“Gentlemen, They’re Navy SEALS”

Ladies and gentlemen, it's a great, great honor to be here on behalf of President Barack Obama and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen. I bring you their greetings.

But I also have to tell you a little story. Admiral Mullen, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral, is supposed to be even-handed in terms of all the military services -- and he is. But I got to tell you a story, and I asked his permission to tell the story. I can't tell you the event because it's classified, but I can tell you what happened.

Not long ago we were down in the Situation Room with the President presiding -- and members of the Joint Chiefs, as well as the National Security Advisor, Secretary of State, myself, the Secretary of Defense. And there was a particular mission that was incredibly risky and required an immense -- immense amount of skill to pull off. And several of my uniformed brethren who weren't wearing Navy colors sat there and said, I think that's almost impossible. I'm not sure that can be done.

And this is a true story, Admiral. Without missing a beat, spontaneously, not his prejudice but his pride showed through, and he said, gentlemen, they're Navy SEALS. That was it. It could be done, no matter what it was, with regard to the Navy. And you've all proven him to be right.