[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SAILORS WHO HAVE COMPLETED 1,000 DETERRENT 
                  PATROLS ON ``OHIO'' CLASS SUBMARINES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK KINGSTON

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2009

  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I rise to support H. Con. Res. 129. To 
congratulate the accomplishment of Submarine Sailors completing 1,000 
Ohio-class deterrent patrols. The people of coastal Georgia have great 
pride in their Submarine Sailors. It started back in July 1978 when 
Kings Bay, Georgia was chosen to be home for the Trident missile 
submarines of the Atlantic Fleet. In November 1981 the USS Ohio was 
commissioned and became the first submarine to carry Trident Missiles. 
Ohio made her first patrol 27 years ago this month in December 1982. 
Over 20 years ago in January 1989 the USS Tennessee became the first 
Ohio-class submarine to be stationed in Kings Bay. In Spring 2008 USS 
Georgia returned to Kings Bay to start a new type of mission as an 
SSGN.
  Ohio-class submarines are modern marvels as the sea-based leg of the 
strategic deterrence triad. SSBNs (or Boomers) have a wide range of 
capabilities and when directed by the President can rapidly target 
their missiles. Each Boomer can carry 24 Trident missiles with up to 8 
warheads per missile. These missiles have a range of over 7,000 miles 
and can reach their target within 30 minutes. The warhead is accurate 
enough to hit the area the size of a baseball diamond with the 
destructive force of 475 kilotons of TNT. As impressive as these ships 
are, they are operated by the even more impressive Sailors of the 
submarine force. Our Sailors have faithfully safeguarded the Boomers 
without incident for 50 years. Our submarine Sailors have set the gold 
standard for nuclear surety in the world.
  These Sailors are screened for physical, mental and psychological 
fitness to serve on submarines. They spend up to two years in school to 
know how to work on a submarine including cooking, plumbing, electrical 
repair, underwater maintenance, operating a nuclear powered propulsion 
plant and maintaining 100% reliability of the strategic missile system 
all of the time. Most of the crew is between 20 to 25 years old but 
some already have college degrees and all are volunteers. Within one 
year of first stepping onboard a submarine these Sailors earn their 
``Dolphins,'' a pin that signifies they are fully knowledgeable of the 
submarine's many technical systems and fully reliable during any 
casualty to be able to save the ship and their shipmates. They join the 
proud history and tradition of the submarine force with World War II 
submarine heroes like Mush Morton, Dick O'Kane and Admiral Eugene 
Fluckey. Because of the sacrifice and hard work of these Trident 
Sailors they have kept the 18 Ohio-class submarines in outstanding 
condition. These ships will last close to ten years longer than their 
design life despite operating in the harsh conditions of the oceans.
  For over 1,000 patrols the Sailors serving on Ohio-class submarines 
have moved on and off the ship during crew turnover. They bring their 
sea bag full of gear, photos of family and friends, some snacks, and 
nowadays their favorite DVDs and I-Tunes. During a two-month patrol 
they make the boat their home. Maybe once a week they get an email from 
home called Sailor Mail. They routinely do not actually talk to their 
wives, kids, family or friends for many weeks. This is a unique 
sacrifice especially during this age of global telecommunication.
  During those 1,000 patrols while these Sailors were at sea, the rest 
of us could go to work everyday, worship on Sunday, take our kids to 
baseball practice after school, shop at the grocery store and fish in 
our lakes and streams without fear because these Sailors stood the 
watch and defended our homes. For this we are thankful every day.
  I rise today to congratulate our nation's Submarine Sailors who 
completed 1,000 patrols on Ohio-class submarines on this day December 
2, 2009.

                          ____________________