discussed the decisions which led to the new document and why maintaining a dialogue with the American people is important.

"We believe it's important to get out among the American people and talk about our Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard … and talk about what we do and why the Strategy is important to the future of our nation," said Roughead. "While we can talk to the people of Denver about that, we are also equally interested in hearing from the people of Denver and what they think about the Navy and the importance they place on the maritime domain."

The next Conversation with the Country will take place in Los Angeles in mid April.