The singing CNO

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In his holiday message, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jon Greenert wishes you a "Merry Christmas" in song. // U.S. Navy

The CNO’s first holiday video has a soundtrack – and backup singers.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jon Greenert carols along with his wife Darleen, backed up by the 8-member a cappella group the Navy Sea Chanters in his holiday message, posted online Tuesday.

“Happy holidays shipmates,” Greenert says above the cooing carolers. “We thank you and your families for your service and for your sacrifice and for those of you standing the watch tonight, remember what you do is incredibly important. You’re in our thoughts and prayers.”

“Enjoy the holidays but please remember, stay safe,” Darleen adds.

“Merry Christmas!” Greenert and his wife say in unison and then they join the carolers in a rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqJAs3HfPuU[/youtube]

The video eschews the subdued style of his predecessor, now-retired Adm. Gary Roughead, who preferred his messages to be seated before a fireplace, and once featured his sleeping dog. Greenert’s video is also much more Christmas-y than Roughead’s. Roughead had wished viewers a “Happy holidays” and his videos never featured a Christmas tree, let alone Christmas carols.

But if it steps out more than Roughead’s messages, it still falls short of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SS/SW) Rick West’s trippy holiday video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl4EbWpcOZQ[/youtube]

So how do you like the messages?

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6 Comments

  1. I guess its ADM Greenert’s prerogative to do whatever he’d like in his Holiday greeting to the fleet.

    Still – it doesn’t seem to add much to the dignity of the position of CNO.

    I doubt Chester Nimtz or Ernest King would approve.

  2. @johnson, I’ll take a little lameness (ADM Greenert’s) over roughead’s over-the-top-political-correctness b.s. any day and mullen’s too!

  3. Pingback: The Scoop Deck – A Christmas tale, submarine-version

  4. I am pleased to hear a leader who is not ashamed to say Merry Christmas. It is a great tribute to the founders of this great country. I look forward to great things from our CNO and wife, go John and Darleen.

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