NAVAL STATION NORFOLK– The 78th U.S. Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Carlos Del Toro visited the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) to meet with Sailors on duty from the ship and surrounding units in Norfolk, Jan. 8, 2025.

“Thank you for allowing me to serve you as your Secretary of the Navy. Every day that I’ve woken up these past 3.5 years, it’s you I have thought about in the morning, as I go to work in the Pentagon, or anywhere else I am, and when I go to sleep at night,” said Del Toro. “What makes our country great, is that our leadership at every level, we care about each other. We’re a team. We’re shipmates. That’s what makes the difference between us and them.”

Upon Del Toro’s arrival to the ship, he visited the mess decks where he was able to talk with Sailors on duty and answer their questions about his time in the Navy and as Secretary, as well as Sailor quality of life and service.

“So we really went to work the last 4 years. Every year making more investments in your quality of life, and quality of service. And I’m not suggesting it’s perfect…but the other thing that we did is we listened to you in this process,” said Del Toro. “We listened to you, and we are making far more investments now than we ever have in the Navy.”

Del Toro was sworn in as the 78th secretary of the Navy Aug. 9, 2021. In 1983, he joined the United States Navy as a surface warfare officer for 22 years before departing active duty to enter the private sector.

Bush is currently in the basic phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan. This period of time allows the crew to practice damage control, deck seamanship, and flight deck operations, simulating real scenarios that Sailors encounter at sea during future operations.

For media queries, please contact Lt. Cmdr. Madie Hansen, USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs Officer, at [email protected].