NEW LONDON, Conn. — The Biden administration has been in the greater New London area quite a bit over the past month. The Secretaries of Labor, Commerce and the Navy have all either visited Electric Boat or the Coast Guard Academy. Wednesday, President Joe Biden added to the list.
The President delivered the keynote address, in the form of a message of praise and hope to the 240 officer candidates.
"Hello Coast Guard Academy," said Biden, who also delivered the keynote at the USCGA in 2013 as Vice President.
Early in his address, Biden made it a point to applaud the parents of these "fierce patriots."
"Cadets, stand up, turn around and salute your parents," he said.
The President said the pandemic has shown the Coast Guard can adapt. From rescuing more than 250,000 stranded cruise ship passengers, who needed to be safely disembarked, to assistance with wildfires and vaccination efforts.
And the adaptability of these cadets have shown in navigating the pandemic, he says, makes them perfect officers candidates.
"With this past year, there can be no doubt the class of '21 is ready for whatever their mission may be," the President said.
Biden emphasized the importance of the Coast Guard in the nation's economic and national security.
"Whether it’s Interdicting illicit drug shipments at sea before entering the United States or your stewardship, the Coast Guard has always recognized the broader definition of our national security," the President said.
He highlighted the Coast Guard's need to help keep peace on the waterways of the world.
"Whether it’s the South China Sea, the Arabian gulf or increasingly the arctic," he said.
Before the close of the ceremony, the graduating class gave the President a gift: a mounted ceremonial sword, like those given out when someone becomes a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard.
"I hope I won’t need this anytime soon," joked Biden.
Vice President Kamala Harris is delivering the keynote speech at the U.S. Naval Academy later this month.
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