[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 78 (Tuesday, June 14, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   A TRIBUTE TO DR. DAVID P. SKINNER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ALLEN BOYD

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 14, 2005

  Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the exceptional 
service of Dr. David Skinner to the United States Navy.
  Dr. Skinner is retiring at the end of May after more than three 
decades of service at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City 
(NSWCPC). Dr. Skinner has served the Navy most recently, with a 
national focus as the NAVSEA Product Area Director for Littoral Warfare 
Systems. In this capacity, Dr. Skinner was responsible for all 
activities in the Naval Surface Warfare Center supporting Navy and 
Marine Corps' operations in the littoral environment. Systems developed 
at NSWCPC are currently in service today helping fight the global war 
on terrorism.
  Dr. Skinner's service has played a pivotal role in the development of 
systems in use today across the NSWCPC mission spectrum. His 
accomplishments in this leadership role have produced many results 
including the next generation of modular air and surface mine 
countermeasures systems, soon to be introduced to the Fleet; (2) Fleet 
introduction of the Gator Class Swimmer Delivery Vehicle; (3) Fleet 
introduction of a Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) with fully 
integrated fly-by-wire communications suite and craft control system; 
(4) installation of Fire Fighter Breathing Apparatus systems on all 
Navy ships and submarines and Coast Guard ships; (5) establishment of, 
and technical support for the Deployable Joint Command and Control 
Program Office in Panama City; and (5) unmanned underwater vehicles, 
computer-aided detection and classification techniques, and electro-
optic sensors for mine detection, classification and identification, 
respectively.
  During his career, Dr. Skinner held leadership roles at NSWCPC 
including Head of the Nonacoustic Division, Deputy Head of the 
Engineering Test and Evaluation Department, Head of the Submarine 
Undersea Weapons Defense Program, Head of the Coastal Research and 
Technology Department, and Executive Director of the Naval Surface 
Warfare Center Panama City.
  Dr. Skinner received the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award in 
2001, the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award in 2002, and the 
NDIA David Bushnell Award in 2005. Dr. Skinner has authored or co-
authored more than 30 publications and holds a patent for the Naval 
Continuous Tone Frequency Modulated Sonar.
  A native and resident' of Panama City, Florida, Dr. Skinner is also a 
leader in his community. His activities include working with the youth 
at Northside Baptist Church and coaching both youth soccer and 
basketball. Dr. Skinner is also a former ex-officio board member of the 
Coastal Operations Institute.
  I invite my distinguished colleagues to join me in paying special 
tribute to Dr. Skinner for his invaluable service to the United States 
Navy. His work has made, and is making, a difference to our troops and 
our country. He will be deeply missed. We wish him the very best in all 
his future endeavors.

                          ____________________