FULL REMARKS: Sec. Hegseth visits Naval Air Station Oceana | LiveNOW from FOX

Barracks investment plan within the next 30 days. Something like this has never been done before. The one big, beautiful bill that President Trump championed gave over a billion dollars as the down payment in this effort. We are going to fix the barracks issue across all of our services. Because two years ago, the Government Accountability Office released a report. It said, quote, poor living conditions undermine quality of life and readiness. Despite that report, the Biden administration did nothing. It is simply unacceptable that in some cases our warriors continue to live in substandard housing. Every warfighter of our joint force deserves housing that is clean, comfortable, and safe. It's actually really simple. We can build a lot of beautiful things. Our Commander-in-Chief is a builder. He understands building and building efficiently and well. Adequate housing for our force is critical to reviving the warrior ethos and rebuilding our military. Barracks are where warriors go to rest and recover. A place they go to mentally and physically prepare for winning the next fight. So the barracks task force that we're announcing will ensure that local and unit commanders are better empowered to take care of warriors. My office, the Office of the Secretary of War, will personally review and approve the resulting plan. In crucial ways, big and small, the Department of War is going to have your back like never before. Not just in the fight, but alongside your family, alongside your welfare, the basics like barracks. You deserve the best. We can do a lot better than we've done in so many places, and we're going to invest in that. So, warfighters, on behalf of the Department of War, I want to thank you. I've got seven little kids, ages 15 to 8. My oldest is a 15-year-old son. It would be one of the proudest days of my life if he ever stood in a formation like this after he was willing, he or she, with my two daughters, willing to answer the nation's call. Do something bigger than themselves. Our rights that we have in this country are endowed by a creator, not by government. But they're defended by Americans, American citizens, ordinary Americans. I'm ordinary, you're all ordinary. But you're about to do extraordinary things. You're going to have the crucible, you're going to be forged, you're going to be trained, you're going to be equipped, you're going to be prepared, you're going to be motivated. You've got leaders and NCOs and officers who are prepared to guide you in that process. It will change your life. You will not regret this day. You will look back on this day and say, I made a damn good decision. There were some tough days, some difficult days. Some days were really long, pretty wet, a little cold, didn't quite have what I needed. But alongside my teammates, we accomplished the mission. On behalf of the nation, on behalf of the American people, so that we can live free. Freedom requires tan, blue, red, black, and orange. That's what freedom requires. Every single generation, you don't pass it to the next generation in the bloodstream. Every generation fights for freedom. So I was on an aircraft carrier the other day looking out at the U.S. It was the H.W. Bush aircraft carrier. One of the most beautiful sights I've seen. But this rivals it as well. Great Americans stepping up to do great things. Thank you for your commitment to our great republic. Now you're going to go out and train to fight like hell. May God bless you. And may God bless our great republic. All right. How about we do the thing? Do the oath. All right. So at this time, if you're with the Virginia National Guard, we're doing two. First for the Virginia Guard and then on the federal side. At this time, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, state your full name, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to laws and regulations. So help me God. Congratulations. Give him a round of applause. All right. The rest of the formation, if you would, raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, state your full name, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. Congratulations. Let me say one final thing. When this is over, I know families are not here for the most part, but go out and thank your mom or your dad or that uncle or that aunt or grandfather or grandmother, somebody in your life that motivated you to do this. You're not here by accident. Someone set an example for you, someone who planted on your heart an understanding of the love of this country, of hard work, of doing something bigger than yourself. Celebrate, thank them, and then pass that on as well. Pretty cool here is that you're a part of a huge surge right now, a historic surge of Americans that are stepping up to serve this country. President Trump points out record-breaking numbers of Americans are enlisting to serve. A year ago, we couldn't get folks to serve. Today, we barely have enough input and basic training to deal with the amount of Americans that want to stand up and serve. It is historic, the level of recruitment that we're getting. And those that are in the ranks already, retention is at record-breaking levels. In fact, the Marine Corps has already met their retention goal for 2026, and we're a week into the month of October. That's a reflection of motivation. That means you're entering motivated ranks, motivated drill sergeants, motivated units, and we need you to be that same kind of motivated. So congratulations, Godspeed, and good luck. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.