Schools

Live Coverage: Obama: 'Cadets, Today Is Your Day'

130th commencement at the Coast Guard Academy

12:45 p.m.: The president's speech has concluded. Check back to Patch later today for the full story on Obama's speech, plus a story and video of the commencement itself, and full story and video of the activities that went on outside the Academy gates. In the meantime, continue to follow the festivities on Twitter.

12:24 p.m.:  Sound bites:

  • President says he is dedicated to funding more cutters and planes to help Coast Guard with its mission, improved housing and child care for Coast Guardsmen and their families.
  • The president give the cadet from Hawaii the "hang loose" gesture.
  • Saying they have reputation for waiting, Obama declares “I hereby absolve all cadets serving restrictions for minor offenses.”
  • Obama: Class has earned highest GPA of any class in history of academy. “These are not just pretty faces here. Well done.”
  • Admiral Robert J. Papp, CG commandant: “If the academy is our anchor, the officer corps is our chain.”
  • Obama: “Cadets, today is your day but it’s also a testament to all those who supported you on your journey.”
  • 12:13 p.m.: Rear Admiral J Scott Burhoe gives the welcome: “I can tell by looking at today’s graduates that they are very proud of their accomplishments.” He has enjoyed his four years with them: “You are now ready to take on the responsibility of being officers in the United States Coast Guard.”
  • Burhoe tells the president that he personally attests to the cadets’ readiness and ability to serve.
  • First Cadet Nathanael Crum: “I am tremendously humbled to stand before you today and extremely grateful to serve in the armed forces of the United States of America.”

12 p.m.: The president has arrived and the ceremony has started. Obama greeted First Cadet Nathanael Crum, Class of 2011 distinguished graduate, who is the first speaker.

Find out what's happening in New Londonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

11:51: David and Lea Foss are the ceremony this morning to watch their 22-year-old son Anthony get his degree in electrical engineering.

“He’s always had a great interest in boats and things like that…it’s mostly about the seamanship and serving on a boat,” David said. Anthony was also interested in the Navy but chose the Coast Guard Academy because it was a smaller school.

Find out what's happening in New Londonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Anthony will be stationed at Cape May, N.J. serving as a deck watch officer, navigation duties

“We’re proud of him, happy, kind of glad it’s over,” David said.

“He’s still a little boy for me. As a mother I guess he’s only a little boy,” Lea said.

 11:36 a.m.: Procession of cadets starts, but backtracks since all of official party has not arrived. Joke that it's a "dress rehearsal."

11:20 a.m.: During the ceremony, the cadets will be issued an oath, virtually unchanged in more than 200 years, to swear to uphold the Constitution and discharge the duties of their rank.

Each one has chosen two people to put on their shoulderboards, and will give a gift of a silver dollar with a meaningful year to the person who gives them their first salute.

The two international students--one from the Marshall Islands and one from Romania--will have the oath administered by President Jureland Zedkaia of the Marshall Islands and Rear Admiral J Scott Burhoe, respectively. Admiral Robert J. Papp, Commandant of the Coast Guard, will present the oath to the other cadets.

11:10 a.m.: Media reports are that the president's motorcade is almost in New London. There are four speakers scheduled to take the podium prior to the president. Some media reports have the president's speech pushed back to 11:50.

10:20 a.m.: Coast Guard Band is playing and the "Pre-ceremony master of ceremonies" takes the stage to give stats on graduating class. Among the nuggets of info she provides:

  • The Coast Guard falls under jurisdiction of Homeland Security
  • Duties include search and Rescue, law enforcement, navigation aid, environmental protection, icebreaking, etc.
  • Numbers: 42,000 men and women, 76k civilians, 35k auxiliary
  • 10 lives saved per day on average, 109 S&R missions, guide 2,500 ships in/our port
  • Swab summer for this class started in July 2007; 85 percent of incoming class earning degrees today
  • Class works on improvement of aerial flare to be used in S&R, to be installed in all HC-144 aircraft in CG, estimated savings $2 million a year + improvements over tossing live flare out of plane
  • Two international students in class: Romania and Marshall Islands

10:14 a.m.: The president has just gotten off the plane. He is shaking hands with many of the people gathered in the rain to see his arrival.

9:59 a.m.: WTNH has live video coverage of President Obama landing at Bradley.

9:30 a.m.: Coast Guard Academy workers scrambled this morning to move the commencement exercises inside after the heavy rains overnight and today’s drizzle made the outside field too wet.

The academy is graduating 229 cadets with Bachelor of Science degrees and commissioning them as ensigns in the United States Coast Guard. The ceremony has moved indoors, to Leamy Hall.

President Barack Obama is for the 130th commencement exercises at 11 a.m.

First Cadet Nathanael Crum, a native of Bellevue, Wash., was named the academy’s distinguished graduate of the year and will deliver the cadet address. The honor recognizes the cadet who graduates with the highest Military Precedence List Average. Crum, who earned a degree in civil engineering and was a member of the school’s cross country and track teams, will attend flight school after graduation.

Rear Admiral J. Scott Burhoe, superintendent of the academy, will make his last appearance at the school's commencement. Burhoe has served in the position for four years and will become president of Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.

Other speakers include Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano; Admiral Robert J. Papp, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; and President Jureland Zedkaia of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, who will administer the oath of office to cadet Jefferson Bobo of that country.

The Connecticut graduates:

Nathan Daniel Barnes, Mechanical Engineering with High Honors, Orange

Danielle Rae Brown, Electrical Engineering with High Honors, Westport

Richard Kyle Coleman, Civil Engineering, Oakdale

Tanya Marie Cuprak, Operations Research and Computer Analysis with High Honors, Hampton

Cory Patrick Fagan, Civil Engineering, East Hampton

Jillian Marie Hoffman, Government, Unionville

Gabriel John Klaff, Mechanical Engineering with Honors, Easton

Elise Virginia Maher, Civil Engineering, West Simsbury

Scott Barton Nichols, Government with Honors, Newtown

David Craig Nielsen, Government, Middletown

Meridith Ashley Palo, Marine and Environmental Sciences, Newtown

Michael Thomas Rathbun, Civil Engineering with Honors, Pawcatuck

Larry Venkatkrishnan Subramanian, Government, East Lyme

Nathan Lindell Zinn, Government, Kensington


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