[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 91 (Friday, July 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1244-E1245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 LIEUTENANT COMMANDER DOUG FEARS, USCG

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SONNY CALLAHAN

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 13, 2000

  Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lieutenant 
Commander Doug Fears, who recently left his position as the United 
States Coast Guard's (USCG) House liaison officer to attend the Naval 
War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
  Lieutenant Commander Doug Fears grew up on the Eastern Shore of 
Maryland. He enlisted in the USCG in 1982 and served on the Cutter 
Taney (WHEC 37) home ported in Portsmouth, Virginia, and in the 
precommissioning detail for the Cutter Tampa (WMEC 902) in Norfolk, 
Virginia. He attended the USCG's Electronics Technician ``A'' school on 
Governor's Island, New York, and the Navy's Broadened Opportunity for 
Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) Program in San Diego, 
California, before accepting an appointment to the USCG Academy in 
1985.
  While at the academy, Lieutenant Commander Fears was active in a 
number of programs and served as the regimental commander of the Corps 
of Cadets. He graduated from the academy in May 1989 and subsequently 
served as Operations Officer and Navigator on the Cutter Basswood (WLB 
388) in Guam, Marianas Islands.
  He was then selected for the USCG/Navy officer exchange program in 
1991. He served on the Aegis cruiser, U.S.S. Vincennes (CG49), as the 
Aegis Fire Control Officer. He subsequently served on the Throat 
Upgrade cruiser U.S.S. Leay (CG 16) as the Combat Information Center 
Officer. Both ships were home ported in San Diego, California. During 
his tours, he deployed in support of Operations Desert Storm/Southern 
Watch in the Northern Arabian (Persian) Gulf, Restore Hope in the 
Indian Ocean off Somolia, Blue Line in the Eastern Pacific off South 
America and various bi-lateral exercises in the Sea of Japan and South 
China Sea.
  In July 1993, Lieutenant Commander Fears reported to Seattle, 
Washington, as a search and rescue controller and command duty officer 
in the Thirteenth District Command Center. From 1994 to 1996, he served 
as aide and executive assistant to the Thirteenth District Commander, 
Rear Admiral John Lockwood.
  In June 1996, Lieutenant Commander Fears assumed command of the 
Cutter Sitkinak (WP 1329), home ported in Key West, Florida. During his 
tour, he was involved in numerous counter-narcotics, alien migrant 
interdiction and search and rescue operations, including

[[Page E1245]]

Operations Able Response and Frontier Shield. He is a designated Coast 
Guard Cutterman and Navy Surface Warfare Officer, a licensed Master 
(100 gross tons) and has been awarded over two dozen personal unit, 
campaign and service awards. He is the 1997 national recipient of the 
U.S. Navy League's Captain David H. Jarvis Award for inspirational 
leadership.
  From June 1998 to June 2000, Lieutenant Commander Fears was assigned 
to the United States House of Representatives as the assistant USCG 
liaison. In this capacity, he unselfishly served me, other members and 
their staffs in fulfilling requests and providing vital information 
pertinent to the USCG. My staff worked with Lieutenant Commander Fears 
closely over the past two years, and I know for a fact they could not 
have done their job properly without the able-bodied assistance of this 
fine officer. When a problem or issue pertinent to the USCG surfaced in 
my office, Lieutenant Commander Fears was the first one my staff or I 
called and, like clockwork, he promptly and thoroughly addressed the 
matter at hand.
  In August 2000, he reports to the Naval War College, College of 
Command and Staff, in Newport, Rhode Island, where I know he will find 
great success. Lieutenant Commander Fears' future is bright, Mr. 
Speaker, and I wish him and his wife, Kate, the best as they forge 
ahead.

                          ____________________