[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 116 (Thursday, July 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL EDMUND P. GIAMBASTIANI, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN M. McHUGH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 18, 2007

  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity today to honor 
Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr., one of our Nation's stellar 
military leaders and a constituent of the 23rd Congressional District 
of New York which I am privileged to represent.
  Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr. is retiring after 41 years of 
service to our Nation, culminating in his service as the seventh Vice 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, our Nation's second highest 
military officer. A submarine officer and a Canastota native, Admiral 
Giambastiani entered the U.S. Naval Academy in the summer of 1966 and 
graduated with leadership distinction in 1970.
  The Admiral has been married to Cynthia Johnson of McLean, VA since 
1976 and attributes his success in life to her and his parents. Cindy 
and he have two children, Peter and Catherine. Cindy is a Cornell 
University graduate and the daughter of a career Air Force officer. She 
was recently honored by the Secretary of the Navy with her selection as 
the ship's sponsor for the submarine USS New Mexico.
  Admiral Giambastiani always kept close ties to his hometown of 
Canastota and in July 2003, he was honored with the Alumni Achievement 
Award from the Canastota High School Alumni Association. The Admiral's 
younger sister, Barbara Bartlett, lives in Cazenovia with her family 
and is director of New York's Lorenzo State Historic Site.
  Admiral Giambastiani's operational assignments have included several 
in which he was responsible for both demanding at-sea operations and 
the development of new technologies and experimental processes. Early 
sea assignments included USS Puffer (SSN 652) and USS Francis Scott Key 
(SSBN 657) (BLUE). While assigned to Puffer, he was a 1973 winner of 
the Fleet Commander's Junior Officer Submarine Shiphandling 
Competition. He commanded submarine NR-1, the Navy's only nuclear 
powered deep diving ocean engineering and research submarine and USS 
Richard B. Russell (SSN 687), where the crew was awarded three 
consecutive Battle Efficiency ``E''s, three Navy Unit Commendations, 
and two Fleet Commander Silver Anchors for excellence in enlisted 
retention.
  Admiral Giambastiani also led Submarine Development Squadron Twelve, 
an operational submarine squadron that also serves as the Navy's 
Warfare Center of Excellence for submarine doctrine and tactics. 
Established in 1949, Submarine Development Squadron Twelve is the 
oldest experimental unit of its kind in the U.S. military. He served as 
the first director of strategy and concepts at the Naval Doctrine 
Command, as well as Commander, Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force; 
Commander, Submarines Allied Command Atlantic; and Commander, Anti-
Submarine and Reconnaissance Forces Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia.
  Admiral Giambastiani's other shore and staff assignments include 
duties as an enlisted program manager at the Navy Recruiting Command 
Headquarters, Washington, DC, in the early days of the all volunteer 
force; Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Intelligence, 
Central Intelligence Agency; and, a fellowship with the Chief of Naval 
Operations' Strategic Studies Group. As a flag officer, he served as 
the Deputy Chief of Staff for Resources, Warfare Requirements and 
Assessments for the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Director of 
Submarine Warfare for the Chief of Naval Operations; Deputy Chief of 
Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements, and Assessments; and as 
the Senior Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald H. 
Rumsfeld from May 2001 until September 2002.
  Admiral Giambastiani was on duty in the Pentagon on September 11, 
2001 and will never forget those events that changed our Nation 
forever.
  Prior to serving as Vice Chairman, Admiral Giambastiani was NATO's 
first Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and the Commander, United 
States Joint Forces Command, where he led the transformation of NATO 
and U.S. military forces, capabilities and doctrines and the 
introduction of new technologies.
  As Vice Chairman, Admiral Giambastiani has pursued three overarching 
and interlocking goals:
  Working with the Deputy Secretary of Defense and other senior defense 
leaders to draft and implement the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review;
  Synchronizing the efforts of the Department of Defense's 
requirements, resources and acquisition processes to deliver the right 
capabilities at the right time and the right price to our warfighters; 
and,
  Transforming the Joint Requirements Oversight Council to make it more 
agile, transparent, inclusive and responsive to the capability needs of 
the Combatant Commanders and more focused on the nation's most pressing 
military issues.
  Admiral Giambastiani has been awarded numerous U.S. and foreign 
decorations, including seven Defense and Navy Distinguished Service 
medals and two honorary doctorate degrees. He is most proud of his 19 
unit awards and commendations because they recognize the participation 
and accomplishments of the entire team.
  Madam Speaker, it is through the commitment and sacrfice of Americans 
like Admiral Giambastiani that our Nation is able to continue upon the 
path of democracy and strive for the betterment of mankind throughout 
the world. It is with sincere admiration and appreciation that I pay 
tribute to Admiral Giambastiani for all that he has accomplished for 
America and its Armed Forces. On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank 
Admiral Giambastiani for his 41 years of dedicated service and wish him 
many years of continued success and happiness.

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