June 17, 2011. The Center for Security Policy honored John Lehman, former Secretary of the Navy during the Reagan administration, at its annual Freedom Flame award dinner in New York City. Dr. Lehman was a central architect of the 600-ship Navy, one of the central parts of the Reagan 'Peace Through Strength' strategy.

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., Executive Chairman of the Center for Security Policy, introduces Admiral James "Ace" Lyons.

He's known John Lehman for many years.  He's had more influence on the United States Navy than anybody since Teddy Roosevelt and the Great White Fleet.  John learned early on about the Navy from his dad who was Captain of an LCS as a lieutenant Junior grade and fought in the early battles for Okinawa in his early college and graduate days is inquisitive mind was put to full use while he was at Cambridge.  He spent many hours at at the Tickell Arms over a pint discussing the issues of the day.  It was there that he learned to hone his debating skills.  Sometimes he was asked, "Why didn't you go to Oxford?"  And he would reply, "I was rejected when they found out my mother and father were married."  It was at graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania where John met one of his mentors Dr Robert Strauss Houpee?, and it was through that relationship that brought John to Washington and where he joined the Nixon Administration and worked directly for Henry Kissinger and Richard Allen.  It was under the master Henry Kissinger that he learned to consolidate power, which he would put to good use later on.  John was the Congressional liaison appointment for the administration.  This let him establish close working relationships with the defense Titans on Capitol Hill