[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 166 (Tuesday, December 4, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONGRATULATIONS TO CAPTAIN JEROME BALIUKAS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY G. MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 4, 2001

  Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
congratulate Captain Jerome Baliukas for his untiring service to the 
United States Naval Reserve. On 8 December 2001, he will end a 
successful two year tour as Commanding Officer of the Naval Strike and 
Air Warfare Center (NSAWC 0194) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, 
Nevada.
  Captain Baliukas was born 31 March 1952 in Miami Beach, Florida. He 
attended Florida International University and the University of Miami 
in Coral Gables, Florida where he graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor 
Degree in Forensic Science and a degree in Criminal Juris Prudence. He 
reported to Pensacola, Florida for Aviation Officer Candidate School 
and was commissioned an Ensign in June of 1975. Captain Baliukas was 
designated a Naval Aviator in Beeville, Texas in July 1976.
  Orders followed to F-4 transition training at VF-121 in NAS Miramar, 
California. He then reported for Fleet Operational Training with 
Fighter Squadron One Fifty Four (VF-154), as a ``Black Knight.'' He was 
then designated for Landing Signal Officer Training and completed LSO 
School in Pensacola, Florida. In addition, he held the positions of 
Power Plants Branch Officer, Aircraft Division Officer, Assistant 
Safety Officer, and Assistant Operations Officer, in addition to 
completing Naval Fighter Weapons School.
  Following his fleet tour, Captain Baliukas was assigned to Fighter 
Squadron One Hundred Twenty-One Fleet Replacement Training Squadron as 
an F-4 instructor and Training Landing Signal Officer. In addition, he 
was designated to head the Tactics Training Department and the Weapons 
Training Department. While attached to VF-121 he was also assigned to 
the Aircraft Acceptance and Carrier Suitability of the F-4S, where he 
assisted in the fleet transition from F-4J/N to F-4S while delivering 
26 fleet ready aircraft to NAF Atsugi, Japan. Captain Baliukas was then 
assigned to Fighter Squadron One Hundred Twenty-Four for F-14 
transition and assignment as an instructor and Training Landing Signal 
Officer. He then rotated back to the fleet as a Airwing Landing Signal 
Officer with Carrier Airwing Two at NAS Miramar where he made two more 
additional Westpac Tours.
  Captain Baliukas affiliated with VF-302 in 1984, as a ``Stallion.'' 
He held numerous positions of responsibility including Department Head 
tours as Maintenance and Operations Officer. He served as the Squadron 
Executive Officer from 1991 to 1993. After the disestablishment of 
Carrier Air Wing Thirty, he was selected to become the Executive 
Officer and Commanding Officer of the ``Hunters'' of VF-201 at NAS 
Dallas and NAS Ft. Worth, Texas from 1994 to 1997. In 1997 Captain 
Baliukas was selected to join the staff of NSAWC 0287 as a Tactics 
Instructor and Evaluator. He became Executive Officer of the NSAWC unit 
in October 1999. During his career, he has accumulated over 3,700 
flight hours in tactical jet aircraft and has completed over 680 day 
and night aircraft carrier landings.
  Captain Baliukas is a captain and flight instructor for American 
Airlines and currently flies the Boeing B737-800 series aircraft. He 
and his wife Kelley reside in Yuma, Arizona.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Captain Baliukas for his dedicated 
service to the United States Naval Reserves and sincerely wish him well 
in his future naval career.

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