“Only in America, Carlos! Only in this beacon of democracy, this land of freedom and opportunity.”
In reminiscing on his childhood in New York City, the Honorable Carlos Del Toro imagined that was what his parents might say if they could have seen their son, “a child with big dreams from Thomas Edison High School in Queens”, become the 78th Secretary of the Navy.
When Del Toro was very young, his mother used to push him in a stroller around Columbia, one of many fond memories growing up in the city. “She thought it was a great institution back then, and I know what a great institution it is now. So thank you for welcoming me home,” he said.
Addressing a crowd of Columbia students, veterans, NROTC, University leadership and staff, and members of the community in Low Library on Thursday, December 8, Del Toro spoke about the current state of the Navy and Marine Corps and how each is rising to meet the challenges of the 21st century, from a shifting geopolitical sphere to a rapidly changing climate.
Opening remarks were made by Dean Lisa Rosen-Metsch ‘90GS and Grayson Noyes ‘23GS, President of MilVets and a Marine Corps veteran, introduced Del Toro.
Outlining three priorities for the Navy and Marine Corps, Del Toro spoke of strengthening maritime dominance, building a culture of warfighting excellence, and enhancing global strategic partnerships. He also spoke about recruiting more women and the inseparability of warfighting excellence and quality of life for service members and their families.
“Taking care of our people. It's what leaders do! Our Sailors and Marines are better prepared and more focused when they know their families are doing well,” he said.
This spirit was echoed earlier in the day during a roundtable discussion with Columbia GS student-veteran leaders and NROTC cadets from SUNY Maritime College in the new Center for Veteran Transition and Integration (CVTI) space in Kent Hall on Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus.
“The investment we make in you is essential to our national security,” he said to the students, while also citing the importance of a center like CVTI within Columbia to foster camaraderie and support veterans in their transition to civilian life as well as to the job market and classroom.
Del Toro’s address was followed by a discussion with Jason K. Dempsey, Executive Director of CVTI, and questions from the audience ranging from the importance of military service and lessons learned from the War in Afghanistan to how to increase recruitment and better transition people to reserves.
In closing his speech, Del Toro remarked: “And I believe it fitting that I give the last word to perhaps that most famous Columbia Lion, Theodore Roosevelt: ‘We ask for a great Navy; we ask for an armament fit for the nation's needs, not primarily to fight, but to avert fighting.’ To avert fighting.”
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Watch the Secretary’s speech on Columbia University’s YouTube channel.
The Secretary’s visit was co-sponsored by the Office of the President, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, Columbia GS, the School of International and Public Affairs, and The Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.
