Speeches

Change of Command Ceremony, U.S. Naval Regional Contracting Center, Singapore

Franklin L. Lavin - U.S. Ambassador to Singapore

July 12, 2002

Admiral Stone, Admiral Jway, Admiral Cassias, Admiral Allen, distinguished guests, Captain Gonzalez, and especially Captain Gray, we are gathered here today for the Change of Command ceremony of the U.S. Naval Regional Contracting Center Singapore. But this ceremony is more than a baton pass. It is a chance to reflect on the past few years and to think about the days to come.

Napoleon said an army travels on its stomach, but I can tell you that the U.S. Navy travels by virtue of the NRCC. We all know that PACFLT has the largest area of responsibility of all of our regional commands, and it is NRCC Singapore that maintains the vital logistics chain across this vast area of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Admiral Stone will share some thoughts on this point, but let me add my personal thanks to the NRCC its management of the Terror Club and the marvelous Fourth of July celebration we had last Saturday.

The success of the NRCC is a reminder of the important location of Singapore, the professionalism of its workforce, and the friendship of the Singapore Government, without which NRCC’s success would not be possible. But perhaps most of all, it is reminder of how fortunate we are that for two years the critical responsibility of NRCC Singapore has been on the shoulders of Capt Basil Gray.

CAPT Gray’s career has been on a sharp trajectory since he received his commission fresh out of the Naval ROTC program some 22 years ago. Three ship-board assignments interspersed with shore command posts helped prepare him for his current position, as did the two graduate degrees he acquired along the way.

Let me touch on some of the successes the NRCC has seen under CAPT Gray: It identified and collected more than $500,000 in contractor overcharges. It saved $1.5 million by redirecting a Singapore port service contract. It obtained new training funds from the GoS and enhanced medical coverage for Singapore staff. And my vantage point, Basil has been consistently helpful to business people trying to understand our sometimes baffling government procurement system. It is no wonder that this NRCC won PACFLT’s Price Fighter award, which recognizes commands that obtain the best value for the Navy.

The day-to-day tasks of the NRCC took on supreme national significance with the advent of Operation Enduring Freedom. The surge in operating tempo combined with the elimination of any margin of error significantly raised the stakes. But the NRCC delivered the goods, literally and figuratively. One analyst noted that if it were not for the NRCC, Diego Garcia would be just another island. (It was the NRCC that turned that island into the world’s largest aircraft carrier.)

Beyond the formal job requirements we see how CAPT Gray has excelled in both of Singapore’s national sports: golf and Karaoke. I saw one note that he has added an American flair to his performance by combining Karaoke with the Worldwide Wrestling Federation as others try to get the microphone from him to have their chance to sing. (Perhaps we should call it "Combat Karaoke.")

I am also delighted to note the NRCC’s work in the community as employees and families are active with the Silra Leprosy Home, The Children's Society and the Women's and Children's Hospital Children's Cancer Ward.

But CAPT, reviewing your assignments, it seems to me that the most significant shore duty accomplishment took place eight years ago when you married Gisele. They say that the toughest job in the Navy is being a Navy spouse. From what I’ve seen, Gisele has the same energy, sense of mission, and great people skills as her husband. So it is no wonder it is not only a successful marriage, but that Gisele has had such a strong impact both in the Sembawang community and beyond. And your secret weapon in this endeavor is clearly your daughter Nicole, who at age four already has her mom’s smile and her dad’s penchant for hard negotiations.

CAPT Gray, it is a record you can be proud of, and a record the Navy and the Embassy can be proud of also. Bravo Zulu Basil.

And CAPT Gonzalez, you are inheriting a strong system and a good team. We know that Americans insist on taking the best there is, and then finding ways to improve it. So we look forward to seeing more good news from your shop, be it in integrated logistics, environmental best practices, or the innovative ways we’re looking at swapping crews. We all hope our tours of duty are during peacetime, but if our country calls, we need to be able to answer that call, as our Navy has done for over two hundred years.

So to CAPT and Debra Gonzalez, on behalf of the American Community I say, "Welcome aboard, shipmates." We are delighted to have you here in this vital leadership role.

To Basil, Gisele, and Nicole, we say, "Fair winds and following seas." It has been a pleasure to serve with you.