[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 34 (Monday, March 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S2343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO CAPT. BILLY LEWIS

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a truly 
outstanding Naval officer, Capt. Billy Lewis who has served with 
distinction for the past 23 months as Director of the Navy's Senate 
Legislative Liaison Office. It is a privilege for me to recognize his 
many outstanding achievements and commend him for the superb service he 
has provided to the U.S. Senate and to our great Nation as a whole.
  A native of Pensacola, FL, and a 1969 graduate of the U.S. Naval 
Academy, Captain Lewis began his naval career as the damage control 
assistant aboard U.S.S. Dehaven (DD 727). His follow-on tours of duty 
included Naval Headquarters, Saigon, engineer and weapons officer 
aboard U.S.S. Talbot (FFG 4), and he was second in command when U.S.S. 
Jack Williams (FFG 24) was commissioned in 1983. Capt. Billy Lewis has 
had three tours of duty in command at sea--U.S.S. Takelma (ATF 113) 
from 1977 to 1979, U.S.S. Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49) from 1986 to 1988, 
and U.S.S. Thomas S. Gates (CG 51) from 1993 to 1995. As Commanding 
Officer, U.S.S. Thomas S. Gates, Capt. Lewis served as Anti-Air Warfare 
Commander for Joint Task Group George Washington.
  Captain Lewis' duty ashore has included the Naval Postgraduate School 
where he earned a master of science degree in management in 1980, and 
two tours of duty on the Navy staff in Washington, DC. From 1983 to 
1985, he served as a program analyst in the Office of General Planning 
and Programming, and from 1989 to 1991, he served as head of the 
Program and Budget Development Coordination Branch for the Deputy Chief 
of Naval Operations. Additionally, he attended National Defense 
University and graduated from the National War College in 1992.
  During his tenure as the Navy's Director of Legislative Liaison for 
the Senate which began in April 1995, Captain Lewis has provided 
members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, our personal staffs, as 
well as many of you seated here today, with timely support regarding 
Navy plans and programs. His valuable contributions have enabled 
Congress and the Department of the Navy to work closely together to 
preserve the modern, well-trained and well-equipped naval forces upon 
which our country has come to depend.
  Mr. President, Billy Lewis and his family have made many sacrifices 
during a 28-year Naval career and made a significant contribution to 
the outstanding naval forces upon which our country relies so heavily. 
During his illustrious career, Captain Lewis has been the recipient of 
many awards and commendations including the Legion of Merit with one 
gold star. He is a great credit to both the Navy and the country he so 
proudly serves. As he now departs to take command of Regional Support 
Group in Mayport, FL, I call upon my colleagues to wish him fair winds, 
and following seas.

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