From Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr.:
President Brennan, ladies and gentlemen, and most importantly
While many disagreed with McCarthy's unfair character assassinations
to the class of 2016, you'd expect me to say it, but it's an absolute honor to
and broad-sweeping accusations, no one in the Senate, and very few in the
join you here today. And I'd like to begin by joining the Provost and Presi-
nation, had the courage to take on Senator McCarthy. It was a dark time in
dent Brennan in thanking the faculty, the staff, the family members, and the
our nation's history.
mentors who are here.
And then, on June 1st, 1950, Senator Margaret
As I was preparing my remarks, I had
Chase Smith took to the Senate floor and deliv-
occasion to recal my own graduation
ered a speech she described as a Declaration of
From this point forward,
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from St. Michael's College in Vermont.
Conscience. For many reasons, it was a bold step
It was 39 years ago this month, and I can
it's no longer about you.
for her to take. When she delivered that speech,
stil remember quite a bit of detail. That
Senator Smith was well-aware that she was risking
"
morning, prior to the commencement
It's about the men and
her reputation, and her very political career. But
ceremony, I was one of two students
she had looked at the evidence behind McCar-
women that you'll be
commissioned in the Marine Corps
thy's accusations and concluded that what he was
before family and friends. I can stil
doing was wrong and harmful to our nation.
fortunate enough to lead.
remember taking the oath of office and
And so she moved to the Senate floor alone,
exchanging the first salute with the
and she took on Joseph McCarthy. And after
Marine staff sergeant.
her speech, through her example, others began to speak out, and the dark
Our commencement speaker was Senator Margaret Chase Smith from
chapter of McCarthyism was eventual y closed.
Maine, a name familiar for most here, and for whom a building on campus
Senator Smith knew what it meant to be a leader. She knew that being a
is named.
leader meant doing the right thing, even when it's hard.
I chose to talk about leadership this morning because I believe we should
In her own words, the right thing is not always the popular and easy
expect leadership from the men and women who wil leave here today and
thing. Standing for right when it's unpopular is the true test of moral cour-
forever be proud to cal themselves Mariners.
age.
One of the qualities al great leaders share is moral courage, the ability to
Mariners, future leaders, you won't al have a moment in your lives as
think for yourself and the willingness to do the right thing regardless of the
consequential as Senator Smith. But you'l al have moments when standing
consequences. I didn't ful y appreciate it at the time, but that characteristic
for right is hard. When that moment comes, I ask you to remember the ex-
was defined by my commencement speaker Margaret Chase Smith.
ample of Senator Margaret Chase Smith. And I'm sure her memory wil help
Senator Smith was born in 1897. She was the first woman to serve in both
put your own challenge in context and enable you to pass the test.
houses of Congress. Only a handful of women held seats in the House when
Another quality I've found in great leaders is the commitment to some-
she joined in 1940. And for over a decade, she was the only woman to serve
thing greater than themselves, a willingness to put the mission and the
in the Senate as a result of winning a general election. She was a trailblazer
needs of their subordinates ahead of their own wants or desires. I've had
with many admirable qualities, but it was the moral courage she demon-
the privilege of serving with a number of men and women who embodied
strated in 1950 that established her as a truly extraordinary leader.
selfless service. One of those individuals was Lieutenant Matt Lynch, United
In 1950, the nation's confidence was shaken by financial trouble, the
States Marine Corps. Matt was the product of a family with a deep tradition
loss of China to communism, and Russia's success at developing an atomic
of service. He was smart, he was athletic, and he was personable. He had a
weapon. In that context, the political opportunist, Senator Joseph McCar-
tremendous sense of humor. He would have succeeded in any walk of life.
thy, took advantage of what Senator Smith called the four horsemen of fear,
Matt was one of my Marines in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and one of
ignorance, bigotry and smear. McCarthy had embarked on a wide-sweeping,
the first to cross into Iraq in March of 2003. In the fal of 2003, he returned
anti-communist crusade that unfairly called into question the patriotism
to California, and the next spring his unit was stil in California. But many
and integrity of many good Americans. He literal y destroyed lives and
other units from our command were back in Iraq and had suffered heavy
careers with rumor and innuendo.
casualties. Matt was one of the few lieutenants who volunteered to leave his
unit and join another unit in Iraq that needed a leader.

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