Parade the colors. The national anthem will now be sung by musician second class Laura Carey from the Navy Band Northeast. When Douglas E. Rosander, Naval War College Chappan, will deliver the invocation. Let us pray. From ancient scripture, an intelligent heart acquires knowledge and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. Merciful Lord in heaven, we ask for your presence with us today. Graduation marks a milestone in the life of each one being recognized for their many months of hard work and perseverance. These students have been stretched, challenged and tested. Thank you for their hard work and success. As a result of their time here, may they be better equipped to lead, serving their nations and benefiting others. Thank you for their instructors and mentors as well as their families and friends who have encouraged them along the way. Now please be with those being recognized today for their achievements and keep them mindful of your presence through the one who saves. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. All military members, please uncover at this time. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present Rory Admiral Carter, United States Navy, 54th President of United States Naval War College. Well good morning everyone. Couldn't be a more spectacular day here in Newport, Rhode Island. And right up front I'd like to welcome Admiral John Richardson here to Newport, Rhode Island. And thanks for enduring the 16 plus 1, 17 gun salute here this morning. 17 is 17, however you get there. And the Newport Artillery Company, we want to thank them for making the effort to come out here and really bring us off to a great start of the ceremony. What a gorgeous day to be gathered under the big top. We're here to celebrate the accomplishment of our graduates, the Naval War College class of 2014. And to formally mark their transition from intellectually curious students to the enlightened and dedicated practitioners of the national security arts. It's always great to gather along the shoreline of historic Narragansett Bay, the cradle of our United States Navy. You know, over the past two and a half centuries, these waters have been sailed by ships ranging from John Paul Jones in the Colonial Navy's loop Providence to our newest ages destroyers. Here in Newport, the strategic direction of the Navy is continuously under study and we continually work to aid in its evolution. Just this week we gathered with over a thousand leading citizens as well as our own students from across the nation and around the world along with our own Chief of Naval Operations and other leaders to discuss the role of our maritime forces in helping to build a resilient peace. We are in a historic location and this is an historic occasion today. Today you join an unbroken line of graduates that extends back more than a century. The list is long and noteworthy, but I have no doubt in decades hence historians will look back on this graduating class and find it in the men and women who would go out, would lead, and would do magnificent things. I'm proud to introduce the distinguished individuals who are up here on the stage with me this morning. I'd ask that you please hold your applause until I have all of them standing behind me. First, Dr. Michael Pakovic, our Chairman of Strategy and Policy Department, Professor Al Allen Abramson, Chairman of Joint Military Operations Department, Dr. Jay Hickey, Director of College of Distance Education, Dr. David Cooper, Chair of National Security Affairs Department, Professor Thomas Mangold, Dean of International Programs, Rear Admiral Jamie Kelly, Dean of College of Operational and Strategic Leadership, Professor Barney Rubel, Dean of Center for Naval Warfare Studies, Dr. John Garifano, Dean of Academic Affairs, and our Ambassador Mary Ann Peters, our Distinguished Provost. Please help me recognize the contributions to this graduation and in our own graduating class. Also with us today are a number of distinguished guests. Admiral John Richardson, obviously up here on the podium with whom I will formally introduce here in a few seconds. Admiral Jim Hogg, our former Director of Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, and his wife, Ann, thank you for being here with us. Ambassador Jay William Middendorf, I think he's here with us, former Secretary of the Navy and former United States Ambassador to the Netherlands and to the Organization of American States. Major General Steve Cider, United States Army retired Chairman of the Board of Trustees and of the Naval War College Foundation for which we are all so very thankful for your help in making us a better war college each and every day. Brigadier General Charles Petraka, representing the Rhode Island National Guard, and Captain Doug McIterian, the base commander who oversees all of this property on which we are enjoying this beautiful day. The Honorable Harry Winthrop, the Mayor of Newport. Mayor, it's always great to see you, great to have you here. And I'm pleased to welcome back a group of our very distinguished alumni from the Naval Command College Class of 1994 celebrating their 20th reunion. We also have the Naval and Defense Attachés from over 25 nations who are here to honor their graduates. The great pride of our college is its brilliant and committed student body, but the reason they have come to this point is our brilliant and committed faculty and staff. I'd like to mention just two of them at this point. Admiral Guillermo Barrera, the former Commander of the Colombian Navy, a true hero in the war against narco-terrorism, and our International Distinguished Fellow here at the Naval War College. And Dr. Brad Lee, our second longest serving faculty member who just completed his 900th lecture at the college. Brad will be retiring in the coming months and will truly be missed. We also have many families and friends of our graduate with us as well. Your support is the underpinning of the successes we are celebrating today. And finally, we recognize the true focus of this ceremony today, our students who are about to return to positions of great responsibility in government, at headquarters, staffs, and leading troops in combat. The remarkable and unique education you've received during the past many months of study have prepared you well to evaluate, analyze, and master the complex issues of national security that you will face in the months and years ahead. And now it is my distinct honor to introduce our guest of honor and guest speaker, Admiral John Richardson, the Director of our Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. Now, as many of you know, I am a product of the Nuclear Propulsion Program and I am proud to say what a distinct privilege it is to have Admiral Richardson here with us. He leads an incredibly talented team of dedicated men and women who operate and maintain 104 nuclear reactors. Over the history of this program, they've accumulated a total of 150 million miles safely steamed on nuclear power. Now, Admiral Richardson is only the sixth officer to head naval reactor since it was founded 66 years ago by one of the brightest and most innovative naval officers in the history of our business, Admiral Hyman Rickover. Admiral Richardson is a 1982 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He holds advanced degrees from MIT, Woods Hole, and the Oceanographic Institute, and the National War College. He's a career submarineer, has commanded at every level, and has also served as naval aide to the President of the United States. In 2001, he received the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Leadership Award. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming to Newport Rhode Island Director of the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program, Admiral John Richardson. Thank you, Admiral Carter, for that very, very generous introduction, and thank you most of all for the invitation to be here today and join you. I will tell you it's a privilege that one can only really dream of. Ambassador Peters, Dean Garoppano, distinguished guests, families, friends, and most of all, the graduating class. It is indeed a privilege to be here as your guest speaker, and for this engineer to stand up and speak before this group of intellectuals. It's a daunting task, I just want to tell you. You can kind of feel your homework being graded in real time.   But I will tell you, I've got to say that I'm always inspired when I can come to events like this, really mingle with the men and women who will be our future decision makers. Present here today we have graduates from all services, from all warfare specialties, and from many nations who have spent the better part of the last year together. Individually, you will go on to enhance the capability of any team that you join. I'm confident of that. Being together, the class of 2014, I see as a tremendous strategic addition to the arsenal of our Navy and our nation. Now, before I get going, I do want to point out that among the graduates here today, many, most of you, did the in-residence course. But among us today, there are nearly 100 of the over 1100 students who completed their non-resident studies this year through distance education. These students pursued their higher education in their free time while still performing their primary duties out in the fleet and ashore. And I will tell you, the word on the street in the fleet, and you all know this, is that if you really want to get the best education, both at the War College in-residence and certainly by the distance course, you want to take the Naval War College curriculum. There is no doubt about that. As I prepared for today, I was surprised to learn that the College of Distance Education here at the Naval War College in 2014 marked its 100th year of being in business. And so many of us think about this distance learning as something relatively new, but as usual, the Naval War College sort of catering to our audience, which is the Navy deployed around the world, was way ahead. And they marked their 100th year. In fact, one of the early students of the distance learning program back in 1923 was then Ensign Hyman Rickover, the founder of the Naval Reactors and the father of the nuclear Navy. At that time, he was the engineer on a destroyer at USS Lavalette. And he had rolled in the Naval War College correspondence course on policy, command, strategy, and tactics and completed it two years later when he was a fire control division officer on the USS Nevada. And in fact, the word got out that I was going to mention. Admiral Rickover in my talk today. And so the dean was kind enough to pull up his grade sheet, which is still on record here. So 3.5 overall. Not bad for an engineer coming here and doing that, right? So in typical Rickover fashion, once he completed and his course with all this newly gained knowledge and wisdom, he of course turned around and taught everybody in his wardroom after a series of lectures, his sort of own distance course, 24 of his fellow officers enrolled in the course that were here in Newport. Now just try to imagine, given distance learning today, we all have this image of computers and emailing things back and forth, video teleconference. Try to imagine completing a distance learning course before any of that existed, really kind of doing it by the mail. And the mail in 1914 was a lot different than the mail today before we even had commercial airlines. And I'm told it's more than a coincidence. The keen desire for these students that are deployed around the world participating in the distance learning program, everybody wants to be spending time with your distinguished faculty, your advisor. And I'm told it's more than a coincidence that 1914, the year that the Naval War College embarked on distance learning, is also the year that the United States Post Office officially made it illegal to mail yourself to Newport to be with your advisor. That's sort of the proto VTC. You would just mail yourself here and then mail yourself back home. So over the past year, those of you who are in residence here have had the chance to interact with one another from different countries, different warfare areas, different branches of our armed services. You're able to share your experience and your service histories. The relationships that you have built here will reach across war fighting domains and across cultures as you team up in the future to operate and fight together. And so as you graduate today, you are not the same officer as that you were the day you reported. You have become people of stronger character. You have become warrior strategists. And you can thank the Naval War College for that. The Naval War College has the goal of shaping and supporting the Navy by creating critical thinkers who can navigate through an ever changing world. In fact, before I go on, I think it's completely appropriate that we pause and say that in addition to the graduates, we are also here to honor the immense contribution of all the men and women of this command, your mentors and professors. They have invested in you. They are proud of you. And as you leave and resume your duties, part of them goes with you. And they want you to go far. And so I think just take a moment here and give all of the instructors a round of applause. Now, the Naval War College has a rich and enviable history of adapting to the demands of the security environment. Almost a history of near continuous innovation. But as I structure my talk today, I want to talk about three major movements, each of which enhances and builds on the former. These movements stand out, I think. The first one has to be the founding of the college in 1884 by Stephen Luce. Second one is that I chose was the interwar period with the development of the war plans. And the third one was in the 1970s with Admiral Stansfield Turner and the creation of the current curriculum. And in the time we have together today, I'd like to quickly review these three movements. And I'm going to postulate to you students, and we can discuss this afterwards, whether this hypothesis has any merit. I'm going to postulate that you students are graduating at the dawn of a fourth major movement. So significant that when you look back on your time here, you'll be proud that you were here and part of this major step forward.  How could he possibly do that? Well, be calm, relax. I promise that I will cover all of that ground and I will do so in less than 90 minutes. All right, so let's get started. First era, the founding era, 1884, a milestone and signature event for the Navy, and also for Stephen Luce, who was just a super prolific naval thinker. Luce defined it as the highest level of professional naval education here at the college and a place of original research on all questions relating to war and to statesmanship connected to war or the prevention of war. In the early curriculum, the first curriculum included topics related to government, finance, decision making, logistics, strategy and tactics, international relations, as well as an understanding of the roles of other services and their approaches to war. What is this if not the interagency process? This is the precursor to the comprehensive approach. All elements of national power spelled out. Luce had it figured out in 1884. Additionally, he introduced the idea of war gaming as a way to analyze the connection of political military issues with expanding developments in technology. The establishment of an intellectual military and civilian faculty and a student body that included multi-service and multinational students almost from the beginning. I would say that the Luce era may have culminated right around the turn of the century with the Mahan lecture series in the 1880s and 1890s with the influence of sea power upon history. That so much of Luce's legacy survives today is perhaps the greatest testament to his good work, his vision in getting the college started. I'd like to fast forward now to the second phase and this builds on the founding era by Stephen Luce, the interwar period, the curriculum and effectiveness of the college further expanded led by Admiral Sims, who was fresh from leading the Navy in Europe during the First World War. Specifically, the development of the fleet games at War Plan Orange and the Rainbow Plans had so much of their intellectual content and the work done here. I will tell you this is a particularly rich period in history for us to study today, much in common between the interwar period and today. We operate in a multi-polar world again. In fact, I'm sure you've appreciated that in history it's the Cold War that really stands out as the anomaly. Rarely have things been bipolar. They were resource limited as we are resource limited. They were operating through the Great Depression. They were confronted with the need to be adaptive. And as they broke into war, the ability to adapt to change was one of the decisive factors in victory. Just in my community in submarining, a great thing yet. If you compare the vaunted submarine force, the U-boat force of Nazi Germany at the time with the U.S. submarine force, take a snapshot at the beginning and at the end of the war. I would argue that by and large, both from a strategic and a technological basis, the Nazi Germany U-boat force was largely the same at the beginning as they were at the end as they were in the beginning. In fact, they were still building the same submarine, which was technologically really not suited for the mission and the strategy of their campaign. By contrast, the United States submarine force had adapted continuously through the war. They technologically, the submarines at the end of the war were bristling with new sensors, new weapons, new communication systems. They were not frozen in time. Their entire approach to the war had changed, and so the importance of that adaptation. I think that the highest compliment for the college and the way it prepared the Navy for the challenges that faced it in World War II was that Admiral Nimitz, who was a student here in that interwar period, said that as he commanded the fleet in the Pacific by virtue of the education and the excursion analysis and the branches and sequels he had studied here, nothing in the Pacific War surprised him except for the kamikaze. So I think that we learned from that interwar period that it perhaps is not so much the plan that counts, but the planning process, the thinking that goes into it that makes you adaptive later on. Jump forward to the third era, Stansfield Turner in 1972. He put in place the curriculum that survives today, strategy and tactics, three courses based on the classics, reading and writing, a speaker series and professional conferences. Current program essentials include joint war fighting at the theater, strategic and operational levels of war, joint planning, modern security studies, international relations, regional studies, foreign policy and strategic thinking. Your research topics all vary, but cover the operational level of war, and for senior class their research aligns with a specific country or a specific challenge in a specific region. Also during that period in the 1970s, I think led by the Naval War College and Admiral Turner, there was a tremendous intellectual dialogue in our Navy, and that included luminaries such as Admiral Rick Over, Admiral Zoomwalt, Admiral Hayward, and Admiral Turner. They had deep intellectual discussions about the missions of the Navy. The first maritime strategy emerged from that time. They talked about big ideas, they were not afraid to disagree and kind of test those ideas against one another in public even at the four star level. So that's three major movements, the loose era, the Sims era and the interwar period and the Stansfield Turner era. This leads me now to hypothesize to postulate that we have a fourth movement, which is emerging as we stand here today. And if we're going to call these eras by the names of the president of the college at the time, we'll have to designate this one, the Carter era. It's characterized by a renewed recognition that for the next decades, our Navy and maritime strategy will be leading the direction of our national strategy. These will be times and events largely centered on the maritime domain. And to think our way through these important times for our maritime nation, this place, the Naval War College is being recognized and new as our Navy's premier home for the development of strategy and the building of strategists. The current strategy forum just completed this week validates this with panels on strategy, future challenges and sea power and maritime strategy. A world class list of speakers were here, led off by our CNO.  Let's get to work. Perfectly fitting and perfectly true. We all need to continue to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We need to take the education. We get here, take it out to the fleet and apply it. Now I tell you, I was going to actually kind of continue with that theme, this get to work theme of my talk.  It's different, though, in this uniform. First of all, I'll tear a rotator cuff just getting out of it. And then at the end, I'm really just left in a t-shirt. That's why he's the CNO. He can pull that off. And I'll tell you what, as we face these challenges moving forward, of course, there are many schools of strategy, but the Naval War College is our school of strategy. This school strives to solve our Navy and nation's problems. Now, I say that, but it's key that we share this effort with our partners, friends and allies. Amongst the international graduates here today are just a cadre of superior international officers from partner nations around the world. And as I said, this has been part of the school's formula for success since the very beginning. Foreign officers have come to learn and share their experience. Approximately one third achieve flag rank and many others go on to lead their respective navies, become the chief of their navies. At least 30 navies or coast guards around the world are currently commanded by Naval War College graduates. These relationships are also a strategic advantage for our Navy and the navies of our foreign students who will go on to leadership positions. We have never fought alone. This cross-cultural fluency will be even more important in the future. So I'd like to pause a moment again, recognize our international students with a quick round of applause. But this new era, the Carter era, is more than just a renewed recognition of the importance, the strategic importance of this place. There's also something new about this movement. The recognition that more than any time in our history, our leaders must constantly, constantly display the highest sense of ethical behavior. It is fundamental to mission accomplishment. We expect our leaders to be able to operate both in concert and independently, closely coordinated with other naval forces, but from a distance and often in a decentralized manner. That's how modern navies are most effective.  That commander is expected to take those tools and accomplish the mission and bring his or her team back stronger than they left, stronger warfighters, smarter warfighters, and more ethical warfighters. The role of personal or smart media has only punctuated this with an exclamation point. We are more public and accessible than ever. Recently, the Naval War College has taken the tremendous step to ensure that we as leaders continue to build a solid foundation. Where else would we go for this challenge that here, then here at the Naval War College, our school that meets our challenges. The Naval Leadership and Ethics Center will provide leadership and ethics curricula to support all communities and will in conjunction with the War College perform leading edge research and assessment of leader development across the Navy. So now you see the new dimension of this era, making it a much more deliberate discussion to develop our leaders not only as intellectual warfighters, strategists, but also masters in the ethical domain. So let's not forget, this is the Naval War College. And we are war fighters. To be successful, we are charged not only with taking risk, but also with seizing opportunity. To do both of these things effectively, we need leaders who can think about modern warfare, leaders who are warrior strategists, and that is you. Rhea McCarter and Professor John Jackson say at best in the soon to be published article Navy Nexus. So spoiler alert here. Okay, they say and I quote the military's leaders must have the ability to understand the environment and the effect of all instruments of national power to anticipate and adapt to surprise and uncertainty to recognize change and lead transitions to operate on intent through trust, empowerment and understanding to make ethical decisions based on the shared values of the profession of arms and to think critically and applying joint war fighting principles and concepts to joint operations. It can't be said any better. These facets, these skills will be necessary in the wars of today and even more so in tomorrow. Graduates, you have built bonds of friendship and trust. They are already in place by virtue of your time here in Newport, in the classroom, in the labs, in the gym, in your homes, at your children's schools, everywhere you got together. The Naval War College did all that for you, providing you all this magnificent environment in which to grow. You have bonds of friendship and trust already in place. You became international strategic thinkers without even realizing it. Our nation needs you to rise and reach your potential. So don't forget what you learned here. And by all means, stay in touch. Keep those strategic bonds strong. And that way, we will be reading about how you influenced strategy and the influence of sea power that will shape our future. I want to thank you one last time. It was an honor to be able to participate in this ceremony, to personally express my gratitude to everybody who graduates today and who will move on to the next stage in leadership in command. Congratulations. God bless you all. And thank you very much. Academic Awards will now be presented to selected students who have distinguished themselves by their academic achievement. In some instances, there are individuals receiving honorable mention for their work, and they will have their names read aloud. Individuals receiving an honorable mention will stand and be recognized in their place. The first place awardees will then be announced and invited to the stage for formal recognition. The Robert E. Bateman's International Prize is presented for the best paper submitted by a Naval Command College student on a topic relating to force planning or strategic issues of maritime interest. A cash prize is provided by the Naval War College Foundation through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Bateman, Major General Stephen R. Cider, U.S. Army Retired will present the award. I will first announce the individuals receiving honorable mention and then announce the first place awardee and invite that person to join us on stage for formal recognition. Honorable mentions go to Colonel David Fu, Republic of Singapore Navy, June 2014 Naval Command College, and Lieutenant Colonel Alex Eduardo Ramirez Ramos, Columbia Marine Corps, June 2014 Naval Command College. The Robert E. Bateman's International Prize, first prize goes to Commander Tech Son Lee, Republic of Korea Navy, June 2014 Naval Command College. His essay is titled US Vietnam Military Relations in 2013 and Beyond, Impact and Solutions for Maintaining a Good US PRC Relationship. For every resident student present here today, there are eight other students located around the globe, engaged in the Naval War College's distance education programs. This year, there are more than 1,100 graduates of the College of Distance Education, of which 91 are with us today. Distance education is a unique challenge in that the student completes his or her education while engaged in their full-time day job, thus requiring special initiative and dedication. It is with a profound sense of camaraderie and appreciation for their efforts that we salute our distance education students unable to be with us today. The McGinnis Family Award for Outstanding Performance in Non-Resident Education is sponsored by Captain D. Robert McGinnis, United States Navy Reserve retired, Naval War College Foundation trustee. A cash award, it recognizes the Fleet Seminar Program graduate of the College of Distance Education, who displays superior standards of academic performance, professionalism and community service. The winner of the McGinnis Family Award for Outstanding Performance in Non-Resident Education is Lieutenant Jonathan J. Lushenko, United States Navy, who unfortunately could not attend a ceremony today as he is on deployment in the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean and through to the Arabian Sea and Gulf. The Zimmerman Gray International Award. The Zimmerman Gray International SA Award is awarded for the best of all papers submitted by student and Naval Staff College full year course of study. Selection is made by the President Naval War College based on the recommendation of a Prize SA Committee. The award consists of a perpetual plaque displayed at the Naval War College bearing the winner's name. Recipients of the award are also given an inscribed certificate documenting their accomplishments along with a cash prize provided through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Jillson Gray and the Naval War College Foundation. The award is named in honor of their fathers, Commander Donald Zimmerman, United States Navy and Commander Jillson B. Gray Jr., United States Navy, both career naval aviators who saw combat during World War II. Mr. Jillson Gray and Naval War College Foundation trustee and his niece Sarah Pardee will present this award. Admiral mentions go to Lieutenant Commander Anders Paulson Liebeck Royal Norwegian Navy June 2014 Naval Staff College and Lieutenant Colonel Muoth Kutai shot Jordan armed forces June 2014 Naval Staff College. Zimmerman Gray International Award first prize will be awarded to Lieutenant Commander Ilkay Arslanoglu Turkish Naval Forces June 2014 Naval Staff College. His essay is titled A Worst Case Scenario, Gorilla Type War in the Latorals. Navy League Awards. Each year, the Navy League of the United States presents two awards, one to a graduate of the College of Naval Warfare and one to a graduate of the College of Naval Command and Staff. These awards are given in memory of rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce and Admiral William S. Sims, respectively. Admiral Luce was the first president of the Naval War College and Admiral Sims was president of the Naval War College at two points in his distinguished career. Recipients of this award are chosen based on their outstanding achievements across a spectrum of disciplines, including academic performance, participation in Naval War College activities, participation in civic and community activities and promotion of armed government service in the public interest. Mr. George Wardwell, New England region president of the Navy League of the United States, will present the awards. The Stephen B. Luce Award for the Distinguished Graduate of the College of Naval Warfare is presented to Lieutenant Colonel Nicole M. Ellingwood Malakowski, U.S. Air Force June 2014 College of Naval Warfare. The William S. Sims Award for the Distinguished Graduate of the Naval Command and Staff College is presented to Mr. Stephen C. Barlow, U.S. State Department June 2014 College Naval Command and Staff. And if you would, please join me one more time in congratulating these award winners for their outstanding efforts and performance and to show appreciation to the sponsors of the awards for their continued generosity to the United States Naval War College. Dean Barney Rubel, would you please come forward and join the Admiral? Dean Barney Rubel is being awarded the Professor Emeritus Naval War Naval War Studies Naval Warfare Studies. The president of the Naval War College takes pleasure in appointing Robert C. Rubel as Professor Emeritus Naval Warfare Studies. In recognition of your dedicated service to the United States Naval War College as Professor, Chair, and Dean of Naval Warfare Studies, it is my pleasure to confirm your appointment as Professor Emeritus Naval Warfare Studies with all the honors, rights, and privileges pertaining thereto. On this date, the 20th of June 2014, signed W. E. Carter Jr. Rear Admiral U.S. Navy President Naval War College. Ladies and gentlemen, we will begin the presentation of graduates. Captain Perry Yaw, United States Navy Director Naval Command College will present the Naval Command College. Naval Command College, please rise. Admiral Carter, I have the honor to present the Naval Command College Class of 2014 candidates for the United States Naval War College Diploma. They have been thoroughly examined and approved by the faculty. I confer upon you the United States Naval War College Diploma with all rights and privileges pertaining thereto. Naval Command College, please be seated. College of Naval Warfare Class of 2014, please rise. Admiral Carter, I have the honor to present the College of Naval Warfare Class of 2014 candidates for the Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. They have been thoroughly examined and approved by the faculty. By the power vested in me by the Secretary of the Navy in the accreditation of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, I confer upon you the degree of Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. College of Naval Warfare, please be seated. Captain Mark Turner, United States Navy Director, Naval Staff College will present the Naval Staff College. Naval Staff College Class of 2014, please rise. Admiral Carter, I have the honor to present the Naval Staff College Class of 2014 candidates for the United States Naval War College Diploma. They have thoroughly examined and approved by the faculty. I confer upon you the United States Naval War College Diploma with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. Naval Staff College Class of 2014, please be seated. College of Naval Command and Staff Class of 2014, please rise. Admiral Carter, I have the honor to present the College of Naval Command and Staff Class of 2014 candidates for the Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. They have been thoroughly examined and approved by the faculty. By the power vested in me by the Secretary of the Navy in the accreditation of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, I confer upon you the degree of Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. College of Naval Command and Staff, please be seated. Professor Walt Wilderman will present the College of Distance Education. Master's degrees candidates of the College of Distance Education Class of 2014, please rise. Admiral Carter, I have the honor to present the College of Distance Education Class of 2014 candidates for the Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. They have been thoroughly examined and approved by the faculty. By the power vested in me by the Secretary of the Navy in the accreditation of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, I confer upon you the degree of Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. Master's degree candidates of the College of Distance Education, please be seated. Diploma candidates of the College of Distance Education Class of 2014, please rise. Admiral Carter, I have the honor to present the College of Distance Education Class of 2014 candidates for the United States Naval War College diploma. They have been thoroughly examined and approved by the faculty. I confer upon you the United States Naval War College diploma with all rights and privileges pertaining thereto. Diploma candidates of the College of Distance Education, please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me once again in saluting with our applause the graduates of the United States Naval War College Class of 2014 and their families. Graduates will now receive their diplomas. Beyond the requirements for graduation, certain individuals have distinguished themselves through academic excellence. A diploma with highest distinction is presented to the top 5 percent of each graduating class. A diploma with distinction is presented to the next 15 percent of each graduating class. Graduates will proceed to the stage as their name is read. Please hold your applause until all names have been read so that all names and recognition may be heard. From the 2014 College of Naval Warfare, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Joseph Acosta, U.S. Marine Corps. From the Naval Command College Class of 2014, Lieutenant Colonel Yusef Hakim, Algerian Naval Forces. Mr. Gary L. Adams, Defense Senior Leadership Development Program. Lieutenant Colonel Ali Yahi, Algerian Naval Forces. Ms. Deidre Lee Allen, Defense Intelligence Agency. Commander John Stavridis, Royal Australian Navy. Commander Christopher G. Bailey, U.S. Navy. Captain Shaheen Rahman, the Bangladesh Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Edward H. Bailey, U.S. Army. Captain Louise de Acevedo, Brazilian Navy. Colonel Scott A. Baldwin, U.S. Marine Corps. Commander Svelin Jojev Jojev, Bulgarian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel William A. Barnes, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Colonel Joseph Numa, Cameroon Army. Lieutenant Colonel Kenyon K. Bell, U.S. Air Force. Captain Stephen Waddell, Royal Canadian Navy. Commander Christian D. Bow, U.S. Navy, with distinction. Commander Juan Pablo Marin, Chilean Navy. Mrs. Sonia I. Bonnet, Bettencourt, Defense Senior Leadership Development Program. Lieutenant Colonel Alex Ramirez, Colombian Marine Corps. Commander Richard A. Borden, U.S. Navy. Commander Senior Grade Carson Fjord Larsen, Royal Danish Navy. Colonel David P. Bradney, U.S. Marine Corps. Commander Jose David De La Rosa, Dominican Republic Navy. Colonel Donald M. Brown, U.S. Army. Commander Jerome Chardon, French Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Patrick A. Brown, U.S. Air Force. Commander Guido Koskaper, German Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Travis A. Burdine, U.S. Air Force. Commander Demetrius Yogas, Hellenic Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Adam Wayne Butler, U.S. Army. Captain Aditya Tadwal, Indian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Christopher L. Byram, U.S. Air Force. Captain Gregorius A. Gung, Indonesian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Randall W. Cason, U.S. Air Force. Commander Roy Nuggler, Israeli Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Adam Lee Chalkley, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Commander Francesco Saladino, Italian Navy. Colonel Richard E. Cleveland, U.S. Army. Captain Hiroyuki Hibuchi, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Lieutenant Colonel Richard O. Cole, U.S. Air Force. Colonel Khalid Al-Khatib, Royal Jordanian Naval Force. Lieutenant Colonel Michael E. Conley, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Commander Texun Lee, Republic of Korea Navy. Colonel Michael R. Corpene, U.S. Army. Captain Mohammed Ali, Kuwait Navy. Commander Andrew B. Kriegler, U.S. Navy, Civil Engineering Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Elias Asaya, Lebanese Naval Forces. Mr. Lowell H. Demoff, Department of Homeland Security, with distinction. Commander Thomas Scrodinas, Lithuanian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Aaron D. Drake, U.S. Air Force. Commander Juan Elias Binwan Mamat, Royal Malaysian Navy. Miss Naomi Ann Elmer, National Counterterrorism Center. Captain Francesco Corona, Mexican Navy. Colonel Marcus S. Evans, U.S. Army. Commander Abdullah Ben-Hamu, Royal Moroccan Navy. Colonel Michael D. Evans, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Colonel Robert DeWitt, Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Christopher K. Farrow, U.S. Air Force. Captain Arasei Ayabancho, Nigerian Navy. Mr. John N. Featress, Defense Senior Leadership Development Program. Commander Senior Grain, Paul Hope, Royal Norwegian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Patrick Hanley-Frank, U.S. Air Force, highest distinction, number one in his class. Captain Khan Mahmood Asif, Pakistan Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Brian David Gallo, U.S. Air Force. Captain Muhammad Shuaib, Pakistan Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Eric Garcia, U.S. Marine Corps. Captain Kristof Zadani, Polish Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Jason Gardner, U.S. Army, with distinction. Commander Avideo Maurice Potasi, Romanian Naval Forces. Commander Eugene K. Garland, U.S. Navy, Medical Service Corps. Colonel David Fu, Singapore Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Michael P. Garlington, U.S. Army. Commander Thomas Tomahawk, South African Navy. Lieutenant Colonel William R. Glazer, U.S. Army. Captain Kalana Jenedasa, Sri Lankan Navy. Captain Eric S. Gleason, U.S. Coast Guard. Captain Kung Cho Chow, Taiwan Navy. Colonel Catherine J. Graff, U.S. Army, highest distinction. Commander Chitzakan Wasate, Royal Thai Navy. Mr. John B. Grant. Commander Adel Adi, Tunasian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Christian C. Griffin, U.S. Marine Corps, highest distinction. Colonel Salem Al-Mirzi, United Arab Emirates Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Eric J. Hamster, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Captain Alexander Dayakov, Ukrainian Naval Forces. Lieutenant Colonel Richard J. Hart, Air National Guard. Commander Darren Houston, Royal Navy. Mr. Herman G. Haskin III, Defense Intelligence Agency. Lieutenant Colonel Robert S. Morgan, United States Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Hayden, U.S. Army, National Guard. Captain Brian Jibo, United States Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Edward J. Healy Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, highest distinction. Commander Abdul Salad Al-Megzafi, Yemen Naval Forces and Coastal Defense. Mr. Christopher W. Hodges, Department of State, with distinction. From the Naval Staff College, Class 2014. Lieutenant Abdel Hafeed Erbachi, Algerian Naval Forces. Lieutenant Commander Brian L. Holmes, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Mohammed Farhad Hossain, Bangladesh Navy. Commander John David Hudson, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Richard Hunsa, Benin Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Kevin H. Hutchinson, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Eva Lowe, Ivanoff, Bulgarian Naval Forces. Colonel David Richard James, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Samuel Patchell, Royal Canadian Navy. Colonel Kevin T. Kawasaki, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Javier Bermudez, Colombian Navy. Colonel Patrick A. Kelly, U.S. Army, highest distinction. Lieutenant Hassan Mira, Djibouti Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Travis S. Kelly, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Ein Parna, Estonian Navy. Colonel Robert M. Kline, U.S. Army, with distinction. Commander Solomon Osidoo Larabee, Ghana Navy. Colonel Kenneth J. Glythermus, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Guru Deep Bala, Indian Navy. Miss Jennifer A. Kola, Department of State. Major Yano Wenness, Indonesian Navy. Commander Justin A. Kubu, U.S. Navy, with distinction. Commander Ali Ameyahi, Iraqi Naval Forces. Lieutenant Colonel Mark A. Lameza, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Commander Guy Barak, Israel Navy. Commander David T. Lee, U.S. Navy, Judge Advocate General Corps. Lieutenant Commander Hiroyuki Sano, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Lieutenant Colonel Harman S. Lewis, Jr., U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Lieutenant Colonel Muath Ketashit, Jordan Armed Forces. Lieutenant Commander Dilo M. Lea Yagas, U.S. Navy, Medical Service Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Sinad Al-Adwan, Jordan Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Brian S. Lubert, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Eun Joon Ko, Republic of Korea Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Nicole Margaret Ellenwood Malkowski, U.S. Air Force, highest distinction. Lieutenant Commander Young Gu Kwan, Republic of Korea Navy. Lieutenant Commander Matthew J. Maloney, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Saleh Al-Adwani, Kuwait Naval Force. Lieutenant Colonel David J. Martinson, U.S. Air Force. Commander Miguel Guerrero, Mexican Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Lynn E. McDonald, U.S. Air Force. Major Faisal Zeknini, Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Captain Carolyn Ruth McGee, U.S. Navy, Nurse Corps. Lieutenant Commander Anders Lyeback, Royal Norwegian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Sean McKay, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Hassan Tabouk, Royal Navy of Oman. Commander Jason Douglas Monarchic, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Rashid Al-Kamshui, Royal Navy of Oman. Mr. William P. Matheny, III, Defense Senior Leadership Development Program. Lieutenant Commander Shazad Akbar, Pakistan Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Joel M. Milton, U.S. Air Force Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Abder Raymond Powell, Pakistan Navy. Mr. Andrew B. Mitchell, Department of State. Lieutenant Commander Lukasz Bogaszewski, Polish Navy. Mr. Mark David Moody, Department of State, with distinction. Lieutenant Lucian Korea, Roman Naval Forces. Colonel Patrick J. Mullen, U.S. Army. Commander Mohammed Al-Waghdani, Royal Saudi Naval Forces. Lieutenant Colonel Andrew M. Nebel, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Anguyay Sugofara, Senegal Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth L. North, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Abdul Dumbuha, Syrian Leon Navy. Commander Albert M. Orgain, U.S. Navy. Major Sean Watt, Republic of Singapore Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Michael F. Papel, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Shanaka, Giant Illaka, Sri Lanka Navy. Commander Raphael Perez, Jr., U.S. Navy. Major Patrick Dovskog, Swedish Navy. Mr. William J. Phillips, National Security Agency. Lieutenant Commander Cheekwo Chuck Lee, Taiwan Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Andrew T. Priti, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Commander Premsak Doomba, Royal Thai Navy. Commander Kirsten M. Priti, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Sinan Buyabid, Tunisian Navy. Colonel Mark D. Raschke, U.S. Army, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Ilkay Arsanoglu, Turkish Navy. Mr. Charles M. Raymond. Lieutenant Colonel Seneed Al-Shihi, United Arab Emirates. Lieutenant Colonel Philip James Raymond, U.S. Army, highest distinction. Commander Oleski Neserov, Ukrainian Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Paul D. Romanjoli, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Laura Bollinger, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander David Mark Rosell, U.S. Army, Supply Corps. Major Matt Kukla, United States Army. Lieutenant Colonel Samuel J. Sane, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Andrew Mariner, United States Navy. Mr. Jonathan Andrews Schools, Department of State. Lieutenant Luang Truyong Vinh, Vietnam People's Navy. Colonel David G. Sink, U.S. Army. Major Galal Al-Batal, Yemen Coast Guard. Mr. Gregory T. Cissan, Defense Senior Leadership Development Program. Major Saif Al-Odibe, Yemeni Naval and Coast Guard Defense Force. Lieutenant Colonel John P. Smael, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Spencer P. Austin, United States Navy. Colonel Christian E. Smith, U.S. Army, with distinction. From the College of Naval Command and Staff, Major Jason Barda, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Commander Jonathan A. Staley, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Stephen Austin, United States Navy. Visit Teresa L. Steele, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. Major Bridget Beemis, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Michael S. Stiscoll, U.S. Marine Corps. Major Christian Miles Bergfault, U.S. Air Force, with high distinction. Lieutenant Colonel John P. Sullivan, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Major James Brogan, United States Army. Lieutenant Colonel Dustin G. Sutton, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Miguel Cantu Sr., United States Navy. Commander Gregory P. Tullapa, U.S. Coast Guard. Major Benjamin Carroll, United States Air Force. Lieutenant Colonel Michael S. Tyson, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Commander John Saganovich, United States Navy. Commander Darryl J. Wesley, U.S. Navy, Chaplain Corps. Commander Brian Corbin, United States Army. Lieutenant Colonel David M. Wilcox, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Michael Gala, United States Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Dean E. Zizius, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Paul Gibson, United States Navy. Colonel Matthew C. Zimmerman, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Terry Gigsby, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander David M. Aliburte, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Peter Francis Harrington, Jr., United States Navy. Major Elizabeth Francis Allen, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Michael Heldzel, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Ronald E. Allen, U.S. Navy. Major Christina Renee Henry, United States Marine Corps. Major Adam D. Antonini, U.S. Army, highest distinction. Lieutenant Commander Wilbur Hines, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander Keith Archibald, U.S. Navy. Major Joshua Holmes, United States Air Force. Major Brent R. Bach, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Major Felicia Joyner, United States Army. Mr. Steven C. Barlow, Department of State, highest distinction. Major Clinton Kulman, United States Army. Lieutenant Commander Andrew Kenneth Barnett, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Alexander Lane, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander David Quinton Boyer, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Allen McKay, United States Coast Guard. Major Melvin I. Baylon, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Barry McConnell, United States Navy. Major Gilbert B. Bassana, Air National Guard. Lieutenant Commander Wolf Melborn, United States Navy, with distinction. Mr. Christopher R. Blunt, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. Lieutenant Commander John Napolitano, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander Daniel W. Brown, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Christopher Nelson, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander William R. Butler, U.S. Naval, Civil Engineering Corps. Major Michael Olson, United States Army. Major Corey T. Callison, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Commander James Prosak, United States Navy, with distinction. Major Christopher Lee Carpenter, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Matthew Ray Bird, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander James C. Cattoline, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Christopher Michael Sageen, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander Thomas E. Clarity, U.S. Navy, highest distinction. Lieutenant Commander John Paul Tamez, United States Navy. Major William J. Clayton III, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Michael Thompson, United States Navy. Major Jenny A. Colgate, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Commander Todd Thompson, United States Navy. Major Kevin J. Conant, U.S. Marine Corps. Major Anima Utak, United States Marine Corps. Major Craig Steven Kotner, U.S. Army, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Robert Wheat, United States Navy, highest distinction. Major Kevin A. Crespo, U.S. Marine Corps. Major Brian Weirman, United States Marine Corps Reserve. Major Matthew T. Daniel, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. From the College of Distance Education, Commander Christopher T. LaKiki, United States Navy Reserve. Major Thomas C. Darrow, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Eric Bertner Apt, United States Navy. Lieutenant Carlos M. Diaz, U.S. Navy, supply corps. Lieutenant Commander Michael F. D'Angelo, United States Navy Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Robert Durga, U.S. Navy, with distinction. Commander Joseph A. Elkannon, United States Navy Reserve. Mr. Avin J. Downey, Department of State. Lieutenant James M. Flaherty, United States Navy Reserve. Major Lauren S. Edwards, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Michael J. Gregory, MSC, United States Navy. Mr. Michael D. Ellis, Special Operations Command. Lieutenant Colonel Carol V. Herritzoff, United States Army Reserve. Major Alexander X. Espinoza, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Damon C. McCuller, United States Navy. Major Robert L. Eyman, U.S. Army. Commander Elvis T. Michael, United States Navy. Major Edward G. Ferguson, U.S. Air Force. Mr. Packard J. Mills, U.S. Army, Europe, Germany. Major Christopher A. Frenangle, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Commander Thomas M. Moskall, Civil Engineering Corps, United States Navy, graduating with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Christopher E. Ferrara, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Michael L. Peters, United States Navy Reserve. Lieutenant Eric S. Figueroa, U.S. Navy. Commander Gary B. Fotakis, United States Navy Reserve. Major Gregory D. Finn, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Aaron B. Potter, United States Coast Guard. Mr. Joseph J. Fitzgerald, Department of State, with distinction. Graduating with distinction, Captain Jaime A. Quejada, United States Navy Reserve. Major Arturo E. Flores, U.S. Army. Mr. Todd J. Travers, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, Rhode Island. Major Stephen S. Fox, U.S. Army. Mr. Edward Lamarco Walter, Jr., United States Army Material Command, Huntsville, Alabama. Major William P. Frederick, U.S. Army. Graduating with distinction, Lieutenant Daniel M. Wiltshire, United States Coast Guard. Major Jonathan T. Frederick, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Andre Agraviador, United States Navy. Major Andrew Garcia IV, U.S. Army. Graduating with distinction, Lieutenant Commander Edward W. Alstrand, United States Coast Guard. Major Michael R. Graham, U.S. Marine Corps. Mr. Robert M. Angelini, Jr., United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Mr. James A. Griffin, Special Operations Command. Commander Manuel A. Biadog, Jr., Chaplain Corps, United States Navy. Lieutenant Colonel John M. Hale, U.S. Air Force, highest distinction. Lieutenant Commander Ruben Blochstein, United States Navy. Major Christopher J. C. Hollows, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Prince O. Boateng, United States Navy Reserve. Major Christopher M. Hansen, U.S. Air Force. Mr. Christopher J. Bonanno, United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., graduating with highest distinction. Lieutenant Commander Barnett L. Harris, II, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Kenneth P. Butram, Jr., United States Navy. Major Jason E. Hernandez, U.S. Marine Corps. Commander Michael T. Cantwell, United States Navy Reserve. Major Nathan J. Hippie, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Victoria A. Chapel, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy. Major Michael F. I. Newchilly, U.S. Army, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Kerry B. Chase, United States Navy Reserve. Major Kevin Thomas Ike, U.S. Army. Graduating with highest distinction, Mr. James A. Chat, III, United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Major Christopher A. Issquaredo, U.S. Army. Mr. Robert J. Cogan, Jr., United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Major Stanley Burt Johnson IV, U.S. Army. Mr. Edward L. Collins, Foreign Service, United States Department of State. Lieutenant Commander William Randall Johnson, U.S. Navy. Mr. Peter A. Crosby, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, graduating with distinction. Major Neva M. Jones, U.S. Air Force, highest distinction. Captain Neil A. Daboul, United States Navy Reserve. Major James J. Judge, U.S. Army. Mr. Stephen B. Davis, United States Congress, Washington, D.C. Lieutenant Commander Gregory C. Keeney, U.S. Navy. Major Eric F. D. Freitas, United States Army. Major Christopher A. Kennedy, U.S. Air Force. Lieutenant Commander Matthew T. Driskill, United States Navy. Major Christopher G. Cowan, U.S. Air Force. Mr. Warris Durr, Department of Defense, Fort Meade, Maryland. Lieutenant Commander Sean S. Keto, U.S. Navy. Mr. Calvin L. Fox, Norfolk Ship Support Activity, Norfolk, Virginia. Commander Cassie A. Kitchen, U.S. Coast Guard. Commander Charles L. Galloway, United States Strategic Command. Major Michael A. LaPorte, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Kathleen M. Gilpin, United States Navy Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Jason A. Lauder, U.S. Navy. Ms. Rebecca Bean Gottfried, Office of the Director of Naval Intelligence, McLean, Virginia. Major Alexander B. Lasatyn, U.S. Army. Graduating with distinction, Lieutenant Commander Marcella A. Grandquist, United States Coast Guard. Major Tasha N. Lowry, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Blair R. Greenlaw, United States Navy Reserve. Major Charles W. Mose, the Third, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Jonathan M. Griffin, United States Navy. Major Ilan Pan Maxwell, U.S. Army. Ms. Charlene G. Hansen, Human Resources Director, United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. Major Bradley M. May, U.S. Army. Graduating with distinction, Commander John E. Hannes, United States Navy Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Greg May, U.S. Coast Guard. Lieutenant Tracy Harp, Judge Advocate General Corps, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander John N. McTammy, the Fourth, U.S. Coast Guard. Graduating with distinction, Lieutenant Erica Helbling, United States Navy. Major John J. Miriam, U.S. Army, highest distinction and number one in his class, College of Naval Command and Staff. Graduating with distinction, Mr. James A. Holcomb, United States Secret Service, Washington, D.C. Major Adam E. Moore, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Stephen P. Hosby, United States Navy Reserve. Major Matthew W. Moore, U.S. Army. Mr. Alexander J. Hutkin, United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Lieutenant Commander Wilfredo Morales, U.S. Navy, Medical Service Corps. Mrs. Elizabeth C. Ift, Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Major Donald R. Neal, Jr., U.S. Army. Mr. John R. Juquery, United States Congress, Washington, D.C. Major Samuel J. Nirenberg, U.S. Army. Graduating with highest distinction, Captain C. J. Cobb, United States Navy. Major Stephen R. O'Bannon, U.S. Air Force. Mr. Michael J. Lutkenhouse, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. Major Ethan A. Oberding, U.S. Army, with distinction. Mr. Thomas C. Mayfield, United States Secret Service, Washington, D.C. Lieutenant Rebecca Oldfield Frey, U.S. Navy, Judge Advocate General Corps. Mr. Ian P. McGrath, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, graduating with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Philbert C. Pabalon, U.S. Coast Guard. Lieutenant Abbey K. Menorich, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander Scott D. Palumbo, U.S. Navy. Commander Donald E. Miserve, United States Navy Reserve. Major Katrina D. Patillo, U.S. Marine Corps. Lieutenant Commander Brian C. Morgan, United States Navy. Mr. Douglas F. Patrick, Department of State, with distinction. Graduating with distinction, Lieutenant Commander Stephanie A. Morrison, United States Coast Guard. Major Thomas V. Petrini, Jr., U.S. Army. Ms. Kayla L. Monroe, United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Lieutenant Commander Karen Richmond, U.S. Navy, Judge Advocate General Corps. Mrs. Jennifer R. Myers, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D.C. Lieutenant Commander John L. Rendazzo, U.S. Navy. Graduating with distinction, Mr. Timothy C. Nailen, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dallas, Texas. Major Edwin Ruckwart, U.S. Air Force. Captain Ralph J. Ortolano, Jr., United States Navy Reserve. Major Ramon Antonio Ruiz, Jr., U.S. Army. Graduating with highest distinction, Major Nathan Packard, United States Marine Corps Reserve. Major Lamont C. Russell, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Fernando Patron, Jr., Medical Service Corps, United States Navy. Major Kenneth K. Rosman, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Mr. Joshua Reiter, Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Major Kevin M. Ryan, U.S. Marine Corps. Mr. Mark A. Ricchio, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia. Lieutenant Commander Stig Sanis, U.S. Navy, highest distinction. Lieutenant Richard R. Rivas, United States Navy. Major Michael W. Server, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Ryan T. Roach, United States Navy Reserve. Major Adam W. Shelton, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Commander Donald A. Ross, United States Navy Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Jonathan C. Shepherd, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Thomas M. Ryan, United States Navy Reserve. Miss Angela Marie Silcato, Defense Intelligence Agency. Lieutenant Robert H. Schaefer, the 5th United States Navy Reserve. Major Joshua M. Smith, U.S. Marine Corps, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Philip T. Simpson, United States Navy Reserve. Major Marty T. Smith, U.S. Air Force, with distinction. Major Timothy M. Thierman, United States Marine Corps. Major Scott D. Snyder, U.S. Army. Captain William M. Tomasic, Jr., United States Marine Corps. Lieutenant Commander David L. Sova, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Timothy F. Tuck, United States Navy Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Travis K. Suggs, U.S. Navy, with distinction. Graduating with highest distinction, Miss Rebecca G. Ulrich, United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Major Christopher J. Terry, U.S. Air Force. Graduating with highest distinction, Captain David D. Van Dam, United States Marine Corps. Major Ilya K. Thomas, U.S. Air Force. Commander Christopher A. Weech, United States Navy. Lieutenant Commander Corey T. Thornton, U.S. Navy, Chaplain Corps. Mr. Brian M. Wheelock, Department of Defense, Forced Mead, Maryland. Major Jerry M. Tilly, U.S. Army. Jeremy M. Tilly, U.S. Army. Graduating with distinction, Lieutenant Colonel Jerry D. Wilson, Jr., United States Army Reserve. Lieutenant Commander Christopher K. Tuggle, U.S. Navy. Mr. Matthew P. Zents, Commander Naval Air Force Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. Major Matthew Robert Van Gilder, U.S. Army. Major Dwayne LaShawn Wade, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Brian P. Walsh, U.S. Navy, with distinction. Lieutenant Commander Raymond C. Yao, U.S. Navy, Supply Corps. Lieutenant Commander Arthur L. Wiggins, Jr., U.S. Navy, Chaplain Corps. Mr. Waylon W. L. Long, Defense Intelligence Agency. Major Christopher C. Wurz, U.S. Army. Lieutenant Commander Richard M. Yeatman, U.S. Navy. Lieutenant Commander Mark E. Yedlowski, U.S. Navy. Bremer Carter will now deliver the final charge to the students. OK. Well, we know we're getting out there. Even the kids are getting tired. So the day is moving along. But we are in the home stretch here. First of all, I want to say a special thank you to Admiral Richardson for your very thoughtful and inspirational words to our students. Everything that you did for our United States Navy has been an inspiration to them. And thank you for putting that into them as they move on. It's now my honor to offer just a few words as we bring this graduation to a close. To our graduates, each of you departs this college, more knowledgeable about your honored profession, more in tune with both the responsibilities and rewards of selfless service to your nation, and intellectually refreshed to address the many challenges of tomorrow. I ask that each and every one of you follow your own ethical compass, a compass that should stay calibrated, and ensure that those who work for you, as well as those who work with you, give the proper level of dignity and respect to every individual they encounter. I have to tell you, I really do believe this class is special. You've studied here at a time when the value of the war college education is ever increasingly seen as a must have. I've heard this from fleet commanders, combatant commanders, and leaders at the highest levels within the Department of Defense and other related organizations. You are part of a highly sought talent pool, and I encourage you to grasp the opportunities that will no doubt come your way. To our international graduates, you now wear a visible symbol of your scholarly achievement, a naval war college emblem on your uniform for the remember of your reminder of your illustrious career. I was honored to present the Naval War College badge to each Naval Command College and Naval Staff College graduate earlier this week, and it was an emotional ceremony. And I was so proud to see you come up, each and every one of you, with your badge on your uniforms today. There is no equivalent device on the uniforms and business suits of our American graduates. Instead, you will stand out for the rest of your careers on the basis of your increased knowledge of world affairs, your improved skills as a communicator, and your enhanced skills as a critical thinker. To the families and colleagues, thank you for supporting your graduates as they participated in the intellectual journey that brought them here today. Your love, encouragement, and devotion helped them maintain a proper balance between mind, body, and spirit. And to our superb college faculty and staff, today you once again witness the results of your intense labors here at the finest institution dedicated to the study of war in the world. I've gotten to know so many of you well this year, and I've learned that noted American philosopher Abraham Heskel was absolutely correct when he stated, everything depends on the person who stands in front of the classroom. The teacher is not an automatic fountain from which the intellectual beverages may be obtained. To guide a pupil into the Promised Land, the teacher must have been there himself. Well, I can testify that our entire distinguished faculty has been to the intellectual and operational Promised Land, and they were exceedingly well qualified to lead these graduates on their voyage of discovery. And they stand ready to welcome the inbound group of warrior scholars who will report aboard in the coming months. I am your 54th president of this great college, and I wanted to share just a few thoughts from some of the impressive predecessors about the importance of the experience you're bringing to a close today. In 1885, our founding president, Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce, noted, attendance here will serve to broaden an officer's views, extend his mental horizon on the national and international questions, and give him an appreciation of the great variety and extent of the requirements of his or her profession. In 1946, the Hero of the Battle of Midway, Admiral Raymond Spruance reflected on the value of unfettered creativity when he noted, if imagination tempered and guided by the common sense and reason is the scarce and valuable quality, which I believe it to be, it behooves us to recognize the individuals who possess the disciplined imagination to encourage and make full use of them. The Naval War College advocates no dogma, nor doctrine, nor any set of rules by which campaigns can be conducted or battles won. There are no such rules, but it can and does endeavor to show that there are certain fundamentals, the understanding of which assists a commander in the orderly thinking and planning that are necessary to solve a military problem. In the early 70s, Vice Admiral Stanzfield Turner, who substantially reinvented this college, and what we now know as the Turner Revolution, spoke about the need for flexible thinking. In order to deal effectively with the protean conditions of war and peace, an officer must possess a negative capability, whereby he can abandon his prejudices at will and look upon the problems confronting him with an eye forever new. In a 1979 Medal of Honor recipient and ethical giant, Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale, saw his task as president here in the following terms. I think of the academic year as an intellectual and philosophical pit stop that should give the military officers a fresh positive frame of mind as they glance down the track at the second half of their careers. This is where the creativity and measured outlook gained during the war college experience realized utility. We try to build the self-confidence our students will need to fashion that most important and productive part of their career around their individual strengths. We see our job as boosting you to a tall ship and hope that in the process, we may help you find a star to steer her by. I think my predecessor certainly had it right. It's certainly for their time. And as you think about those comments, they even ring true today. And if Vice Admiral Turner guided us through the Naval War College Revolution of the early 70s, then I submit that we have journeyed together through a Naval War College evolution here in 2014. For my own personal philosophy during my time here, I shared three words with you when I got here that were the bedrock for my vision for this great institution. Respect, protect, and promote. During my tenure and as it comes to a close here, I wanted to just give you a couple of quick bullets that I think were relevant during our time here and will continue to be relevant in the years ahead. We must have respect for one another as individuals for the ideas and concepts expressed by our colleagues and fellow citizens in our sacred traditions that form the basis for the profession of arms. We must protect our honor, our integrity, and the freedom of the citizens we are sworn to defend. And we must also protect the opportunity for creative and innovative thinkers to bring forth the new ideas that will help shape our college futures. And we must strive to protect and retain our world-class faculty right here in Newport, Rhode Island. And finally, we must promote an understanding of the inestimable value of reading, writing, and spirited discourse, a commitment to lifelong learning in a reverence for the power of an intellectually curious mind. Respect, protect, and promote. Words I believe by which we can all still and should live. To our newest graduates, congratulations. Godspeed and I wish each and every one of you fair winds and following seas. Thank you all very, very much. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now sing together the service songs of our nation's armed forces. The words for each song can be found at the back of your programs. We'll ask that each military and civilian service member, veterans and family members, please stand as their service song is sung. Please then remain standing until completion of all service songs. We'll captain Norris, senior Coast Guard advisor, and all Coast Guard veterans, staff, faculty, students, and their families, please rise. Okay, Coast Guard remain standing.  Coast Guard and Marine, please remain standing. We'll Colonel Hawn, senior Air Force advisor, and all Air Force veteran staff, faculty, students, and their families, please rise. We'll Colonel Borg, senior Army advisor, And all Army, Veterans, Staff, faculty and students and their families, please rise. Admiral Richardson, Director, Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program and all Navy, Veterans, Staff, faculty and students and their families, please rise. Chaplain Douglas E. Rosander, Naval War College Chaplain will deliver the benediction. Please remain standing. Let us pray. Eternal God, for these men and women, a rigorous and challenging academic year is now at a close. But their voyage continues. As they go from here, serving on land, sea, may their knowledge, skills, wisdom and friendships be fully utilized in maintaining and spreading peace and security. Enable them with honor, courage and commitment in all things, and protect them as they serve. And we also ask that you watch over those who serve today in harm's way. Be near to their families and loved ones and to those recovering from the effects of war. Now bless these men and women as they go forth to do great things. Thank you for the service they've rendered to their nations. Please be with them and their families as they depart for new destinations and challenges. By your grace. Amen. All military personnel, please cover. Please remain standing for the departure of the official party and dignitaries.