ADM Thomas Chandler in “Unfinished Business”

ADM Thomas Chandler

This is how war begins. Athens and Sparta fought during a plague which wiped out much of the population. - Sound familiar? But the war brought only more death and destruction because people let their fear, their honor, their interest cloud their judgment. The Peloponnesian War may be ancient history, but its lessons are not. You here will be the first graduating class of midshipmen to enter the Navy since our own troubles ended just three years ago. We're in a time of peace, but peace doesn't keep itself. Ours is a small navy, which means... your importance to the mission is even larger. And you will take the lessons from history, both ancient and very recent, with you as you enter service. When you put on the uniform, you can't let your fear or your pride or your selfish interest lead you astray, or people die. We have to think differently because we are different. We are warriors.