Vice Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet (C6F), served as reviewing officer at the graduation of the Navy’s newest enlisted Sailors at Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes, Oct. 25, 2019.
During her visit, Franchetti toured USS Trayer (BST 21), on which RTC’s culminating evaluation, Battle Stations, takes place. She also met with Recruit Division Commanders and senior staff from both RTC and Naval Service Training Command (NSTC).
She served as reviewing officer for the graduation of 833 new Sailors and spoke to them about their accomplishments, the value of their service, and the dynamic security environment we are facing as a nation before formally welcoming them into the Navy. The admiral also presented awards to Sailors who performed exceptionally well during their training.
“You've chosen to serve at a time when your country needs you,” said Franchetti. “Today you join the long line of Sailors that have operated all over the globe since 1775, on, under, and above the seas, to protect our national interests and ensure security and stability across the maritime domain. The inherent flexibility of naval forces provides options every day for our country's leaders.”
As commander of 6th Fleet, any graduates ultimately assigned to operational units in Europe and Africa will fall under her command.
NSTC oversees 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy's Citizenship Development program. NSTC also includes RTC, the Navy's only boot camp also at Naval Station Great Lakes, the Navy ROTC program at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command (OTC) Newport, Rhode Island, and Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC) citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.