R 092124Z DEC 98  ZYB MIN ZEL PSN 222007Q13
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVOP
BT
UNCLAS  //N00000//
NAVOP 011/98
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO N00//
SUBJ/THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVICE//
RMKS/1.  I RECENTLY HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS GUEST SPEAKER AT A
CEREMONY IN WHICH VADM LYLE BIEN RETIRED AFTER 31 YEARS OF SERVICE.
IN MY SPEECH, I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF BORROWING WORDS THAT VADM BIEN
HIMSELF USED IN HIS RETIREMENT LETTER.  HIS LETTER WAS REMARKABLE
FOR ITS PLAIN SPOKEN ELOQUENCE ON WHAT SERVICE MEANT TO HIM.  I FELT
IT SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THE ENTIRE NAVY.
2.  VADM BIEN WROTE, "THROUGHOUT MY 31 YEARS AS A SAILOR, I THOUGHT
SOME OF THIS DAY, BUT ONLY SPARINGLY AND ALWAYS IN A WAY THAT AVOIDED
THE CERTAINTY OF IT.  NOW THAT IT IS UPON ME, I'M FINDING THE PAIN TO
BE BEARABLE, BUT FAR GREATER THAN I EVER IMAGINED.  IT HAS
SURPRISINGLY LITTLE TO DO WITH THE 'WHAT WILL I DO' QUESTION.
RATHER, IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH 'HOW WILL I LIVE WITHOUT THEM?'.
PAGE 02 RUENAAA7636 UNCLAS
FOR 31 YEARS, I HAVE FELT PRIVILEGED TO BE A SAILOR AND TO BE COUNTED
AS ONE THEY TRUSTED.  THROUGH BOOT CAMP AND FLIGHT TRAINING, TO HANOI
AND CUBI, TO THE IO AND THE GULF, ON 6 CARRIERS, 11 DEPLOYMENTS, AND
5 TIMES IN COMMAND...ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY, HELD UP BY, AND DEFINED BY
SAILORS.  I SHALL NEVER FORGET THEM AND ALL THAT THEY STAND FOR.
AMERICA IS MORE BLESSED THAN SHE CAN KNOW FOR WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT
THEY DO.  TO ALL WHO LEAD THEM, KNOW THAT YOU HOLD IN YOUR HANDS
AMERICA'S GREATEST TREASURE.  FINALLY, TO THIS GREAT NAVY, I SAY THE
SINCEREST THANK YOU.  FROM A POOR BUT HARD-WORKING SCANDINAVIAN SOUTH
DAKOTA FAMILY, TO A ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE, TO PENSACOLA.  IT SEEMED
LIKE A DREAM THEN, NOW I KNOW IT TO BE A DREAM COME TRUE.  OH, THAT
MORE COULD LIVE THIS WONDERFUL DREAM.  TO ALL WHO SAIL ON, KNOW THAT
YOU DO GOD'S WORK.  IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE
SHORE, THE CHEERING YOU HEAR FROM THERE WILL BE MINE, AND IT
WILL GO ON ALL OF MY DAYS.  FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS."
3.  WE SHOULD ALL TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO REFLECT UPON VADM BIEN'S
HEARTFELT COMMENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE DO.  HIS WORDS GIVE
LIFE TO OUR NAVY CORE VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT.  WE
WERE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HIM AS A SHIPMATE.  ALL THE BEST.
4.  RELEASED BY ADM JAY L. JOHNSON, CNO.//
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