Vice president pence thank you. Vice admiral carter, acting , admiral stapley richardson, general walsh, all the members of the faculty, the brigade of midshipmen, to all the family and friends who traveled near and far to join in this special moment, and congratulations to the newest officers in the United States navy and marine corps, the Naval Academy class of 2017. It is an honor to be with you all. [applause] today, itdent pence is my great privilege to bring you congratulations and also to offer you the congratulations of , thecommanderinchief 45th president of the United States of america, President Donald Trump. [applause] Vice President pence i must tell you, standing before all of you extraordinary Young Americans, is deeply extraordinary Young Americans is deeply homeland for me, something to be here in the midst of fleet week with these men andinary young women of the class of 2017. Yours is already a class of distinction. You already distinguished yourselves the day you made the on the uniform of the United States of america and follow the path of service to this great country, and we honor you for it. The 1053 minute women men and women before me, you are americas very best. In a few moments, 760 of you will be commissioned as officers in Surface Warfare and silent service been me the waves of the world. Yours will continue training in the marine corps, and i understand that two of you will leave her as officers in the air worse. In the air force. [cheers] Vice President pence apparently well represented here. [laughter] Vice President pence know that your commanderinchief is proud every, and so am i and american is grateful for you standing tall and stepping forward to serve our nation and protect our people. Before i go though, any further, i would like to add my voice. Those who also stepped forward. They did not leave here into service. They left ear into eternity. And we remember them today honor them as much as all of you when they step forward to serve this country. [reading names] they were men of honor who stepped forward to serve with distinction and i know the class of 2017 and america will never forget them and their families are on our hearts this day. Of pride anda day celebrations. Not only for all of you in uniform before me, but those who saw you through it. Professors, your your commanding officers, and especially your families. And speaking of which, im grateful to be joined today by my commanding officer. Would you mind welcoming the second lady of the United States of america, who was a marine corps mom . Karen pence is with us today. [applause] Vice President pence as the proud parents of a First Lieutenant in the marine corps, my wife and i know firsthand that the commissioning of an officer in the United States armed forces is a deeply moving moment for loved ones. The people who believed in you, who believed long ago you could make it here. Who believed even on sundays when you didnt that you would make it to this day. They supported you, i encouraged you. They prayed you through. So before we go one step further, class of 2017, why dont you break protocol little bit, stand up, turn around, cash eye of one of your loved ones in the hand and show in the stands and show them just how thankful you are for all the years of love and support that brought you to this day. [applause] Vice President pence and before i forget to all the midshipmen who are here today, the whole cell phone thing in that last deal, your minor conduct offenses are completely forgiven. [laughter] [applause] Vice President pence today marks the end of four years of training at the United States forgiven. Naval academy and the commencement of a voyage that will take you into uncharted waters. But make no mistake, i have no doubt that you are ready to leave. The training and education you received here is prepared you well to face the challenges that lie ahead, because today, you graduate from an incomparable institution. His remarkable thing that for more than 170 years, children of liberty have come to the United StatesNaval Academy to pursue a life of service and sacrifice. In these halls, on these fields, and by this bay, midshipmen have been molded morally, mentally, and physically, and imbued with the highest ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty. They, like you, departed this place and distinguish themselves in every era, as officers in the United States navy and in the United States marine corps. Today, when the boards and bars are placed on your shoulder, you will become the nest the next link in a chain that stretches back unbroken into the midst of into the mists of american history. The links before you were forged be like euros, from john paul jones, stephen decatur, bull halsey, tim stockdale, and michael murphy. Because of them, and through the bravery of all who call themselves marines and sailors in our nations history, americas freedom endures to this very day. And we honor all who have gone before you. [applause] but now its your turn to assume but now its your turn to assume the watch. Remember its not just america , that your predecessors protected. Think today of what the world owes the United States navy and marine corps. Here at the Navy Marine Corps stadium, the stands are emblazoned top to bottom with the names of lands and seas that were consecrated by the sacrifice of american marines. I see belleau wood. I see the battle of the atlantic, and the many battles of the pacific, the coral sea, midway, when the navy rolled back the tide of tyranny that had engulfed so much of the asian pacific. I see inchon in korean and vietnam, i see iraq and afghanistan, to where this very day, at this very hour, your brothers and sisters in arms stand strong and courageous in defense of liberty in the global war on terror. In between the places engraved on the stands, i see all the navy and marine corps have done and continue to do, day in and day out to foster peace and prosperity on the seven seas. To defend the defenseless and distant lands to keep the shores of america safe from all who would dare threaten us. The truth is that today you will become leaders in the worlds greatest force for good, the armed forces of the United States of america. [applause] Vice President pence all of you who do so where patriots. Heroes all. You are the pride of your family and the pride of the American People. Its not an american across this country would like to have the view i have today. Its very inspiring. You are from the rest of us, but you are the best of us. And you will leave this place and enter a world in desperate need of the honor, courage, and commitment that defines the leadership that you learned here. A few words of admonition. Trust your training and the principles you learned here. And you will have success. In your career, and for your country. Remember that character is destiny. Be men and women of integrity. People follow people they trust. I truly believe that among the most important qualities of leadership, whether it is in the armed forces or any other endeavor, our humility, orientation to authority, and selfcontrol. And i encourage you to cultivate these qualities as leaders in increasing measure every day from this day forward. With humility, consider others to be more important than yourselves. To the servant leaders. Approach every challenge as a learner and a listener first. In multiple counselors there is wisdom and the best decisions by the best leaders come from counsel and collaboration. Next is orientation to authority. Nothing i have to explain to those of you sitting before me today. Follow the chain of command without exception. Submit yourselves as the saying goes to the authorities that have been placed above you. Trust your superiors, trust your orders. And you will serve and lead well. And lastly, as arduous as it has been, the physical training in this place, i encourage you to continue to practice the discipline of selfcontrol. Theres old proverb that says lakey city whose walls are like a city whose walls are broken down, is a man who lacks selfcontrol. I truly believe that commanding others first begins being able to command yourself. Discipline is the foundation of leadership. Integrity, humility, orientation to authority, and selfcontrol. That is my admonition to you today. I truly believe that if you that as you that as you pursue these qualities of character, you will lead with distinction. And as you have done until this moment in your life, you will prove yourselves worthy of the trust that your commanderinchief is placing in you today. To be faithful defenders of our nation and our way of life. As you prepare to assume your duties, i want to say to new officers and your families, President Donald Trump is the best friend the armed forces of the United States will ever have. [applause] Vice President pence i will make you a promise. No matter where you are called to serve, no matter what the mission, this commanderinchief will always have your back. [applause] Vice President pense and to the families who are gathered here today, and all these rising officers, i say President Donald Trump and i will not rest, we will not relent until we have rebuilt our military, restore the arsenal of democracy, and ensure that our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and , coast guard will have all the resources you need to accomplish your mission and come home safe. That is our pledge to each of you. [applause] Vice President pence earlier this month, President Trump signed a 21 billion increase in funding for our armed forces, the largest investment in military readiness in nearly a decade. Earlier this week, and his very first budget, your commanderinchief laid out one of the largest increases in defense spending since the days of president ronald reagan. Let me be clear. The era of budget cuts of the armed forces of the United States is over. [applause] Vice President pence the president s budget increases funding for National Defense by 54 billion, provides more than 56,000 new Service Members and begins to rebuild our navy with eight new Battle Force Ships headed for the sea. President trump is working with the congress to make the strongest fighting force in history stronger still. And with renewed american strength, your commanderinchief is once again reaffirming americas role as leader of the free world. While we must always work and hope and pray for peace, the best way to ensure peace is for our adversaries and our enemies to know that america is prepared to lead and fight and win any contest, any struggle, anywhere on behalf of freedom. [applause] Vice President pence now you, the class of 2017 will be instruments of american policy. Today you leave the brigade of midshipmen to join the vanguard of freedom. Your mission is more important now than ever. The mission of the United States navy is multifaceted. You prevent the outbreak of major war and uphold peace and security around the globe. That is part of what the navy does. You keep open pathways of prosperity from the straits of hormuz to the south china sea, or just yesterday, one of our ships conducted freedom of navigation operations, reminding the world American Leadership looks like, also with the navy does. And you do what men and women in the navy have always done, you bear the burdens of your duty with honor, courage, and commitment as the unbreakable backbone of american freedom. Thats what the navy does, and that is now what all of you will do from this day forward. And soon to be commissioned officers in the United States navy and marine corps all of you , from this day forward are called to be leaders. Always remember that you follow the wake of heroes who have done just that. You can banish any doubt by thinking of those who have gone before, and the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us today. Not just in the stands, but beyond. When i think of those who have gone before, i think of just a half century ago, a young man from alabama did just what you did. He answered the call to put on the uniform and he was sitting right where you are sitting. He graduated from the United StatesNaval Academy in 1967 and not too long after that, he sailed across the pacific and joined the fight for freedom in the jungles of vietnam. One day, assigned it to a small boat unit, he was working with his team to extract a group of navy seals from behind enemy lines when his boat was ambushed. He was thrown overboard and wounded by shrapnel, but still found within himself the strength and courage to swim back to his nearly empty boat and provide cover fire for his brothers. Despite his own injuries, he personally attended to the wounded. He refused medical assistance until all his brothers in arms have been treated. He was awarded the silver star for his fearless bravery and leadership under fire. 50 years ago, he was sitting right where you are sitting today. He went on from that moment to serve with distinction, fleet forces commander, when he retired in 2003 he had risen to the rank of a fourstar admiral. That young man from that small town is with us today. Join me in welcoming admiral robert matter of the class of 1967, who joins us here today. [applause] Vice President pence we salute you, sir, and all the members of the class of 1967 that are here. To the members of the Naval Academy class of 2017, i say to all of you, what do you want to be thinking when you are sitting here 50 years from now . Because we will tell you it will come a lot quicker than you think. I know in my heart you want to be every bit as heroic and defined as leaders as those who have gone before. Anyone of the members of the class of 1967 who are here. My challenge to all of you today is write your own story, right now. In your mind. See it and go live it. Write a historic story of service and selflessness and leadership in the make it happen. Many people wonder all are lies lives if they made a different. As future leaders of the United States navy and marine corps, you will never have that problem. Your lives will make a world of difference and do a world of good. So members of the United States , Naval Academy class of 2017, this is your day. And as you prepare to leave the special place, i urge you to make the principles and precepts youve learned here the anchor of your life. Carry examples you saw in your peers, your professors, your commanding officers. The worthy, never settled. Act every day not herself, but for country. I challenge you to uphold the highest standards of honor and duty of officers of the United States navy and marine corps, to be leaders in the mold of those that come before like admiral natter and others whose weight wake you follow. Above all else, i say to you, have faith. Leave here today with the confidence that the American People are behind you. From your commanderinchief on down, they support you and are proud of you. And also, if you are of a mind, have faith that he who planted this miracle of democracy on these wilderness shores, and has seen her through every trial and has seen you through the challenges of the last four years will never leave you and never for sake you. Never forsake you. And no matter where your path may lead, he will always be there to calm the storm and guide your home. Thank you for the honor to be with you today. Bravo zulu to the class of 2017. May god bless you with fair winds and following seas, not that and the marines, and god bless the United States of america. [applause] we have another address of the class of 2017 students. The Washington Post said affiliates told harvard law students at her time has acting attorney general was supposed to be a noninitial