On Aug. 3, Richard V. Spencer, a native of Connecticut, was sworn in as the 76th secretary of the Navy. The following is his opening statement:

Sailors, Marines and Civilian Teammates,

It is with great excitement and humility that I take on the role of your 76th secretary of the Navy. The excitement is born from the challenges and opportunities that we face now and in the near future.

Due to your consistent ability to successfully deliver on all demands put before you, there is a commensurate level of expectation for more of the same going forward. Therein lies the challenge we face and prudency says we should expect that challenge to grow as the threats around the world continue to increase.

Within every challenge lies opportunity and I urge everyone to adopt that point of view. Every member involved in the Navy Marine Corps team has the opportunity to make a contribution towards a more effective, versatile, resilient and lethal organization.

You, as a member of this team, will have access to a wide range of resources. Those resources must be applied in the most impactful manner possible in order to enhance our ability to deliver when called to fight. I look to each of you to seize the opportunity and contribute to enhancing the effort.

I am humbled to be in the position to lead an enterprise that is manned with such a stunning amount of proven talent. Our Nation's all volunteer force, and supporting teammates, are second to none. That is because of you.

I believe that the most valuable asset within an organization is the high performing human component. We will work together to ensure we have the best, sustainable environment in order to continue our history of delivering when requested.

Make no mistake, we are facing a threat level that has not been witnessed for quite some time and urgency is the manner in which we must all act as the complexity of threats increase in size and scope. We must all be focused on the pointed end of the spear.

I eagerly look forward to working with you as we step out to face the challenges set before us and embrace the opportunities that lie within those challenges.

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