[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 16076-16077]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            THE RETIREMENT OF REAR ADMIRAL LARRY BAUCOM, USN

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize an outstanding 
naval officer and public servant, Rear Admiral Larry C. Baucom, U.S. 
Navy, as he completes more than 30 years of active duty with the U.S. 
Navy. Whether as a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, as the 
commanding officer of a fighter squadron, as the commander of a 
nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, or, most recently, as the Director of 
the Navy's Environmental Protection, Safety and Occupational Health 
Division, he tirelessly worked to serve America and our Navy and Marine 
Corps. It is a privilege for me to honor his many outstanding 
achievements and service to our great Nation and our service men and 
women.
  Rear Admiral Baucom is a son of Columbia, SC. A 1970 Naval Academy 
graduate, he was awarded his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1971. During 
his

[[Page 16077]]

30-year career in the Navy, he served in a variety of operational 
assignments, including Fighter Squadron 32, Fighter Wing ONE, the U.S. 
Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, MD, and as Executive Officer 
of USS George Washington, CVN 73. An inspired, confident leader, he 
commanded Fighter Squadron 143, USS Trenton, LPD 14, and the nuclear-
powered aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, CVN 70. Under his command, 
USS Carl Vinson was awarded two Meritorious Unit Commendations and the 
Battle Efficiency Award for 1996 following a highly successful Arabian 
Gulf deployment that included combat operations in support of Operation 
DESERT STRIKE. Following this tour, he served at the Supreme Allied 
Headquarters as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy. Rear 
Admiral Baucom also continuously pursued educational opportunities 
throughout his career being awarded a Master's Degrees in Systems 
Management from the University of Southern California and in National 
Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.
  In his most recent assignment as the Navy's Director of Environmental 
Protection, Safety and Occupational Health Division, Rear Admiral 
Baucom worked to ensure that the Navy remains a leader of environmental 
stewardship and towards ensuring the safety and welfare of its Sailors, 
Marines and civil service employees. Whether contributing to the 
Department's efforts to guarantee critical training at the Atlantic 
Fleet Weapons Training Facility at Vieques, Puerto Rico, protecting the 
health and safety of shipyard workers, or addressing the encroachment 
issues that complicate our operational and training ranges, Rear 
Admiral Baucom's leadership has been vital to the readiness and success 
of our country's military forces.
  Rear Admiral Baucom provided exceptional advice, support and guidance 
to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations. His 
keen insight, relentless dedication, and extraordinary talent have 
contributed significantly to building and maintaining the world's best-
trained, best-equipped, and best-prepared Navy and Marine Corps. His 
vision has positively shaped the future readiness and capabilities of 
the fleet in ways that will resonate for generations.
  I thank Rear Admiral Baucom for his many public service contributions 
and a life devoted to ensuring our national security. It is my distinct 
honor to wish him, and his wife Linda, much happiness and fair winds 
and following seas as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

                          ____________________