[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 85 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1141-E1142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO COMMANDER JOHN C. SCORBY--HONORING HIM ON HIS CHANGE-OF-
                                COMMAND

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 28, 2000

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege and an honor to have this 
opportunity to pay tribute to one of the Navy's most well-loved and 
admired skippers, Commander Jack Scorby, as he celebrates his Change-
Of-Command. Commander Scorby has been the embodiment of service, 
success and sacrifice during his time as the Commanding Officer of 
Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron TWO. He clearly deserves the praise 
and recognition of this body as he, his officers and squadron celebrate 
his Change-Of-Command.
  If ever there were a person who embodied the spirit and values that 
make America great, it is Commander Jack Scorby. The Commander has 
distinguished himself by his exceptional leadership and service to his 
country as the Commanding Officer of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 
TWO from July 1999 to July 2000. The Commander was responsible for the 
overseas-based reconnaissance squadron comprised of over 450 sailors 
and 8 aircraft. His squadron was placed on the tip of the spear, 
providing continuous deployed reconnaissance support to all our U.S. 
assets. In fact, his area of responsibility covered half the world.
  Under his leadership, the VQ-2 flew over 4000 flight hours from sites 
supporting multiple operations. These include combat flights during 
Operations Allied Force and Northern Watch, as well as numerous flights 
during Operations Joint Guardian, Deliberate Forge and Joint Forge. 
Commander Scorby not only prepared the squadron to be ready to fly the 
next generation of reconnaissance planes, but also the Commander's 
forward-thinking game plan put the VQ-2 well-ahead of the power curve, 
ensuring no interruptions to the nation's reconnaissance support.
  As a result of his compassionate and people-oriented leadership, the 
VQ-2 enlisted retention rate during his tour was 20% above the Navy 
standard and advancement was one of the highest, at 41%. The VQ-2 also 
received the top three awards that a command can receive during his 
command tour. They include: the Battle ``E'' for overall command 
excellence, the Golden Wrench Award for maintenance excellence and the 
Safety ``S'' for safety excellence. Perhaps one of the most telling 
effects about the Commander's leadership is how well-respected he is by 
his squadron; officers and enlisted personnel alike. At

[[Page E1142]]

the squadron Christmas dinner, all-hands spontaneously gave him a 
standing ovation that lasted over 5 minutes.
  As Commander Scorby celebrates his Change of Command, Mr. Speaker, I 
wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you and congratulations on 
behalf of the United States Congress. In every sense, Commander Scorby 
is a great American who deserves the praise and admiration of us all. 
The Commander is one of the nation's best and an officer we can all be 
proud of. My thanks to him for a job well done.

                          ____________________