[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 10709-10710]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING REAR ADMIRAL GREG SLAVONIC

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM COLE

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 19, 2005

  Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to congratulate 
Rear Admiral Gregory J. Slavonic upon the completion of his career of 
service in the United States Navy and Navy Reserve. Throughout his 34-
year military career, Rear Admiral Slavonic served with distinction and 
dedication, ultimately becoming the Deputy Chief of Information and 
Director of the Navy Reserve Public Affairs program, responsible for 
the training and readiness of more than 500 public affairs reservists.
  In June 2004, Rear Adm. Slavonic was ordered to active duty in 
support of Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom II, 
Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the Multinational Force--Iraq (MFN-I) 
staff. He served as the senior public affairs officer for Army Gen. 
George W. Casey, Commanding General for MNF-I, and the Director, 
Combined Press Information Center (CPIC).
  From June to November, Rear Adm. Slavonic led a 65-person team 
responsible for ensuring more than 500 national and international media 
organizations received timely and accurate information concerning daily 
combat operations throughout the Iraqi theater.
  Rear Adm. Slavonic began his Navy career in 1971, as a Seaman who 
enlisted after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 
advertising from Oklahoma State University. After completing boot camp 
at Navy Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill., and attending Signalman 
``A'' school in Newport, R.I., he received orders to the aircraft 
carrier USS Constellation (CVA 64) and completed two western Pacific 
deployments.
  Upon separation from active duty, Rear Adm. Slavonic affiliated with 
the Navy Reserve Command in Oklahoma City. He received a direct 
commission as a restricted line officer in public affairs and, in 1976, 
earned a master of education degree from the University of Central 
Oklahoma.
  In November 1990, Rear Adm. Slavonic was recalled to active duty for 
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was assigned to the staff 
of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf at U.S. Central Command and served at 
the Joint Information Bureau in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. During his tour 
in the Arabian Gulf theater, Rear Adm. Slavonic served as a Chief of 
Navy News desk and combat media escort officer, which included 
escorting media pools on board USS Curts (FFG 38) to document 
processing and interrogation of more than 40 Iraqi prisoners of war.
  He was serving as media escort officer with a media pool on the 
18,000-ton amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LPH 10) in the Arabian 
Gulf when it struck an Iraqi underwater tethered mine.
  Rear Adm. Slavonic has served four commanding officer tours, twice 
with Navy Office of Information Southwest Detachment 111 Dallas-Fort 
Worth and twice with the Office of Information Detachment 411 Oklahoma 
City. He also served as executive officer of 01 Det 411 and staff 
public affairs officer for REDCOM Eleven.
  Rear Adm. Slavonic's Oklahoma City unit earned the Rear Adm. Robert 
Ravitz Award for Public Affairs Excellence and was a finalist for the 
Readiness Command Ten Admiral Robert Natter (small) Unit Award. In 
1984, Rear Adm. Slavonic was the first recipient of the Navy Reserve 
Association's ``Junior Navy Reserve Officer of the Year'' Award.
  A native of Great Bend, Kansas, Rear Adm. Slavonic was raised and 
resides in Oklahoma City where he is an account executive with NBC 
affiliate KFOR-TV. He is a life member of the Navy Reserve Association 
as well as Oklahoma State University and the University of Central 
Oklahoma alumni organizations.
  Rear Adm. Slavonic has also served as president of the Navy Reserve 
Association (central chapter); president of the U.S. Navy League (local 
chapter); minority owner of the Oklahoma City Cavalry (Continental 
Basketball Association team); and as an adjunct professor at the 
University of Central Oklahoma. He is also active in the Oklahoma City 
Advertising Club and Leadership Oklahoma City.
  Awards earned by Rear Adm. Slavonic include the Bronze Star Medal; 
Meritorious Service Medal (two awards); Navy Commendation Medal (two 
awards); Navy Achievement Medal (three awards); Presidential Unit 
Citation; Combat Action Ribbon; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry; Vietnam 
Service Medal (one star); Republic of Vietnam Service Medal; Southeast 
Asia Service Medal (two stars); Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia); 
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; and the Joint Service Unit 
Citation, as well as other service and campaign awards.
  Mr. Speaker, I know Rear Adm. Slavonic personally. We first met when 
he was assisting veterans of the USS Oklahoma, obtaining the financial 
and civic support necessary to create a permanent memorial to their 
lost ship and fallen comrades. This told me a great deal about his 
appreciation of Americans of every generation who have worn the uniform 
for their country and placed their lives at risk for their countrymen. 
My second opportunity to see Rear Adm. Slavonic was in Baghdad, where 
he was serving professionally, capably, and courageously in the combat 
zone. This more than anything else demonstrates that Rear Adm. Slavonic 
lives according to the values he professes. Like every other American, 
I am grateful for his service.
  I asked the Rear Admiral to call upon me when he returned from Iraq 
because I was interested in his candid appraisal of our country's 
efforts there. Upon his arrival in Washington, he visited my office, 
and our exchange was so productive that I asked him to join me for a 
breakfast meeting to continue our conversation. He graciously complied, 
and as a result I had the benefit of his profound expertise, 
professional judgment, and keen insights into the challenges our 
country and our military face in Iraq.
  On every occasion on which I have encountered and interacted with 
Rear Adm. Slavonic, he has impressed me with his professional courtesy, 
his commitment to our country, and his wise counsel. He is an able and 
honorable sailor who embodies the finest traditions of the United 
States Navy.
  His family and fellow shipmates can be proud of his service. Rear 
Adm. Slavonic, his wife Molly, and children Kara, Maggie, and Blake, 
and Blake's wife Kasey and grandson Hogan have made many sacrifices 
during his Naval and civilian careers, and we appreciate their 
contributions of conscientious service to our country. As he departs 
the Pentagon to

[[Page 10710]]

start his third career, I call upon my colleagues to wish Greg and his 
family every success, and the traditional Navy ``fair winds and 
following seas.'' It is a pleasure to recognize this gentleman at the 
conclusion of a distinguished career of service to the United States of 
America.

                          ____________________