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Chief of Naval Operations Completes World Tour

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080822-03
Release Date: 8/22/2008 8:26:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Rebekah Blowers, Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Adm. Gary Roughead recently returned from a 10-day trip to visit with service members and defense leaders around the world.

CNO, along with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) (SW/FMF) Joe R. Campa, Jr., visited Bahrain, Iraq, Afghanistan, Singapore, Hawaii and San Diego. Over the course of the visits, CNO and MCPON held 16 all hands calls with Sailors to keep informed of issues concerning the fleet and to thank them for their service.

"These trips are extremely important to me and to the MCPON who is here with me because they allow me to go out and talk to Sailors, in this case around the world, and find out what's on their minds. When I get back to Washington and start the work on policies, procedures and programs, then I have the input from those who are actually out doing the work," Roughead said.

While CNO was in Bahrain he met with Crown Prince of Bahrain, His Highness Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, and discussed the integral partnership between the two countries. While in the Western Pacific, CNO received the Republic of Singapore's Meritorious Service Medal by Singapore's Minister for Defense TEO Chee Hean and the Singapore Chief of Navy Rear Adm. Chew Men Leong. CNO said visits like those are a vital part of the Maritime Strategy.

"You cannot surge trust because trust will underpin everything that we do. Trust does not have a switch: you can't turn it on, you can't turn it off. It is something that takes time to build and must be worked cooperatively to maintain that trust," Roughead said. "That trust is built on friendships, professional and personal, that expand over decades. It is being able to come together and work closely on a range of issues and operational environments."

CNO told all of the Sailors around the globe that what they are doing makes a difference and is integral to the Navy as a whole. He said he was proud of the 15, 000 Sailors serving boots on the ground oftentimes in non-traditional roles in the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations.

"I can't tell you enough how impressed I am with your work, how inspirational your service has been to the United States Navy," Roughead said. "You have affected the relationships we have with other countries and with other services within our own military because of the way you have come into a very demanding environment in a very critical fight and stepped in and just started to make things happen."

This was CNO's third trip to the CENTCOM area of responsibility since becoming the 29th Chief of Naval Operations.

For more news from the Chief of Naval Operations, visit www.navy.mil/local/cno.