Shipmates,
Yesterday I spoke to the Business Executives for National Security (BENS).
BENS, a nationwide, non-partisan organization, is the primary channel through which senior business executives can help enhance the nation's security. BENS members use their business experience to drive our agenda, deliver our message to decision makers and make certain that the changes we propose are put into practice. BENS has only one special interest: to help make America safe and secure.
This is the second time I've spoken to this group. The first even was a discussion of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina back in 2006. The topics covered yesterday included Coast Guard Modernization, Piracy, the emerging Arctic, the current status of Deepwater, and post 9/11 progress in port security.
This is a good group and we thank them for their service.
ADM A
