[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 86 (Friday, June 24, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO REAR ADMIRAL JOHN D. BUTLER

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 24, 2005

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Rear 
Admiral (Lower Half) John D. Butler, a Texas City, Texas, native who 
retires after 31 years of faithful service from the United States Navy 
on July 1, 2005.
  Many of us have come to know and recognize Rear Admiral Butler over 
the past two years as he has served as the Program Executive Officer 
(Submarines) since February 2003. During his tenure as the Navy's top 
submarine acquisition officer, Rear Admiral Butler delivered USS 
Virginia (SSN 774) and USS Jimmy Carter (USS 23). Virginia's 
commissioning in October 2004 ended the longest drought of submarine 
commissioning in that service's 105-year history. Whereas Virginia is 
the first of her class, Jimmy Carter is the last of the Sea Wolf Class. 
Jimmy Carter brings a host of new and revolutionary capabilities to the 
fleet that will help the United States to win the Global War on Terror.
  Under Rear Admiral Butler's watch, the submarine construction 
industry has been, virtually, reborn. He was a driving force in 
transitioning the Virginia Class' second Block Buy contract into a 
Multi-Year agreement that will save an estimated $80 million per 
submarine over the five-hull agreement. Currently, there are six 
Virginia Class submarines under construction and an additional three 
ships under contract.
  Admiral Butler has also made great efforts in converting four Ohio 
Class Trident Ballistic Missile Submarines into the transformation 
SSGNs. Each of these 560-feet long, 18,000-ton submarines will be able 
to carry up to 154 precision-guided Tomahawk Land-Attack cruise 
missiles, 66 Navy S and to support covert Special Operations, each SSGN 
will be able to carry two Dry-Deck Shelters, two Advanced SEAL Delivery 
Systems, or one of each top the ships' integrated lock-in/lock-out 
trunks. With the Ohio Class' inherent stealth, these SSGNs, the first 
of which delivers in November 2005, will be a potent warfighter in the 
Global War on Terror.
  Admiral Butler has also acted as an emissary with allied nation's 
undersea forces, especially with both the Royal Australian Navy and 
with Great Britain's Royal Navy. In doing so, he has not only 
strengthened our bonds with these most trusted allies, but has also 
enhanced national security.
  Admiral Butler joined the Navy via the Nuclear Power Officer 
Candidate Program in 1975 after graduating from the University of Texas 
at Austin with a Bachelor's of Science in Chemistry. His sea duty 
assignments have included: Division Officer on board USS Will Rogers 
(SSBN 659); Navigator/Operations Officer on board USS James K. Polk 
(SSBN 645); Navigator/Operations Officer on board USS James Madison 
(SSBN 627); and Repair Officer on board USS Proteus (AS 19).
  Admiral Butler's shore assignments have included: Attack Submarine 
Training Head for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Submarine 
Warfare); AN/BSY-1 Submarine Combat and Acoustic System (PMS417) Chief 
Engineer for Program Executive Officer, Submarine Combat and Weapons 
Systems; Sea Wolf Class Submarine (PMS350) Assistant Program Manager 
(Design and Construction) for Program Executive Officer, Submarines; 
Strategic and Attack Submarines (PMS392) Major Program Manager for 
Naval Sea Systems Command; and Executive Assistant and Naval Aide to 
the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and 
Acquisition). He has also served in temporary assignments attached to 
the Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station, Arctic Ocean; Supervisor of 
Shipbuilding, Groton, CT, and Newport News, VA; and attached in support 
of U.S. Embassies at Cairo, Egypt; Moscow, Russia; and Panama City, 
Panama. Over the course of his career, Admiral Butler has helped to 
design, build, and deliver a total of 23 submarines--nearly one-third 
of today's total force.
  Admiral Butler's personal awards include the Legion of Merit (3 
awards), Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), Navy Commendation Medal, 
Navy Achievement Medal, in addition to other service and unit awards.
  Mr. Speaker, Admiral Butler has given 30 years of service to the 
Navy, to Congress, and to the people of the United States of America. 
He has served our Nation well and has helped to ensure that our 
undersea fleet remains the best in the world. He has left a large and 
meaningful legacy and I am honored to rise today to express my 
appreciation for Admiral Butler and for his wife Eileen who has served 
her Nation right along side her husband. Being a Navy wife is not an 
easy task, and she has been nothing less than a model of courage, 
patience, and devotion.
  Mr. Speaker, colleagues, please join me in wishing Admiral and Eileen 
Butler: ``Fair winds and following seas and long may your big jib 
draw!''

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