[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 21 (Thursday, February 4, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF COMMANDER AXEL W. SPENS

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. EARL L. ``BUDDY'' CARTER

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 4, 2016

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Commander Axel W. Spens's retirement and twenty-two years of service in 
the United States Navy.
  Commander Spens is a native of Morgantown, West Virginia, and most 
recently served as the commanding officer of Naval Recruiting District 
(NRD) Atlanta. He graduated in 1994 from David Lipscomb University in 
Nashville, Tennessee, with a degree in American Studies and he received 
his commission in the U.S. Navy from Vanderbilt University NROTC. In 
1993, he was recognized as a NAIA Academic All-American athlete in 
cross country. In 2000, he received a Master of Public Administration 
degree from Valdosta State University.
  Commander Spens completed submarine training at Naval Nuclear Power 
School in Orlando, Florida, Nuclear Power Training Unit in Charleston, 
South Carolina, and the officer basic course in Groton, Connecticut. He 
served as a division officer in USS West Virginia in Kings Bay, 
Georgia, as the Navigator in USS Florida in Bangor, Washington, and the 
Combat Systems Officer in both USS Newport News in Norfolk, Virginia, 
as well as in USS La Jolla in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His most recent sea 
assignment was as the executive officer on USS Cheyenne in Hawaii. He 
has completed two Mediterranean deployments, two Western Pacific 
deployments and seven strategic patrols.
  Commander Spens has also served as an instructor and class director 
at the Naval Nuclear Power School in Charleston, South Carolina, at the 
Bureau of Naval Personnel in Millington, Tennessee, the operations 
officer at Submarine Squadron One at Pearl Harbor, and as a Navy 
Legislative Fellow on the personal staff of Congressman Jack Kingston. 
His most recent assignment was on the Navy Staff as the Executive 
Assistant for the Director of Undersea Warfare.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize Commander Axel Spens and 
to celebrate his many years of hard work and dedication to the United 
States Navy.

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