Remarks by Commander Jeffrey Millican, Director of Intelligence (J2), Joint Information Support Task Force (Special Operations), Camp As Sayliyah, Doha, Qatar on the occasion of the Navy Birthday, 13 October 2012.

1. ~ Remarks by Commander Jeffrey Millican, Director of
Intelligence (J2), Joint Information Support Task Force (Special
Operations), Camp As Sayliyah, Doha, Qatar on the occasion of
the Navy Birthday, 13 October 2012. ~
COLONEL GRIEME, COMMANDER BAGWELL, SERGEANT
MAJOR HOLLIDAY, MEMBERS OF OUR SISTER SERVICES, LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN, SHIPMATES.
“OLD IRONSIDES.” “DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP!” “WE HAVE
MET THE ENEMY AND THEY ARE OURS.” TWO HUNDRED YEARS
AGO, A NEW NATION AND A NEW NAVY HAD NOT YET HEARD
THESE NOW IMMORTAL PHRASES AS THE WAR OF 1812
OPENED. TODAY, AS WE CELEBRATE TWO HUNDRED THIRTY
SEVEN YEARS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, WE CELEBRATE A
RICH AND DIVERSE HISTORY AND HERITAGE THAT EMBRACES
NOT ONLY THOSE EXCEPTIONAL LINES, BUT THE HONOR,
COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT DISPLAYED BY OUR
FOREBEARERS WHO FORGED THE ACTIONS AND VICTORIES
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2. DURING THE ALMOST THREE YEARS OF THAT WAR THAT GAVE
THOSE LINES TO US.
NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND ENCOURAGES
TWO DATES ON THE CALENDAR FOR MEMBERS OF THE NAVAL
SERVICE TO PAUSE AND REFLECT ON OUR PAST RECORD. THE
FIRST IS TODAY, OUR NAVY BIRTHDAY. THE SECOND IS THE
COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, OUR NAVY’S
MOST DECISIVE VICTORY AT SEA, THROUGH A DINING IN OR
DINING OUT, AS APPROPRIATE, BETWEEN FOUR AND SEVEN
JUNE.
MIDWAY, A REMOTE ATOLL IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC.
WHERE, BARELY SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE DEVASTATING
ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, LEVERAGING TIMELY, RELEVANT,
AND PREDICTIVE INTELLIGENCE, ADMIRAL NIMITZ DIRECTED
ADMIRALS FLETCHER AND SPRUANCE IN LEADING A THREE
AIRCRAFT CARRIER TASK FORCE THAT SHATTERED THE FOUR
AIRCRAFT CARRIER CENTER PIECE OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE
NAVY KNOWN AS THE KIDO BUTAI, OR MOBILE FORCE. THIS
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3. OPERATIONAL VICTORY ENDED JAPANESE EXPANSIONISM IN
THE PACIFIC, ALLOWED ADMIRAL NIMITZ TO DRIVE WEST
FROM THE UNITED STATES AND GENERAL MACARTHUR TO
DRIVE NORTH FROM AUSTRALIA TO LIBERATE THE PHILIPPINES
AND FORCE THE JAPANESE SURRENDER.
TODAY, THE UNITED STATES NAVY IS A TRULY GLOBAL
FORCE FOR GOOD. WE SECURE THE INTERNATIONAL SEA
LANES OF COMMERCE AND COMMUNICATION FOR THE BENEFIT
OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF NATIONS. FROM
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO NON-COMBATANT
EVACUATION OPERATIONS WITH THE MARINE CORPS, OUR
FORWARD PRESENCE ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE OUR
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WITH UNPRECEDENTED RESPONSE
OPTIONS TO EVENTS AND CATASTROPHES WORLDWIDE. AND,
QUIETLY, OUR BALLISTIC MISSILE SUBMARINES PROVIDE THE
SURETY OF OUR RESOLVE WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC NUCLEAR
TRIAD TO ANY NATION THAT WISHES US ILL.
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4. ALMOST CERTAINLY, THE UNITED STATES NAVY OF TODAY
WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IMAGINED BY THOSE BRAVE SAILORS
AND OFFICERS WHO SAILED DURING THE WAR OF 1812. AS
WE OBSERVE THE BICENTENNIAL OF THAT CONFLICT, WHICH
GAVE US THE WORDS TO OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM, LET US
TAKE TIME TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO THE NAVY’S CORE
VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT THAT HAVE
SERVED AS POLE STARS TO NAVIGATE OUR CONDUCT, AS IT
HAS ACROSS GENERATIONS OF SAILORS, AND REDEDICATE
OURSELVES TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR HISTORY AND
HERITAGE THAT SERVES AS OUR ONLY RELIABLE DEAD
RECKONING FOR CHARTING OUR COURSE TO A FUTURE OF
PEACE AND PROSEPRITY FOR OURSELVES, OUR UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA, AND OUR WORLD.
THANK YOU.
~#~
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