SECNAV's Birthday Message to the Fleet

							SECNAV's Birthday Message to the Fleet
Story Number: NNS071010-02
Release Date: 10/10/2007 6:58:00 AM



From the Honorable Donald C. Winter, Secretary of the Navy

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter, released his birthday
message to the fleet.

Two hundred thirty-two years after the continental congress voted to commission a swift
sailing vessel with ten carriage guns and an appropriate number of swivels, the United States
Navy now reigns supreme as the most powerful Navy in the world. But a Navy is only as good
as the people who train, maintain, and operate the fleet that the nation has built.

It is you, the Sailors and civilians of our Navy, who shoulder the burden and make the
sacrifices that have made this success possible.

The U.S. Navy has an impact on the world that goes beyond what you may realize. From
deterring aggression to protecting sea lanes to projecting power ashore to offering
humanitarian assistance to victims of natural disasters, your work is vital to the security of the
United States.

As those who have volunteered to serve, you put on the uniform everyday and dedicate your
lives to a noble cause. On this 232nd birthday of the United States Navy, take quiet pride in
knowing that your service and your sacrifice will continue to do honor to a great nation.

Thank you for your service and may god bless you, your families, and our nation.