[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 9, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S3682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN WILLIAM H. LEWIS, CIVIL ENGINEER CORPS, U.S. NAVY

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to recognize the 
exemplary service and career of an outstanding naval officer, Captain 
William H. Lewis, upon his retirement from the Navy at the conclusion 
of more than 27 years of commissioned service. Throughout his 
distinguished career, Captain Lewis has truly epitomized the Navy core 
values of honor, courage, and commitment. It is my privilege to commend 
him for a superb career of service he has provided the Navy and our 
great Nation.
  Captain Lewis is a native of Newburgh, New York. He studied civil 
engineering at the Ohio State University on a Naval Reserve Officer 
Training Command scholarship. He also received his Master's degree in 
Civil Engineering at Ohio State on an Environmental Protection Agency 
Fellowship before being commissioned as a Navy Civil Engineer Corps 
officer in 1973. Captain Lewis later attended L'Universita di Perugia, 
Italy, and the Executive Program at the University of Michigan.
  His first tour of duty was at Naval Station Treasure Island as the 
Assistant Public Works Officer. He became Treasure Island's first Staff 
Civil Engineer with the commissioning of Public Works Center San 
Francisco Bay. He also had tours as an Assistant Resident Officer in 
Charge of Construction (ROICC), ROICC San Francisco Bay Area, with 
Western Division (WESTDIV), Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
(NAVFAC), San Bruno, California; an instructor at the Civil Engineer 
Corps Officers School at Port Hueneme, California; and as the Flag Aide 
to the Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command and Chief of 
Civil Engineers.
  In 1980, he served with the Seabees as the Alfa Company commander for 
U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) SIXTY-TWO homeported in 
my great State of Mississippi. The MINUTEMEN were deployed to Rota, 
Spain where they won the Battle E and Peltier Award as the best Seabee 
battalion in the Atlantic Fleet and entire fleet respectively. NMCB-62 
also served in Roosevelt Roads where they redeployed to build a Cuban-
Haitian refugee camp at Fort Allen and was the last full battalion 
deployed to Diego Garcia. In 1982, he returned to WESTDIV as the 
Assistant Head of the Acquisition Department. In that capacity, he 
served as the Air Force Program Coordinator for the Space Shuttle 
facilities for the military Space Transportation System program and the 
design of the $220 million David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air 
Force Base, Fairfield, California. In 1985, he was selected to be the 
Deputy Officer in Charge of Construction at Travis AFB on the largest 
firm fixed price construction contract awarded by NAVFAC that year. In 
1986, he became the Staff Civil Engineer for Commander, Fleet Air 
Mediterranean in Naples, Italy responsible for the Navy's NATO 
Infrastructure Program and Project PRONTO. In 1989, he returned to Navy 
Public Works Center San Francisco Bay as the Production Officer and 
participated in the disaster recovery operations from the Loma Prieta 
earthquake. In 1992, he became Vice Commander at the Western Division, 
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, San Bruno, California. In 1994 he 
became the Commanding Officer, Engineering Field Activity, 
Mediterranean, Naples, Italy in support of the Fifth and Sixth Fleets 
and the Department of Defense's largest overseas construction program, 
including the Naples Improvement initiative, the bed down of the 
31Tactical Fighter Wing at Aviano, Italy, and the force protection 
efforts at Bahrain. In 1997, he reported onboard as the Executive 
Officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southern Division 
(SOUTHDIV), Charleston, South Carolina. On May 14, 1998, he became the 
27th Commanding Officer at SOUTHDIV.

  Captain Lewis' awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious 
Service Medal (third gold star), Navy Commendation Medal (second gold 
star), Air Force Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal (gold 
star). He is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and 
Tau Beta Pi and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of 
California. Captain Lewis is Seabee Combat Warfare qualified, a member 
of the Acquisition Professional Community and holds a Level III 
(unlimited) NAVFAC Contracting warrant as well as a Level III 
(unlimited) Real Estate Contracting Warrant.
  Captain Lewis' visionary leadership, exceptionally creative problem 
solving skills and uncommon dedication have created a legacy of 
achievement and excellence. The Great State of Mississippi has 
benefitted immensely from Captain Lewis' engineering leadership, both 
during his time as a junior officer serving with the Seabees in 
Gulfport, Mississippi and in his present capacity as commanding officer 
of SOUTHDIV. As Commander, Southern Division, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, Captain Lewis was instrumental in completing 
projects throughout the Great State of Mississippi, to include critical 
waterfront projects at Naval Station Pascagoula; planning and design of 
a future Warfighting Center at Stennis, Mississippi, and a major Navy 
Family Housing complex in Gulfport.
  Captain Lewis will retire on May 12, 2000 after 27 years of dedicated 
commissioned service. On behalf of my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle, I wish Captain Lewis fair winds and following seas. 
Congratulations on completion of an outstanding and successful career.

                          ____________________