[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 105 (Thursday, July 30, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1480-E1481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING ADMIRAL ROBERT E. KRAMEK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 30, 1998

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Admiral Robert E. 
Kramek, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, for his devoted 
service to the U.S. Coast Guard and his commitment to our country.
  Admiral Kramek began his long road to become the 20th Commandant of 
the United States Coast Guard when he graduated with honors from the 
USCG Academy with a B.S. in Engineering in 1961. He attended post

[[Page E1481]]

graduate schools at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins 
University, and the University of Alaska. He has received Master of 
Science Degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, 
Mechanical Engineering, and Engineering Management. He also attended 
the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI and graduated with Highest 
Distinction. Admiral Kramek was selected for Flag rank in 1986. After 
selection for Flag rank, he completed the ````Capstone'' Program at the 
National Defense University Institute of Higher Defense Studies.
  ADM Kramek had many assignments before relieving ADM J. William Kime 
as Commandant on June 1, 1994. He was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Coast 
Guard and commanded two Coast Guard Districts: the 13th District in the 
Pacific Northwest and the 7th District in the Southeast U.S. and 
Caribbean. He commanded the Coast Guard Base at Governors Island, New 
York. He led the interdiction and rescue of 37,000 Haitians when he 
commanded the High Endurance Cutter Midgett and the Haitian Migration 
Task Force. During this same time period, he was also on the Drug 
Czar's Coordinator for the War on Drugs in the Southeast U.S. and 
Caribbean. He served as Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator 
(RETCO) for the Secretary of Transportation in the Pacific Northwest. 
He also commanded Maritime Defense Zone sectors Pacific Northwest and 
Sector 7 Southeast U.S., which are Navy Coastal Defense Commands.
  During his four years as Commandant, ADM Kramek has been responsible 
for many achievements within the U.S. Coast Guard. He launched four new 
classes of cutters: The Keeper- and Juniper-class buoytenders, the 87 
foot Patrol Boat, and the Polar Icebreaker. He led the Coast Guard in 
an international effort to target chokepoints in the illegal drug 
trade, while overseeing record-setting cocaine seizures in Operations 
Frontier Shield, Gulf Shield, and Frontier Lance. He oversaw the 
integration of Reserve forces with the active-duty Coast Guard and 
advanced the Coast Guard's reputation as the world's premier maritime 
service. He created a fully integrated leadership development program 
that led to the Leadership Development Center of Excellence. He 
negotiated a memorandum of understanding with the Russian Federal 
Border Service that led to joint U.S.-Russian operations in the Bering 
Sea. He also set a government-wide example in National Performance 
Review improvements and signed a memorandum of agreement with the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation defining the 
Coast Guard's unique defense role in the post-Cold War era.
  In addition to his accomplishments, ADM Kramek has received many 
awards. These awards include two CG Distinguished Service Medals, two 
Legion of Merit awards, the Meritorious Service Medal, four CG 
Commendation Medals, the CG Achievement Medal, CG Unit Commendations, 
the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Special Operations Ribbon with 
silver star, the Humanitarian Service Medal with bronze star, and the 
Sea Service Ribbon with bronze star.
  Admiral Kramek has left his own personal influence on the Coast 
Guard, which has helped make the United States Coast Guard such a 
valuable part of this country. Let us not forget the man we honor 
today, who lives his life to serve the United States of America.
  Congratulations to Admiral Robert E. Kramek on his extraordinary life 
and career, and may God continue to bless him, his wife Patricia, and 
his four children, Tracy, Joseph, Suzanne, and Nancy.

                          ____________________