CNO Holds an All-Hands Call for Kearsarge Sailors

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tamara Vaughn, USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert visited Sailors and Marines aboard amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Oct. 22.

Greenert, the 30th CNO, opened the ceremony by administering the oath of enlistment to three Sailors assigned to the ship and spoke to the assembled crew about current issues impacting the lives of the Navy and Marine Corps.

"I admired the work that you did from afar during your deployment last year, which was a long deployment," said Greenert. "That deployment was extended and everyone wanted a piece of the Kearsarge, including the whole amphibious ready group, but you did a remarkable job. I hope you are proud of the work you did a year ago."

Greenert answered several questions and discussed a variety of topics during the all-hands call, from uniform changes to manning issues, naval innovation, and sexual assault prevention methods. After the all-hands call Greenert enjoyed lunch with the crew on the mess decks.

Greenert expressed his gratitude for the Sailors and Marines hard work as a team and showed his support toward expansionary groups and big deck amphibious ships.

"I understand you are in basic phase," said Greenert. "Bold Alligator is just around the corner. This Bold Alligator exercise will be the largest amphibious exercise that we have done in well over a decade, plus. What you are doing with your Marine brothers and sisters are bringing together the most unbeatable force we have and that is the Navy and Marine Corps team."

Bold Alligator 2014 will take place over a two-week period and is a multi-national joint effort hosted by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The mission is to strengthen core competencies in the areas of amphibious operations and bi-lateral cooperation.