CommunityEditor
01-23-2009, 09:09 PM
Navy Secretary Donald Winter was “piped ashore” in a farewell ceremony Friday in Washington, even though he will remain in office for the early weeks of the Obama administration.
Winter’s going-away ceremony had been arranged before it was clear whether he would stay after the departure of President Bush, but even though he’ll remain in office until March 13, or until his replacement arrives, the Navy and Marine Corps spared him no pomp.
A 19-gun salute boomed across the clear sky above Marine Corps Barracks Washington; a brass band played patriotic selections; and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway lavished praise on Winter’s three years of service.
Roughead called it a “true privilege and honor” to serve under a Navy secretary “with the greatest intellect and highest sense of honor,” and praised what he called Winter’s compassion for sailors and Marines serving throughout the world.
Winter had improved the Navy’s acquisition processes, Roughead said, with his “exacting standards” and his attention to detail. Roughead said that when he sends his staff members to brief Winter, he tells them “you’d better be ready to do your push-ups,” because Winter is always ready with detailed questions about their subject areas.
Conway praised Winter’s steady leadership during a great deal of what he called “trial and tribulation,” and he drew several parallels between Winter and Theodore Roosevelt, who served as assistant secretary of the Navy before becoming president.
Both are from New York; both are “pugnacious,” he said recalling Roosevelt’s admiration for “the man in the arena;” both wear glasses — although Conway contrasted Roosevelt’s familiar pince-nez with what he called Winter’s “Sarah Palin glasses.” Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet around the world; a century later, Winter ordered a year-long series of commemorations of the fleet’s mission, Conway said.
“And T.R. also had a shock — a mane — of curly hair,” Conway said, casting a wry glance at the bald Winter. “I guess the comparison ends there.”
When it was Winter’s turn to speak, he returned the compliments of Conway and Roughead, declaring that he “couldn’t think of finer leaders, or finer friends.” He called being secretary of the Navy “the best job I’ve ever had, the best job I ever will have,” and appeared to blink away tears a few times as he looked back over his tenure.
Winter had been prepared to deal with hardware and systems because he’d come from the defense industry, he said, but he hadn’t anticipated the emotional highs and lows that accompanied being Navy secretary. He described the wrenching experience of getting letters from the families of sailors and Marines killed in action, but he also recalled pride at being able to recognize outstanding service members.
At one point, Winter recalled, he awarded four medals at a time to a single person, who told Winter he didn’t felt like he deserved them because he had just been doing his job.
“I felt like I was in the presence of greatness — and I was,” Winter said.
After his remarks, sailors and Marines presented Winter with a copy of his official portrait — the original will hang in the Pentagon alongside those of previous secretaries — as well as a scrapbook and a folded flag in a shadowbox displaying commemorative keepsakes from his time in office.
Then a sailor chimed eight bells, the boatswain’s pipe sounded, and Winter walked through Navy and Marine Corps sideboys as the announcer called, “Navy, departing.”
Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/01/marine_winter_012309w/
Winter’s going-away ceremony had been arranged before it was clear whether he would stay after the departure of President Bush, but even though he’ll remain in office until March 13, or until his replacement arrives, the Navy and Marine Corps spared him no pomp.
A 19-gun salute boomed across the clear sky above Marine Corps Barracks Washington; a brass band played patriotic selections; and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway lavished praise on Winter’s three years of service.
Roughead called it a “true privilege and honor” to serve under a Navy secretary “with the greatest intellect and highest sense of honor,” and praised what he called Winter’s compassion for sailors and Marines serving throughout the world.
Winter had improved the Navy’s acquisition processes, Roughead said, with his “exacting standards” and his attention to detail. Roughead said that when he sends his staff members to brief Winter, he tells them “you’d better be ready to do your push-ups,” because Winter is always ready with detailed questions about their subject areas.
Conway praised Winter’s steady leadership during a great deal of what he called “trial and tribulation,” and he drew several parallels between Winter and Theodore Roosevelt, who served as assistant secretary of the Navy before becoming president.
Both are from New York; both are “pugnacious,” he said recalling Roosevelt’s admiration for “the man in the arena;” both wear glasses — although Conway contrasted Roosevelt’s familiar pince-nez with what he called Winter’s “Sarah Palin glasses.” Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet around the world; a century later, Winter ordered a year-long series of commemorations of the fleet’s mission, Conway said.
“And T.R. also had a shock — a mane — of curly hair,” Conway said, casting a wry glance at the bald Winter. “I guess the comparison ends there.”
When it was Winter’s turn to speak, he returned the compliments of Conway and Roughead, declaring that he “couldn’t think of finer leaders, or finer friends.” He called being secretary of the Navy “the best job I’ve ever had, the best job I ever will have,” and appeared to blink away tears a few times as he looked back over his tenure.
Winter had been prepared to deal with hardware and systems because he’d come from the defense industry, he said, but he hadn’t anticipated the emotional highs and lows that accompanied being Navy secretary. He described the wrenching experience of getting letters from the families of sailors and Marines killed in action, but he also recalled pride at being able to recognize outstanding service members.
At one point, Winter recalled, he awarded four medals at a time to a single person, who told Winter he didn’t felt like he deserved them because he had just been doing his job.
“I felt like I was in the presence of greatness — and I was,” Winter said.
After his remarks, sailors and Marines presented Winter with a copy of his official portrait — the original will hang in the Pentagon alongside those of previous secretaries — as well as a scrapbook and a folded flag in a shadowbox displaying commemorative keepsakes from his time in office.
Then a sailor chimed eight bells, the boatswain’s pipe sounded, and Winter walked through Navy and Marine Corps sideboys as the announcer called, “Navy, departing.”
Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/01/marine_winter_012309w/