WEBVTT 00:08.340 --> 00:10.430 Greetings , everyone for centuries , 00:10.430 --> 00:12.430 our military has benefited from the 00:12.430 --> 00:14.652 countless contributions women have made 00:14.652 --> 00:17.560 and service to our nation . However , 00:17.570 --> 00:20.290 it wasn't until 1948 when the women's 00:20.300 --> 00:22.560 armed services integration act was 00:22.560 --> 00:24.727 signed into law by President Harry S . 00:24.727 --> 00:26.949 Truman , that the women were allowed to 00:26.949 --> 00:29.520 serve as full permanent members of all 00:29.520 --> 00:32.720 branches of the armed forces . This 00:32.720 --> 00:35.160 year for Women's History Month , we are 00:35.160 --> 00:37.350 celebrating women who tell our stories 00:37.360 --> 00:40.210 through their voices , visions and 00:40.210 --> 00:42.770 experiences . This theme recognizes 00:42.770 --> 00:45.510 women who have devoted their lives and 00:45.510 --> 00:47.566 telling stories through all forms of 00:47.566 --> 00:50.530 media which have given a voice to those 00:50.530 --> 00:52.940 from all backgrounds . Since becoming 00:52.940 --> 00:55.080 your Secretary of the Navy , I've had 00:55.080 --> 00:57.358 many opportunities to meet our sailors , 00:57.358 --> 00:59.636 marines and civilians across the globe . 00:59.636 --> 01:01.858 And I'm proud to see that the number of 01:01.858 --> 01:03.913 women amongst our ranks continues to 01:03.913 --> 01:06.024 increase . Since my time as a service 01:06.024 --> 01:08.720 member . Many years ago , your many 01:08.720 --> 01:11.240 accomplishments and milestones have not 01:11.250 --> 01:14.770 gone unnoticed . This year we 01:14.770 --> 01:17.050 celebrate 50 years of women serving in 01:17.050 --> 01:20.000 naval aviation . And last month we 01:20.000 --> 01:22.222 honor their legacy by conducting an all 01:22.222 --> 01:25.460 woman flyover during Super Bowl . 57 . 01:25.890 --> 01:28.480 This past summer , I had the privilege 01:28.480 --> 01:30.313 of speaking at the joint women's 01:30.313 --> 01:32.536 leadership symposium in Norfolk . And I 01:32.536 --> 01:34.758 have never been more proud to see women 01:34.758 --> 01:36.990 of all walks of life wearing the cloth 01:36.990 --> 01:39.101 of our nation and embodying the theme 01:39.101 --> 01:42.810 of stronger by helping each other . At 01:42.810 --> 01:44.977 the end of last year's Women's history 01:44.977 --> 01:46.977 Month , I announced the future John 01:46.977 --> 01:49.088 Lewis classroom punishment dollar T 0 01:49.088 --> 01:50.977 to 12 would be named for the late 01:50.977 --> 01:52.810 Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader 01:52.810 --> 01:54.990 Ginsburg , a trailblazing woman and 01:54.990 --> 01:57.740 civil rights leader . Last month we 01:57.740 --> 02:00.010 celebrated her ship naming but some of 02:00.010 --> 02:02.270 Ginsburg's family and other members of 02:02.270 --> 02:04.730 the Supreme Court as the history of our 02:04.730 --> 02:06.940 great nation grows , we must continue 02:06.940 --> 02:08.996 to put forth the effort to recognize 02:08.996 --> 02:11.380 figures who positively influenced our 02:11.380 --> 02:13.840 society . Preservation of history is 02:13.840 --> 02:16.080 critical , but renaming our ships and 02:16.080 --> 02:18.110 buildings is a crucial step and 02:18.120 --> 02:19.953 accurately representing what our 02:19.953 --> 02:22.280 military and nation stands for today . 02:22.360 --> 02:25.040 In honoring the past , we build a 02:25.040 --> 02:28.090 better future today on International 02:28.090 --> 02:30.560 Women's Day . I am pleased to announce 02:30.560 --> 02:32.950 that the former Usns Maury , a 02:32.950 --> 02:35.280 pathfinder class oceanographic survey 02:35.280 --> 02:37.260 ship will be renamed in honor of 02:37.260 --> 02:40.290 pioneering geologist and oceanographic 02:40.300 --> 02:43.500 cartographer , Marie Tharp . Marie 02:43.500 --> 02:46.200 Tharp created the first scientific maps 02:46.200 --> 02:48.390 of the Atlantic ocean floor and shaped 02:48.390 --> 02:50.446 our understanding of plate tectonics 02:50.446 --> 02:52.310 and continental drift . Though 02:52.310 --> 02:54.480 uncredited at the time , she proved 02:54.480 --> 02:56.480 that the ocean floor was not just a 02:56.480 --> 02:58.647 flat surface . Most people believed it 02:58.647 --> 03:01.210 to be her dedication to research , 03:01.220 --> 03:03.910 brought life to the unknown ocean world 03:03.920 --> 03:06.087 and proved important information about 03:06.087 --> 03:08.860 the earth all while being a woman in a 03:08.860 --> 03:11.500 male dominated career . While Marie 03:11.500 --> 03:13.556 Tharp lived and worked during a time 03:13.556 --> 03:15.722 when many career paths and specialties 03:15.722 --> 03:18.310 were restricted to men . Today , women 03:18.310 --> 03:20.532 serve in all military branches all over 03:20.532 --> 03:23.920 the world and every specialty . Today , 03:23.930 --> 03:25.930 we are able to do what we do in the 03:25.930 --> 03:27.986 Navy and Marine Corps because of the 03:27.986 --> 03:30.070 grit determination , adaptability of 03:30.070 --> 03:32.570 the women and men on our team to meet 03:32.570 --> 03:34.570 the demands of our complex security 03:34.570 --> 03:36.903 environment , we must recruit , educate , 03:36.903 --> 03:39.570 retain mentor and promote the best of 03:39.570 --> 03:41.403 all America . Because building a 03:41.403 --> 03:43.570 culture of warfighting excellence is a 03:43.570 --> 03:45.459 conscious and continuous effort . 03:45.790 --> 03:48.520 Continue to tell your story and inspire 03:48.520 --> 03:50.870 others to tell theirs . Because more 03:50.870 --> 03:53.037 than ever , we depend on patriotic and 03:53.037 --> 03:55.330 highly skilled women like you for the 03:55.330 --> 03:57.552 power and reach of our integrated naval 03:57.552 --> 03:59.920 force . I am truly grateful for every 03:59.920 --> 04:02.142 sailor , marine and civilian who serves 04:02.142 --> 04:04.198 our nation . Our military's greatest 04:04.198 --> 04:06.364 strength will always be our people . I 04:06.364 --> 04:08.720 aim to retain your service for you to 04:08.720 --> 04:10.776 thrive in the service and for you to 04:10.776 --> 04:13.120 lead our services into the future . 04:13.130 --> 04:14.550 Thank you .