Obama to cadets: Role more important than ever

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- President Barack Obama told the newest members of the nation's military Wednesday to prepare for years filled with vital but dangerous tasks, tempering congratulatory words to U.S. Coast Guard Academy graduates with cautionary advice about a world full of threats.

Speaking at the academy's graduation ceremony in New London, Conn., Obama told the 229 cadets of the class of 2011 that the Coast Guard has become one of the nation's first responders, leading the evacuation of lower Manhattan after 9/11 and helping after last year's devastating Haiti earthquake and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

More recently, Coast Guard officers helped whisk Americans to higher ground against a surging Mississippi River.

"We know that the complex missions asked of our Coast Guard have never been more important," Obama said.

"Around the world we need you to partner with other nations to secure their ports, protect the vital shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf, combat piracy off the horn of Africa and help train foreign partners from the Americas to Africa to Asia," he said.

"Here at home we need you to stop those smugglers, and protect our oceans and prevent terrorists from slipping deadly weapons into our ports."

For Obama, it was his final commencement address of the season. The president traditionally delivers a commencement address every year to one of the service academies. The Coast Guard Academy is the smallest of the five academies. Obama addressed the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2010 at West Point last year.

The ceremony, the 130th Coast Guard Academy commencement, was forced indoors due to inclement weather.