* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:01:44] SHOULDER, TEAM SHOULDER GIVE. [00:07:47] GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WELCOME TO HOUSTON. MY NAME IS RITA HICKS AND THIS IS CHRIS NEWPORT. AND WE ARE THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR FLEET WEEK HOUSTON. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR GREAT CITY FOR THE FIRST FLEET WEEK IN TEXAS. EVEN THE SOUND SYSTEM'S EXCITED FREEZE. THAT ARM RIGHT THERE, TOO CLOSE. STANDBY. WELCOME TO THE INAUGURAL, WELCOME TO FLEET WEEK HOUSTON, OUR INAUGURAL FLEET WEEK. YEAH, GO AHEAD. WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION WITH US. WE LOOK FORWARD TO AN INCREDIBLE WEEK OF ENGAGEMENTS WITH YOU STARTING NOW. SO LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WE WOULD ASK YOU TO ALL PLEASE REMAIN STANDING IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE COLORS BY THE JOINT COLOR GUARD, FOLLOWED BY THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, PERFORMED BY THE QUANTICO MARINE BAND AND NAVY BAND SOUTHEAST, AND AN INDICATION BY CHAPTER LEE RUTLEDGE OF THE US NAVY. SEE BY THE [00:11:02] READY TWO FIVE FACE DETAIL MARK. TIME MARK FOUR MARK. PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER. HEAVENLY FATHER, TODAY, OUR HEARTS ARE FILLED WITH PRIDE AND GRATITUDE AS WE GATHER TO COMMENCE THIS HISTORIC FLEET WEEK CELEBRATION IN ONE OF OUR NATION'S FINEST CITIES, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HIGHLIGHTING A REMARKABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED STATES NAVY THAT YOU HAVE RICHLY BLESSED. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE NAME THAT HAS GRACED THE HOLDS OF FOUR NAVY SHIPS DATING BACK TO 1917, AND THEN MARKS THE PREMIER SPACE CENTER THAT HAS EQUIPPED MULTIPLE NAVAL OFFICERS TO STRETCH THE IMAGINATIONS OF AN ADORING PUBLIC AND EXPAND THE LIMITS OF HUMAN ACCOMPLISHMENT. LORD, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS WHO FOR 250 YEARS HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO SERVE AND PROTECT OUR NATION. WE REMEMBER THE HERITAGE OF COURAGE AND SACRIFICE THAT HAS SECURED OUR LIBERTY, AND WE PRAY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ALL THOSE CURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN HARM'S WAY AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES WHO AWAIT THEIR SAFE RETURN. LORD, OUR PRAYER IS THAT THIS WEEK WILL BE A TIME OF MEANINGFUL CONNECTION, MUTUAL RESPECT, AND RENEWED PRIDE IN OUR NATION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS. GUIDE OUR INTERACTIONS AND LET OUR GRATITUDE BE FELT BY EVERY SERVICE MEMBER WHO WALKS THESE STREETS TRUSTING THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS CITY AND THIS BEAUTIFUL PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS EVEN MORE PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE. AMEN. GOOD AFTERNOON. VERY GOOD TO SEE ALL YOU SHIPMATES AND MARINES IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. WE TOOK THE FIRST STEPS TO ARRIVING AT THIS MOMENT TODAY MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE GOT A CALL FROM MS. HICKS ABOUT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSTON, TEXAS. AND I DO NOT THINK THAT IT TOOK MORE THAN ABOUT 30 SECONDS OF DESCRIBING THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAD TO HOST THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR THE FIRST NAVY FLEET WEEK IN HOUSTON OR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BEFORE MAYOR WHITMEYER, WHO I HAD THE HONOR TO SERVE AND COME TO WORK WITH EVERY DAY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF TO SAY, HECK YES, LET'S GO GET THIS DONE. MAYOR WHITMEYER VALUES LITTLE THINGS MORE THAN SINCERE DEDICATION TO HONEST SERVICE TO OTHERS, POTENTIALLY MAY BE SHARING HIS HOMETOWN WITH FOLKS THAT HE LOVES AND RESPECTS. SO I THINK IN YOUR REMARKS, SIR, THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO OFFER TO THE GROUP THE NORMAL ADMONITION THAT THE MAYOR OFFERS TO THOSE OF US THAT DO THE CITY'S WORK EVERY DAY IS, LET'S GET TO WORK. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT TO THAT FOR Y'ALL. MAYOR, THANK YOU CHRIS, AND THANK YOU READ FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN PLANNING [00:15:01] AND CERTAINLY WE'VE HAD A COUNTDOWN TO THIS FABULOUS DAY. ADMIRAL CADO, ADMIRAL THOMAS, WELCOME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITH YOUR MARINES, YOUR SAILORS. I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT HOUSTONIANS 2.3 MILLION ON MANY OCCASIONS, BUT NONE ARE MORE SPECIAL THAN TODAY TO LOOK OUT AND SEE OUR SAILORS, OUR MARINES. HOUSTON LOVES ITS ARMS FORCES, AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HOUSTON AND OUR ARMED FORCES HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER. I COULD POINT TO OUR PORT AND I BET MOST HOUSTONIANS DON'T REALIZE, NORTHERN NATION, THAT HOUSTON REFINERIES, PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY FURNISHES 90% OF OUR NATION'S JET FUEL, DOMESTIC AND MILITARY. THEN YOU CAN LOOK TO OUR PORK, WHICH HAS A RICH HISTORY WITH THE US NAVY, THE BATTLESHIP OF TEXAS IS PART OF OUR HISTORY. SO I COULD SPEND THE AFTERNOON, BUT I KNOW I DON'T NEED TO TO CONVINCE OUR GUESTS THAT HOUSTON IS SPECIAL AND WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HOLD ITS FIRST FLEET WEEK FOR THE ENTIRE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS AND CERTAINLY FOR HOUSTON. SO ALSO WE MUST RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY. SO YOU PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER, YOU CAN SEE WHY I'M EXCITED AS THE MAYOR. IT'S A GREAT HONOR AND MY MISSION IS, AND IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE COMPLETE. I WANT OUR GUESTS WHEN THEY LEAVE HOUSTON AT THE END OF FLEET WEEK TO SAY, HOUSTON IS THE FRIENDLIEST CITY THAT THEY HAVE EVER VISITED. MARINES, SAILORS, I SAW YOU WALKING DOWN THE STREETS OF HOUSTON WHEN I WAS RETURNING FROM LUNCH. IT'S SO IMPRESSIVE. I FELT SAFER, QUITE FRANKLY. BUT WE WANT YOU TO ENJOY YOUR TIME HERE. WE'RE A PHONE CALL AWAY, ENJOY HOUSTON ACTIVITIES. BUT WHEN YOU LEAVE, I WANT YOU TO SALUTE HOUSTON AND SAY, YES, THE MAYOR WAS CORRECT. IT'S THE FRIENDLIEST CITY WE'VE EVER VISITED. THANK YOU. LET'S ENJOY THIS WEEK. AND ADMIRAL, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS PROCLAMATION PASSED BY OUR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL. IT MENTIONS YOUR RICH HISTORY AND IT ALLOWS ME AS A MAYOR I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 15TH THROUGH APRIL 22ND, 2026 IS FLEET WEEK HOUSTON. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK GOOD AFTERNOON, HOUSTON. WOW, IT IS SO GREAT TO BE HERE, SIR. FINALLY, MAYOR WHITMEYER, THANK YOU, SIR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANKS TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR HOSTING THIS FLEET WEEK AND THE WARM WELCOME YOU'VE EXTENDED TO OUR SAILORS AND MARINES. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE IN A CITY THAT REPRESENTS THE VERY BEST OF AMERICAN ENERGY, INNOVATION AND DETERMINATION. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS FLEET WEEK IS SOMETHING THAT STARTED TAKING SHAPE DURING MY TIME AT US FLEET FORCES. SO I'M GLAD TO BE BACK NOW AS THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATION TO SEE IT COME TO FULL FRUITION. SO ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING YOUR NAVY TO HOUSTON. FLEET WEEK IS ABOUT CONNECTION. IT'S ABOUT OPENING THE DOORS AND BRINGING THE NAVY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND GIVING EVERYONE A CHANCE TO SEE CLOSE UP THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE ON THEIR BEHALF. BECAUSE BEHIND EVERY SHIP, EVERY AIRCRAFT, EVERY MISSION, THERE'S A SAILOR, AN AMERICAN WARRIOR WHO RAISED THE RIGHT HAND AND SAID, SEND ME. THEY SERVE FOR ONE PURPOSE TO DEFEND THIS NATION AND EVERY SINGLE THING IT STANDS FOR IN HOUSTON, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT SPIRIT. THIS IS A CITY THAT [00:20:01] KNOWS HOW TO OPERATE AT SCALE, IS BUILT ON TEAMWORK, PRECISION, AND RESILIENCE. A CITY THAT DOESN'T JUST IMAGINE BIG THINGS, YOU DELIVER THEM. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOUR NAVY IS DOING TODAY. RIGHT NOW AROUND THE WORLD. OUR NAVY IS FORWARD FROM THE WESTERN PACIFIC TO THE RED SEA, FROM THE HIGH NORTH TO OUR OWN HEMISPHERE. OUR SAILORS ARE STANDING THE WATCH, PROTECTING OUR PROSPERITY. THEY'RE SERVING IN PLACES MOST PEOPLE WILL NEVER SEE. THEY'RE OPERATING IN CHALLENGING CONDITIONS FAR FROM HOME. THEY'RE WORKING AS TEAMS, SOLVING HARD PROBLEMS AND STAYING READY FOR WHATEVER COMES NEXT. NOT FOR RECOGNITION, NOT FOR ATTENTION, BUT BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE. SERVICE IS ABOUT COMMITMENT. IT'S ABOUT BEING PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF. IT'S ABOUT KNOWING THAT WHAT YOU DO MATTERS, NOT JUST ON THE BEST DAYS, BUT ON THE HARDEST ONES TOO. AND THAT'S WHAT DEFINES OUR GREAT NAVY. A TEAM THAT SHOWS UP, A TEAM THAT ADAPTS, AND A TEAM THAT DELIVERS NO MATTER THE CHALLENGE. HOUSTON MAY NOT BE A TRADITIONAL NAVY TOWN, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE NAVY STORY FROM HELPING FUEL AND SUSTAIN THE FLEET IN TIMES OF WAR TO POWERING GLOBAL OPERATIONS THROUGH THE PORT OF HOUSTON TO LEADING AMERICA'S JOURNEY INTO SPACE ALONGSIDE GENERATIONS OF NAVAL AVIATORS. THIS CITY KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO OPERATE AT THE EDGE OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE. THIS WEEK, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT SPIRIT UP CLOSE. YOU'LL MEET YOUNG AMERICANS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THIS COUNTRY. YOU'LL HEAR THEIR STORIES. YOU'LL SEE THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THEIR CONFIDENCE, AND THEIR PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO. AND I THINK YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH A SIMPLE TRUTH. OUR NAVY IS STRONG BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE ARE STRONG TODAY. OUR SAILORS AND MARINES HERE TODAY REPRESENT THE VERY BEST OF OUR NATION. TAKE PRIDE IN THAT. ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, SHARE YOUR STORIES, AND REMEMBER, YOU'RE PART OF SOMETHING SPECIAL, SOMETHING THAT MATTERS. AND TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING OUR SAILORS AND MARINES INTO YOUR CITY. AND THANK YOU FOR STANDING BEHIND THOSE WHO SERVE. THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE NAVY IS WHAT MAKES US SO STRONG. LET ME CONCLUDE BY SAYING HOUSTON, WE'RE PROUD TO BE HERE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET OUT, MEET THESE SAILORS AND MARINES, STEP ABOARD OUR SHIPS, AND SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT YOUR NAVY DOES EVERY SINGLE DAY. BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO, YOU'LL SEE MORE THAN PLATFORMS AND CAPABILITIES. YOU'LL SEE COMMITMENT, YOU'LL SEE CHARACTER, YOU'LL SEE OWNERSHIP, AND YOU'LL SEE A TEAM THAT STANDS READY TO DEFEND THIS NATION AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. HOUSTON, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US, FOR SUPPORTING US, AND FOR STANDING WITH US. ENJOY FLEET WEEK. ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE IF THE MIC LIKES ME BETTER NOW. OKAY, EXCELLENT. I CAN'T, AGAIN, CAN'T TELL YOU HOW VERY EXCITED WE ARE TO HAVE ALL OF YOU VISITING SAILORS AND MARINES IN OUR GREAT CITY. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO, WHO HOUSTONIANS, WHO CAME OUT HERE TODAY TO HELP US WELCOME OUR VISITORS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE OUT AND ABOUT OVER THE NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE SO MANY AMAZING EVENTS ALL OVER THE CITY. THESE VISITING SAILORS AND MARINES WILL BE ENGAGING WITH HOUSTONIANS IN EDUCATION AND HIGHER EDU AND AND THE INDUSTRY AND FUN, LOTS OF FUN, HOPEFULLY OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT ON A HUMAN LEVEL AND ALSO TO LEARN ABOUT THE WORK THAT OUR NAVY AND ARMY CORPS DOES FOR US EVERY DAY. BUT THE WORK IS GONNA WAIT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND LET ME INVITE THE PARTY OVER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS GRAND TRADITION. RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO ALLOW ALL OF THESE VISITORS TO. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.