NORFOLK, Va. — A familiar face returned to Naval Station Norfolk Thursday, but with a new title.
Adm. Daryl Caudle, who previously served as the U.S. Fleet Forces Commander headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk, visited with sailors aboard the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and discussed his priorities after being chosen to be the next chief of naval operations.
"I feel like I'm at home," Caudle said, speaking to the several hundred sailors assembled on the carrier.
Watch: Adm. Caudle sworn in as 34th chief of naval operations in D.C.
Caudle spoke for about an hour Thursday afternoon, talking about a wide variety of topics, including quality of life for sailors and the need to speed up shipbuilding.
“What I want to impress upon you today is, as a person who has spent, probably, the least amount of time in the Pentagon, probably, of any CNO possible, that it is my job to carry what I see day-to-day that happens on the waterfront to that five-sided building," Caudle emphasized.
The CNO is the highest-ranking officer in the Navy and is an adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy.
Watch: Top admiral weighs in on AI use in the Navy
On board the Truman, Caudle took questions from sailors.
MASN Eliana Gilson didn’t ask a question, but said, regardless, she was glad to hear from the CNO, especially about his focus on sailors’ quality of life
“It honestly makes me feel a lot better as a junior sailor coming up in the Navy," said Gilson.
Before talking to sailors, Caudle took questions from reporters.
Watch: Top admiral responds to Sailor quality of life concerns
When News 3 asked what his priorities are as CNO, the first one he mentioned was what he refers to as the foundry. He said that includes infrastructure, such as buildings, piers and people.
“At the heart of the foundry, and I’ve made no bones about this, I will make sailors first. That is what I learned in my job at Fleet Forces is the quality of service of our sailors means the most to me of anything I’m going to do," said Caudle.
He went on to say part of that effort will be trying to keep the steps that are already being taken to improve the “foundry” in place.
