Gentlemen, you are the top 1 percent of all naval aviators. The elite. The best of the best. We’ll make you better … You might say we’ll make you the best of the best of the best. Those of you who can’t cut it to graduation will still be the best of the best. But you will simply be the rest of the best of the best, not the best of the best of the best, like the best of you will be.
As pilots in the United States Navy, you are no doubt used to flying with the best. But those pilots, however good, are not the best of the best. They are only the rest of the best. And while the rest of the best are good, they’re obviously not as good as you, the best of the best. Even the worst among you here at Top Gun, or the worst of the rest of the best of the best, are better than even the best of the rest of the best.
Many of you are probably wondering who the best pilot here is. That plaque back there is where we list the Top Gun for each class, or the best of the best of the best … of the best. There can only be one Top Gun per class, so don’t be hard on yourselves if you only wind up being the rest of the best of the best … of the best. You’ll still be better than those I mentioned before who couldn’t cut it—the rest of the best of the best—and, of course, better than the Navy pilots who weren’t even invited to Top Gun in the first place—the rest of the best.
So, to recap: There’s the best of the best of the best of the best, or Top Gun. Then there’s the rest of the best of the best of the best, which is everyone who makes it to graduation and who was previously only the best of the best. Then there are those who couldn’t make it to graduation—the worst of the best of the best, who are still better than the best of the rest in the Navy. Simple.
I don’t imagine you have any questions, so I won’t even ask. Good luck, gentlemen. I’ll see you in the air. Class dismissed.