[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 49 (Friday, March 14, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THANKING MR. JEFFREY ASKEW

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAT CAMMACK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 14, 2025

  Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Florida's Third Congressional 
District, we thank Mr. Jeffrey Askew for his storied career in Marion 
County.
  A native of Auburn, Alabama, Jeffrey joined the U.S. Navy in July 
1977 after completing his high school studies. He completed his basic 
training in San Diego, California and his first duty station was Naval 
Air Station Pensacola where he worked as a plane captain for A-4s and 
T-2s. While there he qualified for the A-4 back seat rider before 
transferring in 1980 to the USS Coral Sea CV-43 which was stationed in 
Alameda, California. While on the Coral Sea he visited the Philippines, 
Thailand, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and a host of other countries. 
He says his most rewarding job on the ship was the Primary Fly Control 
Tower Supervisor.
  Jeffrey participated in the Iran Hostage rescue where he was awarded 
the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He also participated in Operation 
Desert Shield and the Liberation and Defense of Kuwait, earning 12 
medals in his 22-year tenure, including four Navy Achievement Medals 
and two Navy Commendation Medals. His duty stations include USS 
O'Bannon (DD-987), USS Lexington (CVT-16), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower 
(CVN-69), and various Shore Commands.
  His final duty station was Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Detachment 
Astor, located in the Ocala National Forest. He served as an operations 
officer where he conducted training with 50 air squadrons in various 
air to land operations. Retiring in 1999 as a Navy Chief, Mr. Askew 
went on to serve as Marion County's Veterans Services Director and the 
Administrator of the Ocala/Marion Veterans Memorial Park. He and his 
staff were awarded the ``Service Office of the Year'' in 2009 and 2012, 
making Marion County the only county to have received the award twice 
from the Department of Florida and the VFW.
  I congratulate him on an incredible career and thank him for his 
service. We wish him the best as he moves on from Marion County and 
continues to make a tremendous difference in the lives of our heroes.

                          ____________________