EIHS Supports our Military Personnel
EIHS Supports Our Troops!
Every year, the Ellis Island Medals of Honor recognize several military personnel from all five branches of the Armed Services. Each year, the highest-ranking official is invited to address our guests. In 2023, we were honored to have Adm. Lisa Franchetti as our military guest speaker.
The White House announced on Friday that President Biden intends to nominate Adm. Lisa Franchetti to become the Navy’s highest-ranking officer. EIHS was proud to celebrate Adm. Franchetti’s accomplishment’s this past May when she received our Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Franchetti, who is currently serving as the vice chief of naval operations, commissioned in 1985 and has served as the commander of US Naval Forces Korea, deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, and director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy of the Joint Staff, according to her official biography. She has also commanded two carrier strike groups, and became the Vice CNO in September 2022. She was the second woman ever to be promoted to four-star admiral, and she did multiple deployments, including as commander of a naval destroyer and two stints as aircraft carrier strike group commander.
The White House and Pentagon both noted that Admiral Franchetti would be the first female officer to serve as a permanent member of the Joint Chiefs. In a statement Friday, Biden noted the historical significance of her selection and said “throughout her career, Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and policy arenas.”
Chairman Nasser J. Kazeminy delivered rousing remarks at our Ellis Island Medals of Honor ceremony where we honored five active-duty military personnel.
Maj. Gen. William Seely III, a Vietnamese native who later became the senior ranking Asian-American in the U.S. Marines, remembers being the only Asian-American growing up in southern California in the 1970s.
“The notion you’re a little bit different, look a little different, have to work a little harder, always stayed with me,” he said.
Just a week after receiving his Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Seely spoke as part of a national NAVAIR Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month event May 27, where he shared his story of becoming a leader in public service. For Seely, the event’s theme of “Advancing Leaders Through Purpose-Driven Service” was personal….
Read more about Maj. Gen. Seely III on the NAVAIR website