[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17461]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE OF COMMANDER STEVEN J. FUQUA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM COOPER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 9, 2003

  Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute today to 
CommanderIM Steven J. Fuqua, who is retiring this summer from the 
United States Navy after 20 distinguished years of service. Commander 
Fuqua is a native of my district, from Nashville, Tennessee.
  During his career, Commander Fuqua held some of the most demanding 
jobs in the United States Navy and fulfilled these duties superbly. He 
has served as the chief engineer on a nuclear submarine, an 
extraordinarily challenging job that requires unstinting, 24-hour 
attention. He has also served as the Executive Officer on many 
missions, including one around-the-world deployment aboard the USS 
Batfish in 1997.
  In honor of his distinguished service, Commander Fuqua has been 
awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service 
Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold 
stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star. 
Long-time friend and fellow naval officer Scott Potter said of 
Commander Fuqua, ``If you had to name a prototype naval officer, Steve 
would be it.''
  Commander Fuqua holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering 
from Tennessee Technological University and a Masters in Mechanical 
Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. After 
receiving his commission from Officer Candidate School in 1984, he 
entered the elite Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and completed the 
course of instruction at the Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando, 
Florida and Nuclear Prototype Training at the Prototype in Idaho Falls, 
Idaho. He also completed the Submarine Officer Advanced Course at the 
Naval Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut.
  Commander Fuqua's initial sea tour assignment was aboard the USS 
Billfish (SSN 676) from 1986 to 1989, where he served as Main 
Propulsion Assistant and Combat Systems Officer. In 1992, Commander 
Fuqua reported aboard the USS Key West (SSN 772) as Engineer Officer. 
During this tour, the ship completed a Mediterranean deployment, a 
Southern deployment and a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA). From 
1995 to 1997, he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) 
working for C4I Integration Support Activity (CISA), a defense support 
activity of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Command & Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence.
  In 1997, following completion of the Prospective Executive Officer 
course in New London, Connecticut, he reported for duty as Executive 
Officer of the USS Batfish (SSN 681). Following completion of a six-
month around-the-world deployment, the USS Batfish changed homeports 
from New London, Connecticut to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
  Commander Fuqua detached from the USS Batfish in 1999 following the 
ship's inactivation and reported for duty to the staff of the Chief of 
Naval Operations (N77), where he served as Submarine Communications 
Requirements Officer from 1999 until 2002. In May 2003, Commander Fuqua 
reported to Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) where he is assigned to 
the Undersea Weapons Program Office of the International Programs 
Division.
  He now lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife Kathi, their three 
sons, Steven, 14, Matthew, 12, and Tyler, 9, and their daughter, Megan, 
who is 4.
  On behalf of the citizens of the Fifth Congressional District of 
Tennessee, I salute Commander Fuqua for his outstanding career and for 
his service to our Nation. We are proud to claim him as a native son. I 
wish him well in his retirement and in all his future endeavors.

                          ____________________