Good morning, everyone.

I’d like to begin by thanking all of you for coming to this Assumption of Office ceremony. Your presence means such much to Donna and me.

This ceremony marks an important transition for our Navy.

Day 1 of a journey that I will embark on with the promise to work every day to make our Sailors better warriors, our families more supported, our infrastructure more resilient, and our combat platforms more lethal.

I want to extend a warm welcome to Secretary Phelan, Retired Chairman Mullen, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Former Chiefs of Naval Operations, Admiral Saito, Vice Admiral Topshee, Vice Admiral Hammond, Admiral Kilby, Active and Retired Flag and General Officers, MCPON Honea.

Allies and partners, Sailors and Marines, civilians, families and friends, it’s an honor to be surrounded by such a distinguished group of leaders. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our Navy and our Nation as the 34th Chief of Naval Operations.

To stand here today and assume these responsibilities is the honor of a lifetime. And those who know me best know that I am not one for standing idle.

I am chomping at the bit to get after the work that lies ahead—to ensure that our Navy remains, and forever will be, the most dominant, lethal, and credible maritime fighting force the world has ever known.

But before I get myself too revved up on the great things our Navy will accomplish together, I want to begin where every service member’s story truly starts - with family.

I have long said that behind every great Sailor stands an even greater family.

They are the ones who carry the unseen burdens of our service: the missed holidays, the empty chairs at dinner tables, the constant uncertainty of deployment.

They hold things together when duty calls us away. Their sacrifices are as profound as the Sailor in uniform. I am no exception. In fact, I am the rule.

I owe every success and every moment of clarity and strength to my family.

To my two daughters - Gillian and Noel, your presence here today means the world to me.

I’m thrilled your husbands, Luke and Billy, could be by your side.

And to my two stepdaughters, Morgan and Haley who couldn’t be here today, I know they’re supporting me online.

You’ve each lived the Navy life in unique ways.

Yet through it all, your love and encouragement have been boundless.

Your resilience has inspired me more than you’ll ever know, and I could not be prouder of the strong, brilliant women you’ve become.

It’s awesome to have my sister, Melody and her husband Gary here from Winston-Salem.

I credit Melody with teaching me about atoms and science each day - forcing me to sit and listen as she pretended to be a teacher when we were kids. Donna’s brother Dean and his wife Karrie are here from Fort Myers, Florida where Dean and Donna’s mom Alice live.

And to all my family, friends, and shipmates who are watching online – thank you. I am sincerely grateful for your dedicated support during my entire career.

And to my wife, Donna—words will never be enough.

Your influence is woven into every decision I’ve made, every challenge I’ve faced, and every moment I’ve endured.

From day one, you have been my bedrock.

You are my anchor in the storm, my compass in the fog, and my greatest source of strength.

You’ve challenged me to grow as a leader, as a husband, as a father, and yes even as a “Poppy” to our grandchildren.

But you’ve also been more than my wife, you’ve been a champion for Navy families everywhere.

From pushing for better housing and childcare, to advocating for programs that strengthen resilience, your tireless efforts have left a mark on our Navy.

You’ve shown our Sailors and their families that their voices matter, and that they are never forgotten.

You are a testament to unwavering love, support, and service, all done with humility and grace.

This journey hasn’t always been easy, like moving out of Viriginia house and into the Tingey House in one week, but knowing you were by my side gave me the strength to persevere.

Donna, your presence in my life is my greatest blessing.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I love you sweetheart.

To the men and women of our Navy, our mission is clear, the naval forces of the United States will deliver peace through strength, securing both our national interests and our national prosperity.

We will deter those who challenge America’s values and its sovereignty by preserving freedom of navigation, safeguarding global commerce, and if called upon, ruthlessly executing prompt and sustained combat at sea with overwhelming force.

This has been the Navy’s purpose for nearly 250 years.

From the days of John Paul Jones to the Battle of Midway, from Cold War patrols to today’s Red Sea operations, our Sailors have stood the watch to protect the homeland and defend our freedom.

But today, we stand at an inflection point, we are entering what may be the most consequential chapter in the history of American sea power.

Great power competition is sharpening,threats and capabilities are proliferating, technological disruption is accelerating, the maritime domain is increasingly contested and the margin for error is shrinking.

The decisions we make and the actions we take today will reverberate for decades to come.

To prevail in this environment, we must build and sustain a Navy that is resilient, agile, globally present, and credible in combat.

But let me be clear: what sets us apart is not just steel, technology, or firepower.

It’s our Sailors. They are our greatest asymmetric advantage.

Their skill, ingenuity, and courage are our main weapon system.

They ensure our overmatch.

They are the secret to our success, and it’s through them that all our victories will be realized.

The Sailor will be front and center in my vision throughout my tenure as CNO – hands down, no exception.

Sailors are my priority.

Ensuring quality of service is my priority, from housing, childcare, healthcare, to investing in world-class training and qualification standards, we will make certain our Sailors have everything they need to be successful.

Because when they sail into harm’s way, they deserve nothing less than the absolute best.

To ensure that they are ready to fight and win decisively – today, tomorrow, and well into the future, we will view everything we do we through an operational lens focused on three interlocking priorities: The Foundry, the Fleet, and the way we Fight.

First, the Foundry. Every ounce of combat power begins here, our shipyards, training pipelines, shore infrastructure, weapons production lines, and logistics networks.

The Foundry is where readiness is forged.

For too long, we’ve treated this interconnected network of force generation as background noise.

No longer.

We will stoke the fires of the Foundry with urgency and discipline.

From reducing maintenance delays to ensuring spare parts and ordnance flow on time, the Foundry will become the engine of naval dominance.

The product line will be a Fleet that is lethal, resilient, and ready to fight.

Our Fleet is more than hulls in the water, planes in the sky, and electrons across wires, it is our primary operational fighting formation.

With battle-ready Sailors at the helm, our platforms and systems are brought to life, empowering our Fleet to project power and deter conflict through extraordinary mobility, persistent presence, and global reach, causing our adversaries to think twice.

Peace through strength works.

Simply said, the Fleet is the differentiated value our Navy brings to the Joint Force. The Fleet is uniquely naval. It spans all domains. It stretches from seabed to space, and it carries with it the unmistakable message of American resolve. To allies, it is reassurance. To adversaries, it is deterrence. To all, it is proof that freedom of the seas will never be surrendered.

And finally, the Fight.

At the end of the day, this is what we exist to do, deliver violence on behalf of our nation when called upon.

Our adversaries are watching us closely, searching for vulnerabilities, betting that we cannot adapt fast enough. They are wrong.

The way we fight today will not be the way we fight tomorrow.

We will relentlessly innovate, adapt, and accelerate the integration of cutting-edge technologies: Artificial intelligence; robotics and autonomous systems; resilient command-and-control networks; hypersonic weapons; advanced manufacturing; and quantum-enabled sensing.

But perhaps, more important, we will synchronize these new capabilities in timing and tempo to deliver decision advantage, combat overmatch, and survivability in contested environments.

Just like the Foundry and the Fleet, Sailors are the center of gravity of how we fight.

Their grit, tenacity, and ingenuity are what will guarantee our victory and no other Navy in the world can produce Sailors who can Fight like ours.

The way we Fight tomorrow becomes reality with our Future Fleet Design, a design that will be tightly coupled to the Navy Warfighting Concept, a new Navy Deterrence Concept, and aligned to the Department’s investment priorities.

The enduring Future Fleet will expand our reach, enhance response options, and impose costs across all domains through the most effective combination of general-purpose forces integrated with asymmetric hedge forces, all enabled by our world-class Sailors and Civilians.

As I assume this historic office, I am focused not on promises or talking points, but on outcomes.

Our Navy will calibrate our sights, refine our course, and transform our approach to solving the toughest problems with a disciplined approach.

By the time my tenure ends, I want to be judged by the results we achieve together, plain and simple.

Platforms delivered and repaired on time.

Fully manned and combat ready ships.

Ordnance production meeting contracted demand.

Backlogs in repair parts eliminated.

Sailors trained to the highest levels of mastery.

While challenges remain, I am supremely confident in our Navy team.

When we sail together, united in purpose, forged in the Foundry, tempered in the Fleet, and prepared to Fight, we will overcome anything.

To our Sailors, civilians, and families, thank you for your trust, your sacrifice, and your relentless pursuit of excellence.

The Navy is not simply a profession, it’s a calling.

A way of life.

And you have all answered that call.

I am humbled to serve alongside you, and as the 34^th Chief of Naval Operations, I pledge to lead with integrity, honor, and resolve.

The responsibility before us is great, but so too is the opportunity.

Together, we will ensure that America’s Navy remains the shield of the Republic and the sword of freedom.

Now let’s get to work.

Thank you, and may God bless our Navy, our families, and the United States of America.