[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E781-E782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           COMMANDER IN CHIEF'S INSTALLATION EXCELLENCE AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 1997

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the U.S. Navy in 
commending Naval Station Ingleside, located on the Bay of Corpus 
Christi, TX, for recently being recognized as the Navy's best base and 
winning a Presidential tribute for that honor. NSI was chosen from 135 
installations around the world for the Commander in Chief's 
Installation Excellence Award, and I am very proud.
  This recognition is all the more impressive considering the distance 
this base has covered since its groundbreaking and its first days of 
operations in 1992. NSI was conceived, and building begun, during the 
waning years of the cold war in the mid 1980's. When operations began 
in 1992, the brand new state-of-the-art base had only 500 sailors and 
NSI was a

[[Page E782]]

prominent candidate for base closure, appearing on the base closure 
list in 1991 and 1993.
  Since that time, the can-do spirit of the leadership at the base and 
the unwavering support of the south Texas community have led the Navy 
to consolidate its mine warfare mission at NSI, and no one has looked 
back since. By the end of 1996, NSI had more than 4,000 sailors with a 
payroll of $60 million, making it one of the fastest growing military 
posts in the Navy.
  The advent of the Persian Gulf war in 1991 had a great deal to do 
with focusing the Navy's energies on ensuring that we were prepared to 
deal with shallow and deep water mines, much like the sort favored by 
Iraq's Saddam Hussein. By consolidating the mine warfare command in one 
location at NSI, the Navy saved money while expanding the program.
  The Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence Award honors the 
command best accomplishing their mission, increasing productivity, and 
enhancing the quality of life for their force. Ingleside's outstanding 
efforts in innovation and imaginative leadership, retention of 
personnel, equal employment opportunity, community relations, energy 
conservation and pollution prevention were responsible for this award.
  NSI's commander, Capt. Donald Peters, is a creative, dynamic leader. 
Captain Peters' philosophy of efficiency and innovation prompted him to 
streamline the base administrative staff. The move saved $2 million the 
first year Captain Peters put it in place, and $1.5 million the 
following year.
  I offer all the men and women at Naval Station Ingleside my heartiest 
congratulations for their outstanding work, and I ask my colleagues to 
join me in commending NSI for a job well done.

                          ____________________