SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Secretary of the Navy John Phelan visited San Diego and toured the USS Somerset, named after United Flight 93 that crashed into a Pennsylvania field on 9-11.
Secretary Phelan, who’s only been in the role for four months, has been touring ships and encouraging morale.
On Wednesday, he met with marines and sailors on board the USS Somerset and the conversation surrounded readiness, incorporating artificial intelligence and improving quality of life on board.
He said the next three to five years are critical and innovating quickly is imperative. After meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Secretary Phelan said the President is on board with his priorities as well.
“Ultimately that comes down to readiness. It means safe and habitable barracks, strong family services and a culture that values you and your contributions,” said Phelan. “Because we can have the best platforms and capabilities in the world, they are nothing without you. We need you, the trained war fighter, to bring them to life.”
He promised to put every dollar into mission success and to spend money wisely, focusing on bringing emerging technology and artificial intelligence to the forefront. He used Ukraine’s use of drones and technology against Russia as an examples, saying the stakes are high and innovating quickly is critical.
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