Remarks by President Biden at U.S. Coast Guard Change of Command Ceremony & More News Here

11:23 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for giving my speech.  (Laughter.)  And I’m going to sit down down.  (Laughter.) You in all probability want I might; it’s sort of getting a bit heat in right here.  (Laughter.)  

Today we witness a practice long-standing within the United States Coast Guard: the change of command as a brand new admiral assumes the management of our nation’s “oldest, continuous seagoing service.”  And it’s each a connection to our earliest days as a nation and a brand new milestone in our historical past.  We use these phrases evenly, however this can be a massive deal.

Admiral Linda Fagan, Coast Guard Academy Class of 1985.  (Applause.)  Class of ’85, rise up if you happen to’re on the market.  (Applause.)  Whoa.  Whoa.  (Applause.)  As they are saying in Southern Delaware, “You all knew it then, didn’t you?”  (Laughter.)

Well, you’ve crewed the Polar Star, a heavy icebreaker.  You’ve captained the Port of New York.  You’ve served on all seven continents.  And you’ve commanded the Coast Guard operations within the Pacific.  You’ve served as Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard.

Throughout her a long time of service, she has demonstrated an distinctive ability, integrity, and dedication to our nation.  She upholds the very best traditions of the United States Coast Guard.  

This second of acceleration of international challenges and hybrid threats that don’t cease at any border, there’s no another certified to steer the proud men and women of the Coast Guard, and he or she may even be the primary lady to function Commandant of the Coast Guard — the primary lady to steer any department of the United States Armed Forces.  And it’s about time.  (Applause.) 

The Secretary of Defense, when he despatched me the title, I stated, “What in the hell took you so long?”  (Laughter.)  Anyway.  Really, congratulations. 

Look, together with her trailblazing profession, Admiral Fagan exhibits that younger individuals — younger individuals getting into service that we imply it after we say there aren’t any doorways — no doorways closed to girls.  

And I’d add that features her daughter, Coast Guard Lieutenant Aileen Fagan.  (Applause.)  Now that you just’re — I totally embarrassed you, haven’t I?  Because you appear to be my son used to look after they’d say, “Vice President Biden and his son, Major Biden.”  And he’d go, “Oh, Dad.”  (Laughter.)  Thank you.  Thank you.  It’s not meant to embarrass; it’s meant to go with.

Every little child rising up as we speak who desires of serving their nation will know that that is what an Admiral and a Service Chief of the United States Armed Forces appears to be like like.  I imply it sincerely.  It issues.

I concluded, after I ran, by the way in which, that I’d be sure that my authorities, my administration, and the service seemed like America. 

I need to thanks, Admiral Fagan, for taking the helm throughout this important second and for all that you just’ve executed all through your profession to open the doorways of alternative just a bit bit wider to permitting these following behind you a method by means of.

I need to acknowledge your loved ones.  They’re right here to assist you and supported you day-after-day, simply as they’ve all through your profession.

John — the place — John, the place are you?  I’m going to embarrass you.  John, rise up, will you?  Come on.  (Applause.)  John, we don’t know each other, however we’ve got one thing in frequent: We each married method above our station.  (Laughter.)

And Moira and Aileen, and your dad and mom, Jon and Loann.  Where — the place’s Mom and Dad?

I watched Dad watching that younger lady within the Honor Guard coming round with that rifle.  You did — you needed to — you moved rapidly, Dad.  (Laughter.)  All kidding apart, thanks for the values you instilled.  It issues.  It issues an awesome deal to each — each of you.  And I — you understand, from the time that she was a swab, it — it simply is wonderful.  I need to thanks for sharing Admiral Fagan with us

And, Admiral Schultz, thanks for main our Coast Guard as Commandant over the past 4 years — a stellar capstone to your almost 4 a long time of excellent service to the nation.  

I received the benefit of doing — for, I feel, the third time in my profession — the Academy Commencement.  And your la- — second-to-last one.  And he additionally has a younger man — a handsome boy, man — who’s a — who was additionally commissioned at the time.  So, I don’t suppose we’ve seen the final of this. 

To Dawn and to all the kids — Lindsey, Kelsey, Anna- — is it Annaliese?  I hope I’m saying it accurately — and is that proper? — and Zach — Zachary and Ensign Shultz.  Where’s Ensign Shultz?  Is he right here?

ADMIRAL SHULTZ:  He’s underway, sir.

THE PRESIDENT:  He’s underway.  (Laughter.)  For these of you — (applause).  For these of you who should not within the army, “underway” doesn’t imply they’re late on the way in which right here.  (Laughter.)  If you say “underway” in my household, they suppose, “Where the hell are they?”  (Laughter.) 

But, look, it’s not simply those that put on the uniform who serve — and I’ve stated this many instances — it’s the entire household. 

As an English poet stated, “They also serve who only stand and wait.”  “They also serve who only stand and wait.”

Many instances, your son, your — was on — your daughter was on patrol someplace, and also you’re questioning — your spouse or your mother.  You stand there and also you wait.  

Or the 12 months my son was in Iraq.  And the 12 months earlier than that, when he was — eight months, he was — six months, he was in — within the Balkans.  It’s what my moth- — my spouse would stand there at the espresso — at the sink, consuming that espresso, simply saying a prayer day-after-day.  It’s what all of you — we owe you.  We owe you massive.

Thank you for all that you just’ve executed for the nation through the years.  We’ve requested so much of you, and also you’ve risen to each problem.

I additionally need to thank the men and women of the Coast Guard who’re standing the watch as we speak and day-after-day, right here at residence and across the globe, together with my Military Aide who’s right here as we speak — Lieutenant Commander Jayna McCarron.  Where is she?  I’m going to embarrass the satan out of her, however she — (applause).  I requested — she’s hiding someplace.  I met her at the Academy and requested her to come back with us.

Our nation is grateful to all of you to your years of service and your continued service.  And as we glance to the years and the a long time forward, the Coast Guard is barely going to play an more and more distinguished function in our homeland and our nationwide safety.

The challenges we face proceed to evolve, and the alternatives we make as we speak are actually going to form the course of the world all through the twenty first century.  What we do the subsequent 10 years are going to put it down.  We’ll be calling on the Coast Guard increasingly more ceaselessly, as you understand, to underwrite the worldwide maritime safety; to maintain the ocean lanes open and safe; to uphold a rules-based worldwide order; to guard the waters, as was talked about, by means of which almost one quarter of United States’ GDP is transported; to handle the impression of altering local weather turning into extra excessive — extra excessive climate and rising migration flows.

In addition, you see what’s occurring within the Arctic.  The Arctic goes to vary drastically and change into a lot — a spot that’s going to additionally doubtlessly generate potential battle, in phrases of dominating the Arctic because it melts.

The Coast Guard is central component to the administration’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy, constructing partnerships with nations all through the area to tackle illegally and unreported and unregulated fishing, reported the — the shared threats that conduct and coordinate human, environmental missions.  

I met yesterday with the Prime Minister of New Zealand.  Part of what we’re initiating now could be there’s one other nation that’s actually consuming up all of the fishing grounds, actually overfishing the whole lot.  We’ve determined we’ve got to be engaged, and we’ve got to be engaged with our Coast Guard and our army, our Navy.

And with the local weather change accelerating, we’re seeing extra frequent and extra intense storms that carry devastating impacts throughout our nation and all through the hemisphere.

Admiral Shultz, you oversaw the Coast Guard’s response to essentially the most energetic hurricane season on file, in 2020.  Thirty named storms, twelve of which impacted the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.  And the Coast Guard was there for each single one of them.

And with as we speak marking the official first day of the 2020 [2022] hurricane season, we’re anticipating the seventh straight 12 months of above-average hurricane exercise within the Atlantic.

We turned to the Coast Guard to assist facilitate our nationwide response to COVID-19 — from serving to with vaccinations to defending ports and maritime provide chains.  And we rely — we depend on the Coast Guard to interdict illicit drug shipments at sea earlier than they will enter the United States, and reply to the significantly elevated migration flows from the Americas.

Folks and Admiral Fagan, we all know — we all know there’s extra work to be executed to make sure the Coast Guard and all of the branches of our Armed Forces replicate the complete energy and variety, together with at the very best ranges of our management.  

When Admiral Fagan commissioned in 1985, solely 5 years after the primary girls graduated from the Academy, she was one of simply 16 commissioned feminine Ensigns — solely 8 p.c of her graduating class.  She was the one lady aboard Polar Star for the primary set of orders.  

Currently, the Corps of Cadets at the Academy — greater than 1,000 cadets sturdy — 40 p.c are girls.  Forty p.c are girls.  (Applause.)

Admiral Fagan is a component of a technology of pioneering girls within the drive, and this ceremony is historic and f- — and a historic first in that effort, a promotion earned by means of a profession of excellent management and accomplishment.

Now we have to maintain working to ensure Admiral Fagan would be the first however not the one individual.  We have to see extra girls at the very best ranges of command within the Coast Guard and throughout each service within the Armed Forces.

We want to make sure girls have a possibility to succeed and thrive all through their skilled careers, and meaning offering assist and sources so girls can compete pretty and absolutely for promotions and ensure girls should not penalized of their profession for having kids.

It additionally means creating an setting the place each member of the Armed Forces feels protected within the ranks, together with from sexual assault and harassment, and the place their contributions are revered.

So thanks once more, Admiral Shultz, to your devoted service to our nation and your regular management by means of the years at the Coast Guard.  He’s been known as to — into — into new missions and requested to serve in extraordinarily troublesome circumstances.

And thanks, Admiral Fagan, for accepting this subsequent mission and this nice duty to steer the men and women of the Coast Guard — the best Coast Guard on the planet.

The Coast Guard is Semper Paratus — “always ready.”  Always prepared.  I do know that you just’re prepared for all that’s forward of you, and I look ahead to watching you execute your job.  

Again, thanks.  May God bless you all.  And might God defend our troops.  (Applause.)

11:36 A.M. EDT

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