SECNAV Del Toro Delivers Remarks at the M3 Announcement

Good afternoon, everyone!

It is wonderful to be here in beautiful, "Pure Michigan" with all of you today.

Dr. Sawyer, thank you for that kind introduction and for your important work here at Macomb Community College, leading and educating our Nation's next generation.

Governor Whitmer, it is an honor to be with you here in your home state. Thank you for joining me on the steps of your gorgeous capitol building this morning to announce USNS Lansing (T-EPF 16) and be her sponsor. I also thank you for your efforts to mobilize the world-class skilled workforce in Michigan in support of our Navy and Marine Corps.

Senator Peters, thank you for being here today, and for your work on the Senate Armed Services Committee and support of our men and women in uniform.

I also want to thank the Department of the Navy's partners who have worked with us on this effort. In particular, I would like to thank Jason Israel and Stephen Tankel from the NSC, and Peter Devine from the NEC for their support for this initiative from the outset. I would also like to thank Laura Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy and James Rodriguez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veteran's Employment and Training Services who helped us bring several of the programs that are part of this initiative across the finish line.

And to all of our guests and Michiganders here today: welcome.

Last month, I delivered remarks at Utah Beach in front of Veterans from World War II for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

As we stood on the beaches of Normandy, we gazed out across the English Channel, sharing the same view as the more than 150,000 Allied troops who took part in one of the most pivotal battles against Axis forces to liberate Europe.

On June 6th, 1944, hundreds of Allied bombers, Army tanks, and Navy ships protected the young, courageous men from heavy German fire.

A third of those American planes, tanks, and ships were built right here in Michigan and the Great Lakes.

While our Sailors and Marines fought in the Atlantic and Pacific, at the Willow Run Plant near Ypsilanti, thousands of determined American workers bent, hammered, and riveted steel.

Hundreds of Riveters-indeed, the original Rosie the Riveter-churned out a B-24 bomber an hour, with chants of "We Can Do It!" echoing in the air.

The manufacturing industry in Michigan did not just contribute to the war efforts-it redefined it.

Michigan became, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called it, America's "Arsenal of Democracy"-underpinning our victories and cementing your state's legacy in American history.

And since the very founding of our Navy, Michigan has played a crucial role in ensuring our Sailors and Marines are always mission-ready.

As Secretary of the Navy, my mission is to provide combat-ready forces and capabilities to the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, and our Combatant Commanders.

I am committed to accomplishing my mission.

Last fall, I announced a call for a new Maritime Statecraft to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition.

Maritime Statecraft encompasses a national, whole-of-government effort to restore the maritime capabilities of our great Nation.

Securing America's maritime prosperity is not a new mission-it is our founding mission.

History reveals that no nation has endured as a great naval power without also being a great maritime power.

And for the first time in 125 years, we have a full-spectrum, global maritime competitor.

That is why I have forcefully advocated to revive our Nation's shipbuilding capabilities and capacity.

But integral to this revival of American shipbuilding is a strong workforce to support it.

In May, at the inaugural Fleet Week Miami, I announced the Department of the Navy's National Call to Maritime Service.

Service in the Navy and Marine Corps is more than just a job-it represents a chance to serve and be part of something bigger than ourselves.

And service to the United States can also extend beyond putting on a uniform.

Service includes leveraging the skills and talents of Americans from every part of the Nation to contribute to the nation's defense industrial base.

And I can think of no better place than Michigan to shape the next generation of "new-collar" workers, combining traditionally blue-collar trades with the cutting-edge technologies of today.

Michiganders, today-like during World War II-we need your skills, your dedication, and your pioneering spirit to continue our legacy as the world's greatest naval power.

And so, I am pleased to announce the formal launch of the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing (M3) Initiative.

Michigan is the industrial and manufacturing heartland of America.

During World War II, when America needed you most, Michigan brought the country back into the fight.

We recognize the desire of Americans from every corner of the country to use their talents to better our great Nation.

And we cannot afford to leave any talent on the table.

Through this M3 Initiative, the Department of the Navy will work alongside partners, including the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Macomb County Planning and Economic Development, and Michigan Works! Workforce Board.

The M3 Initiative will implement a tailored and accelerated training curriculum focused on maritime welding and machining at key community programs, including Macomb and Oakland Community Colleges.

To tackle the critical need to advance shipbuilding research and design, our Office of Naval Research recently funded a 14-million-dollar Center for Naval Research and Education at the University of Michigan.

Developing the talented marine engineers and naval architects the Nation needs requires the collaboration of world-class faculty as well as innovation in curricula for marine design.

Towards that end, we are excited to have just facilitated a new educational partnership with the University of Michigan, Seoul National University, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

This partnership will provide invaluable opportunities for civilian and navy engineers to learn in HD Hyundai's world-class shipyards.

And Michigan boasts a large Veteran population, growing by approximately twenty-five hundred new Veterans each year and representing the highest labor force growth in the United States.

The growth of maritime careers across Michigan's defense sector presents an incredible opportunity for our men and women who once wore a uniform to serve their country in a different capacity.

Building our Nation's next-generation ships and submarines requires innovative technologies and manufacturing skills.

The M3 Initiative will focus on building skills such as those in CNC machinery, robotics, welding, and cybersecurity.

Individuals who master these advanced skills do not just find jobs-they build careers which last. They build futures for themselves and for this country.

The M3 Initiative reinvigorates our Submarine Industrial Base workforce.

As we construct the Virginia and Columbia-class submarines, we recognize that these giants are not only marvels of military engineering but also beacons of American industrial might.

Michigan's robust industry, affordable living, and demographics help further expand the Submarine Industrial Base's efforts.

And we thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their unwavering support of the Submarine Industrial Base, ensuring a domestic defense industrial base capable of accomplishing the undersea warfighting mission essential to our national security.

The Submarine Industrial Base is a top five national security priority for National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and we are grateful for his support of M3.

I wholeheartedly believe that Michigan, with its history of manufacturing excellence and innovation, is poised to once again be the vanguard of our national defense strategy.

America was once a nation which led the world in shipbuilding.

And with the efforts of Michiganders and Americans across the country, we will restore our status as a leading shipbuilding nation once more.

Thank you for this tremendous opportunity to speak to all of you today.

And thank you for answering the call, once more, to serve and protect our Nation and its values.

May God bless our service men and women and all those who support them.

Now, it is my distinct pleasure to introduce someone I am certain you all know very well.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander whose administration goes everywhere and works with anyone to make Michigan the best place to live, work, and invest.

And as mentioned previously, she and her administration have certainly work hand-in-hand with the Department of the Navy across several initiatives which will greatly benefit our Navy-Marine Corps Team.

Please welcome Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

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