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SECNAV Visits Naval Station Pearl Harbor

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090822-02
Release Date: 8/22/2009 8:22:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (AW) Eric J. Cutright, Naval Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Hawaii

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- The secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) visited Naval Station Pearl Harbor during a tour of various Pacific commands Aug. 20.

Ray Mabus, who was appointed as the 75th SECNAV in May, hosted an all-hands call at Sharkey Theater, where he spoke to Sailors about his experience as a former naval officer and his expectations as SECNAV.

"Forty years ago, I was the most dangerous thing in the United States Navy. I was a junior officer," jested Mabus. "A couple times I've been questioned, 'What's the difference between the Navy of the late 60s and early 70s that I was in, and the Navy today, of 2009?' The answer is pretty simple," said Mabus. "It's the type of people that are in the Navy today. It's the skill level, the commitment level, the amount of purpose and passion that the people in the Navy have today."

Following the all-hands call, Mabus headed to his next scheduled stop, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93). Mabus received a ship tour, had lunch on the mess deck, talked with some of the crew and attended a meeting in the chief's mess.

During his meeting with Chung-Hoon's chief petty officers, Mabus discussed the manning issue that the Navy is currently facing, as it was a concern of several of the chiefs in attendance.

"At any given time we have about 14,000 Sailors [on] IA (individual augmentee). We have more Sailors on the ground than we do at sea sometimes," stated Mabus. "It is a concern of ours, making sure that the ships have enough manning. We're not going to get anymore Sailors though. Part of it is how much this IA demand goes on."

Mabus departed the Chung-Hoon and addressed the media waiting for him pierside, where he spoke to them about his visit to Hawaii.

"It's important the work that's being done here," stated Mabus, who expanded by saying that future operations in the Pacific are key to the Navy's success.

For more news from Pacific Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cpf/.