[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 125 (Thursday, July 30, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO REAR ADMIRAL ERIC H. VER HAGE

  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a 
distinguished American, RDML Eric H. Ver Hage, U.S. Navy, a native of 
Mechanicsburg, PA, upon the occasion of his retirement after more than 
42 years of distinguished service to our Nation. On June 13, 1984, he 
reported from his home in Upper Allen Township to the Harrisburg 
Military Entrance Processing Station, beginning a career that took him 
from enlisted electronics technician to Naval Academy midshipman to 
surface warfare officer, and ultimately the Military Deputy and Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of War.
  Over his career, Rear Admiral Ver Hage commanded USS CARR (FFG 52) 
and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Divisions at Corona and Port 
Hueneme, led the multi-billion-dollar Aegis Ashore program to 
completion in Romania, and served as commander of the NAVSEA Surface 
and Undersea Warfare Centers and of the Navy Regional Maintenance 
Centers, where he directed a global workforce of roughly 10,000 and a 
$5 billion annual budget. He most recently served as Military Deputy 
and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for International and 
Industry Engagement, strengthening our defense industrial base and 
international armaments cooperation.
  Rear Admiral Ver Hage's retirement ceremony will be held tomorrow on 
July 31, 2026. He will officially be released from Active Duty on 
September 30, 2026, closing 42 years, 3 months, and 17 days of service 
to our Navy and our Nation. His four decades of service stand as a 
model of the dedication, integrity, and leadership our Nation depends 
upon, and he leaves the Navy stronger for having served. In recognition 
of his service, and in this milestone year of America's 250th 
anniversary, a U.S. flag was flown over the U.S. Capitol on July 4, 
2026, in Rear Admiral Ver Hage's honor.

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