86 



Second, I personally believe that the Navy has an obligation to 

 the general well-being of this maritime nation, to make its substan- 

 tial oceanography capability available to pursue other national 

 goals when it is affordable and does not unduly risk national de- 

 fense. 



And finally, we do exciting things. We have unique tools, talents, 

 and resources in the Navy. And we face oceanography's most inter- 

 esting challenges. 



I believe that if we interest young researchers and even students 

 in our operational problems, we will ensure that there's a cadre of 

 technical talent on whom the Navy can call for decades. Partnering 

 can surely contribute to that goal. 



You have heard reference to MEDEA today and your committees 

 have copies of MEDEA's recent ocean panel report. For review, 

 MEDEA is a collection of the nation's very best scientists prin- 

 cipally from industry and academia, all cleared to the highest secu- 

 rity levels. 



I asked MEDEA to review my data holdings and processes, first 

 and foremost, for quality. And secondly, for the potential utility it 

 might have in meeting nondefense goals. And I wanted their ideas 

 on how to strengthen the historic bond between Navy oceanog- 

 raphers and their civil counterparts. 



MEDEA delivered in all three areas. Our capabilities as judged 

 by them are world-leading. Several data sets were highlighted for 

 potential release in whole or in part and they articulated several 

 partnering notions to link operational Navy oceanographers and 

 civil researchers. 



They included natural laboratories in the United States littoral 

 waters, electronic data access directly into the Navy, Navy archival 

 of national technical means imagery of the oceans, use of at-sea as- 

 sets better, and people-to- people exchanges. 



MEDEA also helped the Navy spur on its efforts at unclassified 

 oceanographic cooperation with the Russian navy recently. 



Continuation of the substantive involvement of the CIA-spon- 

 sored MEDEA ocean panel will ensure enlightened and under- 

 standing dialogue on declassification, while providing increased pe- 

 ripheral vision within the classified parts of my program. 



Timing is everything. Just as the bipartisan-spawned MEDEA- 

 ETF initiative was blossoming. Admiral Watkins at CORE began 

 a grassroots partnering effort with industry and academia, and he 

 took time early in that effort to include operational oceanographers 

 in his visionary plan. 



And the Chief of Naval Operations reviewed naval oceanography, 

 as he just told you, declared it a core capability and core respon- 

 sibility of the Navy, and he charged us to assume a role of national 

 leadership in oceanography. 



And now, your three committees have made a commitment un- 

 precedented for decades, more than 25 years, to bring this national 

 capability together. 



Let me conclude by saying, from Navy Oceanography's viewpoint, 

 there are many opportunities. We are talking like partners today 

 more than ever. And we have a Navy leader in the CNO — we call 

 him the Chief of Naval Oceanography, Admiral Boorda — who has 

 embraced oceanography partnering. 



