COAST GUARD ACADEMY – Class of 2017
“This is truly an amazing group of cadets that are here today for
commission. You could have gone to school anywhere you wanted
– and with very, very few responsibilities by comparison. Instead,
you chose the path of service. You chose hard work, high standards,
and a very noble mission – to save lives, defend the homeland, and
protect America’s interests around the world. You chose the Coast
Guard. Good choice. Good choice.
“From the first stormy days of your Swab Summer to your final
weeks as a first-class cadet, you have been expected to take
responsibility, to make decisions, and to act. You have to act, and
you have to act properly. And you have to learn how to act under
great, great pressure.
“Just days from now, you will put this vital skill into the service of your
ships, your sectors, and your country. You’ll serve as deck watch
officers on our amazing Coast Guard cutters. You’ll bring law and
order to the dangerous waters as boating officers. You will block
illegal shipments of cash, weapons and drugs. You will battle the
scourge of human trafficking. Something that people haven’t been
talking about. One of the big, big plagues of the world. Not our
country only, the world. Human trafficking.
“Adversity makes you stronger. Don’t give in. Don’t back down. And
never stop doing what you know is right. Nothing worth doing ever,
ever, ever came easy. And the more righteous your right, the more
opposition that you will face.”
NAVAL ACADEMY – Class of 2018
“The word impossible does not exist, because Navy never quits.
“You don’t give up. You don’t give in. You don’t back down. And you
never surrender. Wherever you go, wherever you serve, wherever
your mission takes you, you only have one word in mind, and that’s
victory. That is why you are here.
“Each of you inherits the legacy of the heroes who came before
you. It’s a living history passed down from officer to officer and
generation to generation. Each of you will make your own mark on
the Navy, the Marine Corps, the military, and the history of our great
nation. Seize today and you will shape tomorrow.
“Each of you enters service at a truly exciting time for our country.
For we are witnessing the great re-awakening of the American spirit
and of American might. We are building a modern fleet manned
by the greatest sailors. We’re sharpening the fighting edge from
Marines infantry squads to combat ships to deliver maximum, lethal
force. The enemy has to know we have that. We are re-committing to
this fundamental truth: We are a maritime nation. Being a maritime
nation, we are surrounded by sea. We must always dominate that
sea. We will always dominate the oceans. We are showing what
we can achieve when natural American confidence is backed by
unrivaled American power and unquestioned American resolve.
“As long as we are united with the same mission, the same purpose,
the same patriotic heart, we will win, because we are one people,
one family, and one glorious nation under God.”
AIR FORCE ACADEMY – Class of 2019
“The first air combat happened just one century ago. You are the
ones who will invent and define the next generation of air warfare.
And you are the ones who will secure American victory all the time.
Victory. To dominate the future, America must rule the skies.
“This class has racked up a list of truly extraordinary achievements.
Two graduating cadets recently received one of the most
prestigious awards in all of academia: Rhodes scholarships.
“On the athletic fields, the Air Force has won 15 conference
championships over the last four years, which is really something. A
hundred and fifty-three athletes have earned All-American honors.
“More than half of you will soon head to pilot training, where you will
prepare to unleash American thunder anywhere we need. Another
45 will join our Remotely Piloted Aircraft program. A record number
of you will become space operators. You will specialize in combat
rescues, intelligence, missile maintenance, weather, air traffic
control, engineering, and much, much more.
“It is a time for America to reclaim the ultimate high ground and
prepare our young warriors of today for victory on the battlefield
tomorrow. It’s a very different battlefield. It’s a very different type
of warfare. But we are so advanced. And when you see what’s
coming, you won’t even believe it. And hopefully, you know what?
Hopefully, we never have to use it. Peace through strength. Peace
through strength.
“As your Commander in Chief, I want you to know that we will
pursue and maintain the overwhelming strength we need to deter
any aggressor and thrash any foe.”
WEST POINT – Class of 2020
“The members of this class have come from every state in our union.
You have come from the farms and the cities, from states big and
small, and from every race, religion, color, and creed. But when you
entered these grounds, you became part of one team, one family,
proudly serving one great American nation. You became brothers
and sisters pledging allegiance to the same timeless principles,
joined together in a common mission to protect our country, to
defend our people, and to carry on the traditions of freedom,
equality, and liberty that so many gave their lives to secure. You
exemplify the power of shared national purpose to transcend all
differences and achieve true unity. Today, you graduate as one class,
and you embody one noble creed, duty, honor, country.
“The survival of America and the endurance of civilization itself
depends on the men and women, just like each of you, depends on
people who love their country with all their heart and energy and soul.
118 The TRUMP RALLY Publication