On Wednesday the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Class of 2017 received a special treat for its 136th commencement: the first keynote speech President Donald Trump delivered to any military academy.

But when the commander-in-chief addressed the 195 graduates, he wasn’t just speaking to them and to the invited guests. As a Coast Guard veteran, a husband, and the father of two grown kids, I realized he was speaking to me, too.

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For the record, I did not serve as an officer, as today’s graduating cadets — now ensigns — will do. My four-plus years as a Coast Guardsman, some of it spent in Guam, ended when I decided to go to college rather than re-enlist. Still, the college years are often considered the most formative, and that period of my life, when I served our country instead of hitting the books, wound up laying the foundation for the decades that followed.

“The more righteous your fight, the more opposition you will face.”

Given all that, these standout sections of the president’s speech especially resonated with me.

1.) “You have been expected [as students] to take responsibility, to make decisions, and to act … Like all leaders, that’s exactly what you have to do. You have to act, and you have to act properly,” Trump told the graduates. What less is expected of a parent, I thought? While I’m sure I haven’t always said the perfect things to my children on every occasion, parenting also teaches by example. My own service time made it plain: You do what you have to do when you have to do it.

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2.) The Coast Guard works to secure “our borders from drug cartels, human smugglers, and terrorist threats” and protect the country “in a world of massive and very grave threats.” As parents, we face threats to our kids every day — and part of our job is to warn them away from drugs and other dangerous situations. Sure, our kids live on their own now as young adults. But my wife and I have to believe they’ve learned what they needed to learn — so they can live smartly, safely and boldly as they make their way through the world without the protective embrace of their parents.

3.) “Over the course of your life, you will find that things are not always fair. You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve, and that are not always warranted. But you have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight.” Yes. “Nothing worth doing ever … came easy,” Trump also said. “And the more righteous your fight, the more opposition that you will face.”

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I hope that as a parent, I’ve articulated these exact messages to my children. If not, at least I believe I’ve lived them. Both my son and my daughter faced challenges during their school years — and now, I’d like to think they’re handling each and every day with courage and strength.

The Coast Guard’s motto is “Semper Paratus,” Latin for “always ready.” That slogan worked well for me during my years of military service — and it did for me as a father helping to raise a family.