CNO Meets with Sailors, Navy League in Philadelphia6/25/2009By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Rebekah Blowers, Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs PHILADELPHIA (NNS) -- The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) recently visited with Sailors from Naval Recruiting District (NRD) Philadelphia, held a diversity engagement with the Osiris Group and attended the Philadelphia Council of the Navy League annual dinner. Adm. Gary Roughead, CNO, held an all hands call with NRD Philadelphia Sailors to answer their questions and emphasize the spectacular work they are doing. "Thank you for what you have done and the great record that you have achieved in being able to attract, recruit and bring great young Americans into the United States Navy. That is so important to our future," Roughead said. While at the Navy League dinner, CNO awarded 12 Navy League Youth Medals and administered the oath of enlistment to two local students, who will be attending the U.S. Naval Academy's Preparatory School this summer. Roughead thanked the Navy League for their support and told them about the importance of the maritime strategy, how the Navy is engaged in the current fight, and the fleet of the future "As we're here in this hall tonight, there are 62,000 Sailors deployed around the world, in every ocean of the world. Forty-one percent of our ships are deployed, out and about delivering on the core capabilities [of the maritime strategy]. And there are more Sailors on the ground in the Middle East than there are at sea," Roughead said. "There are 10,000 Sailors at sea in the Middle East on our ships. There are 14,000 Sailors ashore serving with the Army, the Air Force and the Marine Corps, and they are doing an incredible job." He also emphasized how the support of organizations like the Navy League is essential to our success as a global Navy. "The work that you do to carry the message of our sea services in a positive way across the country and help us to achieve the goals that are so important to our national security are extremely important, and I thank you for that," Roughead said. Navy League councils support active-duty military personnel through "adoption" of ships, installations and units; commissioning ceremonies; award programs; and other recognition programs. Source: MilitarySpot.com |