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Chief of Naval Operations Receives Leonardo Da Vinci Award from National Italian American Foundation

28 October 2024

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., received the Leonardo Da Vinci Award in Military Service from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), at the NIAF 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26.Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., received the Leonardo Da Vinci Award in Military Service from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), at the NIAF 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., delivers remarks at the National Italian American Foundation's 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26, in Washington D.C.
SLIDESHOW | images | 241026-N-ES994-1070 Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., delivers remarks at the National Italian American Foundation's 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26, in Washington D.C. Franchetti received the Leonardo Da Vinci Award in Military Service from NIAF, an award that recognizes significant achievements and societal contributions by Italian Americans. Franchetti was one of six Italian Americans honored this year. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Elliott Fabrizio)
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., delivers remarks at the National Italian American Foundation's 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26, in Washington D.C.
SLIDESHOW | images | 241026-N-ES994-1041 Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., receives the Leonardo Da Vinci Award in Military Service from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), at the NIAF 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26, in Washington D.C. This award recognizes significant achievements and societal contributions by Italian Americans. Franchetti was one of six Italian Americans honored this year. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Elliott Fabrizio)

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, a native of Rochester, N.Y., received the Leonardo Da Vinci Award in Military Service from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), at the NIAF 49th anniversary gala, Oct. 26.

This award recognizes significant achievements and societal contributions by Italian Americans.

Franchetti was one of six Italian Americans honored this year.

Her full remarks are below:

“Thank you to NIAF for this incredible recognition. It is truly an honor to be with you this evening to receive the Leonardo Da Vinci Award for Military Service.

As you just saw in the video, my great grandparents came to America in search of the American dream - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and new opportunities for their families.

They arrived with the firm belief and the strongest of convictions, that if you worked hard, learned all you could, and did things the right way that you and your family would find success in this new world.

My grandfather, Rebello Franchetti, a seasoned stonecutter, lived those values, as did my grandmother, Chiarina Rhea, the matriarch of our family. Together, they laid a strong foundation for my father, Lawrence Franchetti to be the first person in our family to go to college, become an engineer and find his success as a plant manager.

Through the example they set they passed on those same values - values you've heard a lot about tonight, to me. And I passed them on to my own college freshman, Isabel Maria Franchetti, who studied Italian and learned about our Italian heritage firsthand, when we lived in Bella Napoli as part of our Navy journey.

There is no doubt that those values and the love and support of my family laid the foundation for my success as a naval officer and as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations.

But, there is also no doubt that this award and every single success I've had is owed to our amazing team of Navy Sailors and civilians. People who come from all across the rich fabric of America. People with who I've had the opportunity to serve with over the past 39 years.

And as we sit here tonight enjoying this friendship and this wonderful dinner, many of our Sailors are deployed. They're standing the watch very far from home and far from their family. In fact, on any given day, roughly 110 ships and 70,000 Sailors and Marines are deployed operating around the world and around the clock to preserve our Nation’s security and prosperity, to deter any would-be adversary, and to stand ready to fight and win decisively, if called to do so. I could not be more proud of our Navy-Marine Corps team. And I hope you’re really proud of all them too.

They’re standing that watch every day alongside our amazing Allies and partners, including the very capable Marina Militare – the Italian Navy, and just in case you didn't see it in the news, the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group just wrapped up a series of exercises with the Italian Carrier Strike Group, led by ITS Cavour in the Indo-Pacific, and I can say with confidence that the partnership between the United States Navy and the Italian Navy grows stronger every single day. So, thank you again to NIAF. Thank you to all of you.  I could not be more proud of my Italian-American heritage or more grateful for the values that helped pave my way. Thank you very much!”

Photos from the ceremony can be found here: LINK.

 

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