ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE

ROUTINE

R 192025Z JAN 01 ZYB MIN PSN 487388J38

FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//SN//

TO ALNAV

UNCLAS
ALNAV 004/01

MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV//

SUBJ/SECNAV FAREWELL//

RMKS/1.  AFTER TWO YEARS AND TWO MONTHS AS YOUR SECRETARY, MY TERM
COMES TO AN END WHEN, ON JANUARY 20TH, THE NEW PRESIDENT TAKES HIS
OATH OF OFFICE.

2.  DURING THIS TIME, 150,000 SAILORS AND MARINES IN ELEVEN BATTLE
GROUPS AND TEN AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS, AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YOU
IN SMALLER UNITS AND INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS, MADE THE WORLD A BETTER
AND SAFER PLACE. FROM THE SEAS AROUND NORTH KOREA, THROUGH THE
TAIWAN STRAIT, TO REFUGEE OPERATIONS IN EAST TIMOR, TO AIR
OPERATIONS OVER IRAQ AND MARITIME INTERCEPTS IN THE PERSIAN GULF;
FROM AID TO REFUGEES IN TURKEY AND MACEDONIA, TO COMBAT IN AND OVER
KOSOVO; FROM CRISIS RESPONSE IN AFRICA TO COUNTER-DRUG OPERATIONS IN
THE CARIBBEAN, YOU SERVED SUPERBLY. THE ONLY QUESTION FOR THIS
SECRETARY WAS WHETHER I, AND OTHERS IN WASHINGTON, COULD SERVE YOU
AS WELL.

3.  WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS OVER THESE TWO YEARS AND TWO MONTHS.
OUR WATCHWORDS WERE:  "HONOR SAILORS" AND "HONOR MARINES," NOT BY
LIP SERVICE, BUT BY CONCRETE IMPROVEMENTS IN HOW YOU WORK, FIGHT AND
LIVE. FOLLOWING THESE PRECEPTS, WE WON NUMEROUS WASHINGTON BATTLES
TO IMPROVE PAY AND EXPAND RETIREMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS. WE REDUCED
GAPPED BILLETS AT SEA FROM 18,000 TO 6,000, MADE RECRUITING GOALS,
MOVED 2100 MARINE BILLETS FROM SUPPORT TO THE OPERATING FORCES,
INTRODUCED THE NAVY COLLEGE PROGRAM, AND CREATED SMART WORK AND
SMART SHIP TO REDUCE YOUR BURDENS AND IMPROVE YOUR LIVING
CONDITIONS.  WE PAVED THE WAY FOR GREAT IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A MARINE OR SAILOR IN THE 21ST CENTURY. FOR INSTANCE, WE
ESTABLISHED THE BASIS FOR THE SEA-SERVICES OF THE FUTURE BY
INVESTING A THOUSAND TIMES MORE THAN WE HAD PREVIOUSLY IN SHIP
RESEARCH.  AS A RESULT, WE ARE EMBRACING ELECTRIC DRIVE AND NEW
SHIPBOARD ARCHITECTURES IN THE DD 21, MODERNIZING OUR CARRIERS AND
CRUISERS, AND CREATING AN LPD VASTLY SUPERIOR TO EARLIER AMPHIBIOUS
SHIPS.  WE HAVE BROUGHT THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS A LONG WAY FORWARD
IN MODERN INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INCLUDING IT-21 AND THE NAVY MARINE
CORPS INTRANET. WE HAVE CLIMBED A GOOD WAY OUT FROM THE DEEP HOLE OF
SHORTAGES OF AIRCRAFT SPARE PARTS, BROUGHT THE F-18E/F TO LIFE, AND
ARE ON THE VERGE OF DOING THE SAME THING WITH THE V-22 AND THE JOINT
STRIKE FIGHTER.

4.  ABOVE ALL, I HAVE FOUGHT THE "PSYCHOLOGY OF CONSCRIPTION." YOU
ARE NOT LOW-SKILLED, CHEAP LABOR, HERE FOR A SHORT TIME AND READILY
REPLACED BY OTHERS, DRIVEN TO THE MILITARY BY CONSCRIPTION OR BY THE
FEAR OF CONSCRIPTION. TO THE CONTRARY, YOU ARE SKILLED, HIGHLY
TRAINED PROFESSIONALS, WHO ARE, AND MUST BE, COMPETITIVELY PAID. WE
MUST VALUE EVERY SAILOR AND MARINE AS A UNIQUE AND VALUABLE RESOURCE
FOR THE NATION.  WE MUST SUPPORT AND TREAT YOU ACCORDINGLY.

5.  I AM PROUD OF HOW MUCH WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. MOREOVER, I LEAVE
WITH THE DEEP SATISFACTION OF KNOWING THAT WITH ADMIRAL CLARK,
GENERAL JONES AND YOUR ACTING SECRETARY, ROBIN PIRIE, THE NAVY AND
MARINE CORPS ARE IN THE BEST OF HANDS.
7.  THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SERVED TOGETHER. GOD BLESS
YOU.  RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE RICHARD DANZIG, SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.//

BT