Source: United States Navy
Greetings to the faculty, staff, and esteemed members of the Naval Postgraduate School family.
It is wonderful to be with all of you today for my last address as your Secretary of the Navy.
While I wish it could be in person, time has not worked to my advantage.
President Rondeau, thank you for that kind introduction, for your years of distinguished service in the United States Navy, and for your leadership and stewardship of the Naval Postgraduate School.
If I may, Ann, having seen you in action these past several years leaves me no doubt that you are unquestionably where you need to be for our Navy, Marine Corps, and Nation, and I am proud to have extended you for another five-year term. God speed, Ann!
It is a privilege to address you today—although I must admit it is also bittersweet—as I bid farewell to a role and a mission which have profoundly shaped my life.
As I reflect on my tenure as Secretary of the Navy, I cannot help but feel both an immense sense of pride and gratitude for the remarkable academic institutions such as NPS which serve as a beacon for innovation and technological excellence for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Department of Defense.
As a young naval officer, I too had the opportunity to study and learn at NPS—I earned my master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering and am proud to call myself a member of the Navy space cadre to this day.
I had the privilege and opportunity to study under the tutelage of the great Professor Panholzer, former Chair of Space Systems Academic Group.
Admiral Grace Hopper once said, “You don’t teach people how to be curious. You give them the tools through which they can express their curiosity.”
Today, I am excited to reflect on our shared commitment to curiosity, innovation, and excellence, and to look ahead to the pivotal role the Naval Postgraduate School will continue to play in advancing the readiness and capabilities of our Navy, Marine Corps, and indeed our Nation as a whole.
Prior to NPS’ founding, the United States Navy had a long tradition of resisting going ashore to school in favor of gaining practical experience at sea.
In the days when a Commanding Officer’s ability to judge subtle changes in wind and sea state might make the difference between winning and losing a battle, or having his ship dismasted or lost in a storm, this was not completely illogical—Sailors and Naval Officers belonged at sea to hone their craft.
And so, convincing the Navy at large that education ashore was worth the time and resources was a long battle.
When Rear Admiral Luce established the Naval War College in 1884, he envisioned not only the study of war and strategy, but also advanced technical education.
Despite the advocacy of Luce, and others such as Admirals Dewey and Sims, it would be another 25 years before the Navy established what would become the Naval Postgraduate School.
In February 1909, the Great White Fleet returned from just over a year circumnavigating the globe.
I have a painting of that flagship—the Olympia—in my office to remind me of the impact great ideas can have on global diplomacy.
The voyage, while successful, also revealed several design flaws with our ships, and they experienced all kinds of technical challenges which were overcome in ad hoc manners—acceptable for the voyage but unacceptable if the Fleet had been called to fight.
As a result, George von L. Meyer wasted no time ensuring our Navy had what it needed to compete in an increasingly complex global arena.
On June 9th, 1909, he signed General Order #27, establishing a School of Marine Engineering for postgraduate engineering and technical training at Annapolis.
It was to serve as an extension of the United States Naval Academy, with the aim of offering graduate-level education in scientific and technical disciplines.
But as technological advancements continued to shape naval warfare, the Navy recognized the growing importance of specialized education to maintain a strategic and operational edge.
The demand for a broader range of research opportunities and expanded facilities outpaced the capacity of its location in Annapolis.
And in 1951, the Naval Postgraduate School relocated to its current home in Monterey—enabling the school the ability to expand its mission and resources.
The evolution of the Naval Postgraduate School over the following decades was not necessarily linear, and there would be periodic efforts to close the school or shift the post-graduate education of naval officers to civilian universities as a means to cut costs.
Besides Ernest King, the most vocal supporters of NPS over the years have included Admirals Chester Nimitz, Raymond Spruance, Arleigh Burke, James Watkins, and, if I may be so bold, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, and not because I am the only Secretary of the Navy to have graduated from NPS.
The real dividend of the Naval Postgraduate School would not necessarily become apparent until World War II and in the decades after—graduates of the Class of 1928 included Lieutenant William “Deak” Parsons and Lieutenant Hyman Rickover.
Rickover is more well known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy,” but Parsons, besides inventing the radar proximity fuse, was responsible for turning the scientific atomic theory into a bomb that actually worked, and was the mission commander on the Enola Gay.
Admiral Arleigh Burke, who graduated from NPS in 1930 with a degree in Ordnance Engineering, applied his studies at the onset of World War II while serving at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C.
To show you the value your degree holds, the Navy denied his strenuous requests for transfer to an operational billet—so important was his application of what he had learned at NPS to the war effort.
Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer, the “Father of Aegis,” graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School and pioneered the AEGIS Combat System, fundamentally transforming naval warfare.
His legacy lives on through USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and the Meyer Scholar Program at NPS, which carries forward his mantra: “Build a little, test a little, learn a lot.”
Another distinguished graduate was Admiral Michael Mullen (Operations Research ’85), the first alum to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and for whom I named an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, DDG 144.
Today, the Naval Postgraduate School continues to set the standard for defense-focused graduate education, and its mission—its reason for being—remains just as strong today as it was in 1909.
Through rigorous academic programs and hands-on research, NPS equips leaders with the critical knowledge and innovative solutions required to meet the demands of contemporary and future conflict.
NPS fulfills its mission by fostering an environment where education, research, and operational expertise converge—it is truly “Where Science Meets the Art of Warfare.”
Given the unique challenges of today, this institution is more vital and relevant than ever.
And to meet those challenges, I announced my vision for a new National Maritime Statecraft, a call for a whole-of-government effort to build comprehensive U.S. and allied maritime power, both commercial and naval, to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition.
As we stand at the crossroads of strategic competition, innovation is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity.
But innovation is not just about technology—it’s about people, culture, and mindset.
We are committed to investing in our Sailors and Marines, who are at the heart and soul of our innovation efforts.
And we must continue to build a culture of innovation which permeates throughout our entire Department.
We must encourage our Sailors and Marines to never stop asking, “Why can’t we do this better?”
The Department of the Navy Naval Education Strategy is a cornerstone of our commitment to cultivating a force that thrives in an era of strategic competition.
It prioritizes the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation across all levels of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Education is not just about knowledge—it’s about empowering our Sailors and Marines to challenge assumptions, adapt to rapidly changing environments, and pioneer solutions that enhance our operational effectiveness.
For example, last year, the Department of the Navy stood up the Science and Technology Board, chaired by former Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig, to bring together leaders across a wide range of disciplines to advise and help identify new technologies and capabilities.
I challenged my team to innovate at the speed of relevance to deliver concepts of operations and capabilities which bolster deterrence and expand our warfighting advantage.
The Board recommendations strengthen how we build and counter asymmetric warfighting advantage—including unmanned vehicles, mission assurance of digital infrastructure, sailor health, additive manufacturing, electronic warfare for terminal defense of ships, and ship maintenance.
Our new Naval Science and Technology Strategy now drives our Navy and Marine Corps’ innovation investments in science and technology research during this decisive period.
I want to thank Rear Admiral Rothenhaus and the team at the Office of Naval Research for their incredible work in developing this strategy.
We remain committed to the continual evaluation of our processes and approach to see what gaps or challenges are preventing us from rapidly adopting and fielding new capabilities and technologies.
Such progress is never achieved alone.
Just last month, we announced a partnership between NPS and NVIDIA’s [en-VID-ee-UH] AI Technology Center Program to work together on advancing AI-driven technologies for education and research.
This partnership highlights NPS’ unique position in providing continuous technological advancement for the Department of Defense through the ability to conduct research with leading tech companies.
You here at NPS—the students, professors, staff, and faculty—are at the forefront of innovative efforts.
Your initiatives advance Admiral Franchetti’s vision for the Navy—which she outlined in NAVPLAN 2024—and seeks to further AI as an enabling technology.
And your initiatives advance the Marine Corps’ Force Design and Commandant’s Planning Guidance efforts through the embracing of unmanned systems and autonomous technologies.
ONR collaborates with you here at the Naval Postgraduate School to further innovation efforts.
And ONR developed our newest directed energy weapons technology, the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator.
LWSD, the most advanced and powerful electric high-energy laser system ever installed on a US Navy ship, is designed to neutralize and destroy hostile drones, small craft, and other threats.
Directed energy weapons, including high-energy lasers, are the future of warfare—offering a lower cost-per-shot against air and missile defense engagements.
In addition, ONR partners with NPS on a variety of academic efforts, including the Consortium for Robotics and Unmanned Systems Education and Research, or CRUSER.
This initiative brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to advance the frontiers of unmanned systems education and research.
And here at NPS, the Modeling Virtual Environments and Simulation, or MOVES, Institute is directly impacting our Fleet and partnerships around the world.
MOVES developed the user interface utilized in this year’s Northwest Pacific Wargame 2024, which supported integrated training between PACFLT, Seventh Fleet, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
And NPS students are driving innovation through integrated training in the Fleet.
NPS graduate Major Will Oblak conducted thesis research on developing a Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training environment that accurately simulates the electronic warfare spectrum.
Major Oblak’s work is now being expanded in partnership with the Marine Corps Software Factory to deliver a Fleet-wide training solution, enhancing readiness and training capabilities.
The current global landscape underscores the need to strengthen our maritime dominance with new technologies and integrated training environments.
And those in this room today are pushing the bounds of tactics and capabilities—look no further than the Red Sea, where the technologies born through your research and development have enabled our ships to defend themselves and innocent mariners from hostile drones and missiles.
Our simulation tools and programs offer our warfighters realistic training while minimizing the costs and risks associated with open-air testing.
As a leader in defense research and education, NPS serves as a vital hub for developing and advancing the technologies which support our national security objectives.
When I first entered office as Secretary of the Navy, I knew that innovation could not wait. The pace of technological advancement and the complexity of the security challenges we face demand that we act with urgency to stay ahead of our adversaries.
As we explore how to further expand our engagement with companies at the leading edge of technology innovation, the Department of the Navy recognizes a fundamental truth: true innovation begins with education.
And so, in 2022, I announced my vision for the Naval Innovation Center.
The NIC is designed to enhance and accelerate the innovation process for the Department of the Navy by transforming cutting-edge research concepts into operational capabilities faster.
By empowering students, our world-class faculty, and partners across the entire naval research and development enterprise to collaborate with industry and the broader naval innovation ecosystem, the NIC takes a whole-of-Navy approach to solving the toughest challenges and delivering critical warfighting advantages to our forces.
To support this vision, we are investing in the construction of a purposefully-designed facility which will ensure emerging technologies are not only developed, but also refined and aligned to meet the evolving demands of naval operations.
In parallel with the NIC, efforts are underway to modernize existing NPS buildings, many of which were constructed in the 1950s, to enhance educational facilities and research laboratories essential for specialized graduate studies.
Alongside ONR, the Navy Research and Development enterprise, our industry and academic partners, the NIC at NPS will eliminate barriers to collaboration and accelerate ideas to impact at a great speed and scale.
And I am proud to announce that I have signed a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of the Navy and the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation which will support the NIC with the critical infrastructure necessary to accomplish our mission.
This partnership is a testament to the shared vision of advancing innovation and supporting our warfighters through education and cutting-edge research.
Together, we will ensure that the Navy remains at the forefront of technological and strategic capabilities.
Just as NPS itself was a bold vision in 1909, the future NIC is a bold vision that will carry the Naval Postgraduate School and Department of the Navy well into the 22nd Century.
We are indeed in an innovation race—one we have faced before, and one we must win.
On September 12, 1962, former Naval Officer and President John F. Kennedy, in his address to the Nation at Rice University, rallied us to face the challenges of progress and space travel with a singular goal: putting human feet on the moon.
He famously declared, “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”
We must embrace innovation within the Department of the Navy with the same urgency and resolve.
As I close my remarks, I do so tremendously grateful for the opportunity of a lifetime—to lead the nearly one million Sailors, Marines, and Department of the Navy civilians who proudly serve the greatest Nation on earth.
I leave you with a challenge—a question to consider as you return to your studies and to the Fleet or workforce.
What does the future of naval warfare look like in an age of unprecedented technological change?
We stand at the precipice of a new era of innovation—an era which demands not only the courage to face the unknown but also the boldness to lead it.
The future of our Navy and Marine Corps, and indeed our nation, will be shaped by those in this room today.
Just as President Kennedy challenged a generation to reach the moon, I challenge you to push the bounds of the possible, to do the hard things—not only because you have the opportunity, but because it is your responsibility.
The mission of NPS is enduring.
And I know that the future of NPS is in good hands—yours.
As I close out my time as your 78th Secretary, please know that it has been the honor of my life to serve you, and please know that my wife Betty and I will always carry you in our hearts and prayers till our dying days.
May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
And now that I have shared my thoughts, I would like to hear from you, the current and future leaders of our great Nation.
No question is off-limits. Who’s first?