[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 65 (Friday, May 10, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E764-E765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO COMDR. CHESTER O. BURTON, U.S. NAVY

                                 ______


                          HON. OWEN B. PICKETT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 9, 1996

  Mr. PICKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a truly 
outstanding naval officer, Comdr. Chester Burton, Supply Corps, U.S. 
Navy, who will soon be completing his tour of duty in the Navy's Office 
of Legislative Affairs. It is a pleasure for me to recognize several of 
his many outstanding achievements.
  A native of northern Wisconsin, Commander Burton received an 
undergraduate degree in marketing from St. Cloud State University in 
St. Cloud, MN. After growing up in a rural farming community, Commander 
Burton felt what better way to see the world than to join the navy. 
After completing Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, Chet was 
commissioned an Ensign in September 1980. He subsequently attended the 
Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, GA, completing the qualifications 
to be designated a Supply Corps Officer. After completing basic 
submarine school Commander Burton reported as Supply Officer of the 
submarine LaJolla (SSN-701) being built at Electric Boat in Groton, CT. 
During his tour aboard LaJolla, Commander Burton was a member of the 
Commissioning Crew and participated in the ships changing homeport to 
San Diego, CA.
  Following his initial sea tour, Commander Burton served at the Naval 
Supply Depot in Guam. He then reported to the Naval Air Systems Command 
in Arlington, VA, where he was selected to participate in the Navy 
Acquisition Contracting Officer internship program. Due to his 
outstanding performance as contracting officer for the Rolls Royce 
engine used on the AV-8B Harrier Jet, he received the Secretary of the 
Navy's award for excellence in fostering competition and reducing 
procurement costs.
  Subsequent to his tour at NAVAIR, Commander Burton returned to sea 
duty aboard the submarine tender U.S.S. Dixon homeported in San Diego. 
He then did back-to-back sea tours reporting as Supply Officer aboard 
U.S.S. Ohio, a trident class ballistic missile submarine.
  Due to his outstanding performance, he was selected to attend 
postgraduate school after completing his tour aboard Ohio. Commander 
Burton completed a masters of business administration degree at the 
University of Virginia's Darden Graduate Business School in May 1991. 
Following graduate school he reported to the Pentagon where he was the 
executive assistant to the Director of the Supply Programs and Policy 
Division, a Navy rear admiral, on the Chief of Naval Operations staff.
  Commander Burton reported to the Navy Legislative Affairs Office in 
August 1993. During his tenure Chet has been considered the navy's 
procurement expert on Capitol Hill. In addition to handling literally 
thousands of inquiries relating to naval contracts, he has been 
responsible for organizing numerous government small business 
conferences in which many of our constituents have learned the basics 
about contracting with the Federal Government.
  Mr. Speaker, Chet Burton, his wife Amy and their two children Douglas 
and Sarah, have made many sacrifices during his 16-year naval career. 
Serving on two submarines and a submarine tender, Chet has spent a 
significant amount of time underway away from his family to support the 
vital role our naval forces play in our national security. Commander 
Burton is a great credit to the U.S. Navy and the country he so proudly 
serves. As he now prepares to depart to yet another new challenge, I 
call upon my colleagues from both sides of the

[[Page E765]]

aisle to wish him every success as well as fair winds and following 
seas always.

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