[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 74 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1041-E1042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CAPTAIN DONALD E. PETERS, USN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 1999

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
American warrior, Captain Donald E. Peters, of the United States Navy.
  Captain Peters will end his 30 year career with the Navy on May 28, 
1999, a career that has included a host of commands. Most notably for 
South Texas, one of those commands included the Mine Warfare Center of 
Excellence at Naval Station Ingleside (NSI) on the Bay of Corpus 
Christi.

[[Page E1042]]

  I was always taken with Captain Peters' style of leadership; his 
philosophy seemed to be: ``Shut up and do it.'' He led by example. He 
became involved, and stayed involved, in all the things that affected 
Naval Station Ingleside's mission or the sailors there.
  Captain Peters' most significant accomplishment at NSI was the 
leadership he showed in effort and innovation, an accomplishment that 
won a presidential tribute for NSI. NSI was recognized with the annual 
Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence Award in 1997. The base 
was chosen from among 135 installations world-wide, and was selected 
from among 11 semi-finalists.
  It was innovation in the following areas that attracted the award: 
leadership, retention of personnel, equal employment opportunity, 
community relations, energy conservation, pollution prevention, food 
service excellence and recreational activities.
  Captain Peters' service and leadership was pivotal in the development 
of NSI. In 1992, NSI began with 500 sailors. By the end of 1996, just 
prior to this award, it had over 4,000 personnel, making it one of the 
Navy's fastest growing military facilities. Continuing that trend, by 
next year, NSI will have around 5,000 military and civilian employees 
at the base.
  In 1995, Captain Peters streamlined the base's administrative staff 
from nine department to five departments. The move made operations more 
efficient and responsive to the needs of the sailors. Military 
organizations tend to note efficient models of success, and NSI's 
administrative operations were rapidly adopted Navy-wide for emulation 
at similar-sized installations.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in paying tribute 
to a lifetime of service by Captain Donald E. Peters, a real American 
patriot and hero.

                          ____________________