[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 64 (Monday, May 22, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               A TRIBUTE TO OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM

 Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, Saturday, May 20th was Armed Forces 
Day and I can think of no better time to honor those who serve this 
great county in the United States military. The millions of active duty 
personnel who have so unselfishly dedicated their lives to protecting 
freedom deserve the highest degree of respect and a day of honor.
  I recently had the privilege of being invited to tour the U.S.S. 
Enterprise during a training mission off the Florida cost. My 
experience abroad the Enterprise reminded me of the awesome power and 
strength of the United States military. But more importantly, it 
reminded me of the hard work and sacrifice of the men and women serving 
in our armed forces.
  The U.S.S. Enterprise was commissioned on Sept. 24, 1960 and was the 
world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. This incredible ship is 
the largest carrier in the Naval fleet at 1,123 feet long and 250 feet 
high. While walking along the 4.47 acre flight deck with Captain James 
A. Winnefeld, Jr., Commanding Officer, it was amazing to learn that 
``The Big E'' remains the fastest combatant in the world.
  Spending two days touring the Enterprise showed me what a hard 
working and knowledgeable military force we have. As I moved through 
the ship I was greeted with enthusiasm, as sailors explained the ship's 
equipment and their role as part of the Enterprise crew. At full staff, 
the ``Big E,'' as it is affectionately known, has over 5,000 crew 
members from every state of the Union, most of whom are between 18 and 
24 years old. These young adults are charged with maintaining and 
operating the largest air craft carrier in the world and guiding 
multimillion-dollar airplanes as they land on a floating runway. I was 
in awe of these men and women who work harder and have more 
responsibility than many people do in a lifetime.
  ``The Big E'' is a ship that never sleeps, it operates twenty four 
hours a day, seven days a week. I watched as a handful of tired pilots 
sat down for `dinner' at 10:30 p.m. on a Sunday night. Hungry and 
tired, they wanted it no other way. I had the privilege of joining 
Captain Winnefeld in honoring the `Sailor of the Day' for spending 
three consecutive days repairing broken machinery, taking only a few 30 
minute breaks to sleep. I witnessed the same degree of commitment in a 
separate part of the ship as an eager technician showed me how the 
cables on the flight deck operate and are maintained below. His task 
for the past two days was to create the metal attachment which holds 
one of the four arresting tailhook cables together and his voice was 
filled with pride as he explained the entire 8 hour process. Between 
giving orders to his crew, he pointed out a few tiny air bubbles that 
formed during the cooling process of the metal attachment. Although he 
started his shift at 4:30 a.m. and probably won't sleep for the next 24 
hours, he smiles and tells me it will be redone, that it must be 
perfect--the lives of our pilots are at risk if it is not. The amazing 
thing is, they all do it with a smile.
  When I think about Armed Forces Day, I think about two events I 
experienced on the Enterprise. First, are the sailors from across 
Colorado who sat down for breakfast with me in the enlisted mess hall, 
who gleamed with pride for the job they do and the important role they 
play in our nation's defense. Second, was the ``Town Hall meeting'' I 
held, where I responded to questions and concerns ranging from military 
health care to Social Security, from members of the crew. These one on 
one interactions were extremely valuable to me and I learned as much 
from these events as the crew did.
  I have never witnessed a more dedicated or hard working group of 
people than the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. It makes me proud when I 
realize that the ``Big E'' crew is representative of the millions of 
American military personnel throughout the world. Never-mind that many 
of them could be paid more money for less work in a civilian job, may 
not get eight hours sleep each night or see their families for weeks at 
a time--they make those sacrifices for the country they love.
  I hope that Coloradans will join me in using Armed Forces Day to 
thank those who are serving in the best military force in the 
world.

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