SANTA RITA, Guam -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Adm. Jonathan Greenert held an all-hands call with Sailors and Department of Defense civilian employees at The Big Screen theater on U.S. Naval Base Guam Dec. 11.
During his first visit to the island as CNO, Greenert discussed Guam's important location for military development and the nation's defense.
"This is a very, very key strategic place," he said. "I'm so glad I got out here and have a chance to talk to you and to realize, and to reinvigorate myself to the need to take care of this place..."
He also extended holiday greetings to Sailors and civilians in the audience, emphasizing the need to take care of themselves and their counterparts.
"This is the holiday season," Greenert said. "During the holiday season everything gets amplified up and what I mean by that is happiness is happier, sadness is sadder and people who feel maybe a little depressed, they seem to get more depressed. So resiliency is the key here. I'm just asking for you to take care of your shipmate during this time."
In addition to formal remarks and a question-and-answer session with the audience, the CNO reenlisted eight Sailors and awarded 15 Sailors his personal coin in recognition of receiving new warfare devices earlier in the day. He applauded them for their achievements and commended them for their service and sacrifice.
More than 1,000 officers and Sailors from commands across Guam attended the all-hands call and took advantage of the opportunity to speak to the Navy's service chief.
"It was great because you only get to meet the CNO a couple times, maybe, in a 20-year career, so it's a big honor to be able to do it," said USS Frank Cable (AS 40) Hull Technician 1st Class (SW) Jared Kelley after being congratulated by Greenert for reenlisting. "It shows that he really cares and he's interested in what goes on in the fleet."
From October 1998 to December 1999, Greenert served on Guam as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas.
![A cameraman films U.S. Navy SEALs during an episode of the Fox network television series "24" at Camarillo Airport in 2008.](http://images04.military.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_large/public/2024-04/mil-filming-seals-in-series-24-1800.jpg?itok=WZFSEAJB "A cameraman films U.S. Navy SEALs during an episode of the Fox network television series "24" at Camarillo Airport in 2008. (U.S. Navy)")
