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1252272
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4/3/75 - U.S. Naval Training Center Dinner, San Diego, California
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1252272
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document
title
4/3/75 - U.S. Naval Training Center Dinner, San Diego, California
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Speeches, addresses, etc.
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1252272
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3
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1975-04-03
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4
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1975
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3
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1975-04-03
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4
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 7, folder "4/3/75 - U.S. Naval Training Center
Dinner, San Diego, California" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading
Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 7 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN d.g.
U.S. NAVAL TRAINING CENTER DINNER
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1975
- 1 -
IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT --
FOR MANY REASONS.
FOR INSTANCE, IN WASHINGTON WE HAVE
THE HEADQUARTERS OF OUR TWO GREAT POLITICAL PARTIES.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT HERE AT THE U.S. NAVAL TRAINING CENTER,
YOU'VE ORGANIZED A THIRD PARTY
THE MARCHING PARTY.
- la -
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK TOO MUCH OF THIRD
PARTIES -- so BY VIRTUE OF THE POWERS INVESTED IN ME AS
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF,
\
I
HEREBY ORDER THE MARCHING PARTY FOR
TONIGHT TO BE CANCELLED
AND IN ADDITION, ALL SHORT TOURS FOR
TOMORROW TO BE CANCELLED AS WELL!
- 2 -
LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME AND FOR
SHARING THIS TOTALLY ENJOYABLE SUPPER WITH ME.
I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE, WHEN I WAS IN THE NAVY, WE HAD
RATHER PLAIN, SIMPLE FOOD.
- 2a -
I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT HAS CHANGED.
THAT ALMOST EVERY
NIGHT HERE YOU HAVE SOME RARE AND SUMPTUOUS DISH.
GOURMET DELICACIES WITH STRANGE EXOTIC NAMES LIKE --
"THE MYSTERY MEAT"
OR "SEAGULL AND JELLO"!
- 3 -
WELL, I THINK THE FOOD TONIGHT WAS JUST GREAT AND
I THANK ALL THE COOKS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED THEIR SKILLS TO
MAKING IT GREAT -- AND PARTICULARLY FIRST CLASS PETTY OFFICER
GUY JOHNSON AND THIRD CLASS PETTY OFFICER CYNTHIA SWEIGART
FOR BAKING THIS FABULOUS CAKE.
- 4 -
AND IN ANOTHER AREA, LET ME ALSO CONGRATULATE
028
THE MEMBERS OF COMPANY ZERO-TWO-EIGHT ON THEIR WINNING
THE BRIGADE EFFICIENCY AWARD.
I AM TOLD THIS IS ONLY
THE SECOND TIME THE AWARD HAS BEEN GIVEN THIS YEAR AND IT
WAS A GREAT PLEASURE TO SIT WITH AND TALK TO THE MEMBERS
OF THIS OUTSTANDING COMPANY.
- 5 -
I WELCOME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY --
TO SEE FIRST HAND THE DEMONSTRATED QUALITY OF THE TRAINING AND
INSTRUCTION YOU ARE RECEIVING.
IN A FAST CHANGING WORLD,
YOU ARE KEEPING PACE WITH THE DEMANDS OF CHANGE.
- 6 -
THE ROLE OF OUR PEACETIME NAVY TODAY IS MORE
COMPLEX AND MORE CHALLENGING THAN EVER IN THE PAST.
YOU MUST ALWAYS BE READY FOR WAR, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A
WIDE RANGE OF IMPORTANT PEACETIME DUTIES TO PERFORM --
DUTIES THAT REQUIRE SKILL,
DISCIPLINE,
TRAINING AND EVEN
DIPLOMACY.
- 7 -
THE NAVY WILL GIVE YOU THE BEST POSSIBLE TRAINING.
I HOPE EACH OF YOU WILL TAKE GOOD ADVANTAGE OF IT.
BUT THERE IS ONE THING THE NAVY CANNOT GIVE YOU.
IT IS SOMETHING INSIDE -- SOMETHING YOU MUST FEEL AND
EXPRESS ON YOUR OWN.
- 8 -
AND THAT IS THE TIMELESS SENSE OF DUTY,
TEAMWORK
AND PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S
NUCLEAR AGE AS IT WAS TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IN THE DAYS
OF JOHN PAUL JONES.
- 9 -
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT YOUR JOB IS.
I BELIEVE
MOST AMERICANS DO.
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I AM
HERE TONIGHT -- TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE,
AND WHAT YOU WILL DO, IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY.
- - 10 -
WHETHER YOU SERVE AT SEA ON A CARRIER OR ON SHORE
BEHIND A DESK, EACH OF YOU IS A PART OF A GREAT SERVICE
TRADITION.
EACH OF YOU IS ALSO A VITAL LINK IN THE CHAIN
OF OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE.
IN THE NEW VOLUNTEER NAVY,
YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO GO AS HIGH AS YOUR ABILITY AND YOUR
ENERGY WILL TAKE YOU.
- 11 -
so, IN CONGRATULATING YOU FOR COMING THIS FAR,
I ALSO WANT TO URGE EACH OF YOU TO GO FURTHER -- TO TAKE
FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES THE NEW NAVY OFFERS.
- 12 -
IN DOING so, YOU WILL BE HELPING YOURSELF AS WELL
AS SERVING YOUR COUNTRY.
AND AS AN OLD NAVY MAN MYSELF,
YOU HAVE MY PERSONAL BEST WISHES ALL THE WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
END OF TEXT