[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 14] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 19857] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL EDMUND P. GIAMBASTIANI, JR. ______ HON. JOHN M. McHUGH of new york in the house of representatives Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity today to honor Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr., one of our Nation's stellar military leaders and a constituent of the 23rd Congressional District of New York which I am privileged to represent. Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr. is retiring after 41 years of service to our Nation, culminating in his service as the seventh Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, our Nation's second highest military officer. A submarine officer and a Canastota native, Admiral Giambastiani entered the U.S. Naval Academy in the summer of 1966 and graduated with leadership distinction in 1970. The Admiral has been married to Cynthia Johnson of McLean, VA since 1976 and attributes his success in life to her and his parents. Cindy and he have two children, Peter and Catherine. Cindy is a Cornell University graduate and the daughter of a career Air Force officer. She was recently honored by the Secretary of the Navy with her selection as the ship's sponsor for the submarine USS New Mexico. Admiral Giambastiani always kept close ties to his hometown of Canastota and in July 2003, he was honored with the Alumni Achievement Award from the Canastota High School Alumni Association. The Admiral's younger sister, Barbara Bartlett, lives in Cazenovia with her family and is director of New York's Lorenzo State Historic Site. Admiral Giambastiani's operational assignments have included several in which he was responsible for both demanding at-sea operations and the development of new technologies and experimental processes. Early sea assignments included USS Puffer (SSN 652) and USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN 657) (BLUE). While assigned to Puffer, he was a 1973 winner of the Fleet Commander's Junior Officer Submarine Shiphandling Competition. He commanded submarine NR-1, the Navy's only nuclear powered deep diving ocean engineering and research submarine and USS Richard B. Russell (SSN 687), where the crew was awarded three consecutive Battle Efficiency ``E''s, three Navy Unit Commendations, and two Fleet Commander Silver Anchors for excellence in enlisted retention. Admiral Giambastiani also led Submarine Development Squadron Twelve, an operational submarine squadron that also serves as the Navy's Warfare Center of Excellence for submarine doctrine and tactics. Established in 1949, Submarine Development Squadron Twelve is the oldest experimental unit of its kind in the U.S. military. He served as the first director of strategy and concepts at the Naval Doctrine Command, as well as Commander, Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force; Commander, Submarines Allied Command Atlantic; and Commander, Anti- Submarine and Reconnaissance Forces Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia. Admiral Giambastiani's other shore and staff assignments include duties as an enlisted program manager at the Navy Recruiting Command Headquarters, Washington, DC, in the early days of the all volunteer force; Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency; and, a fellowship with the Chief of Naval Operations' Strategic Studies Group. As a flag officer, he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Resources, Warfare Requirements and Assessments for the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Director of Submarine Warfare for the Chief of Naval Operations; Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements, and Assessments; and as the Senior Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld from May 2001 until September 2002. Admiral Giambastiani was on duty in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and will never forget those events that changed our Nation forever. Prior to serving as Vice Chairman, Admiral Giambastiani was NATO's first Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and the Commander, United States Joint Forces Command, where he led the transformation of NATO and U.S. military forces, capabilities and doctrines and the introduction of new technologies. As Vice Chairman, Admiral Giambastiani has pursued three overarching and interlocking goals: Working with the Deputy Secretary of Defense and other senior defense leaders to draft and implement the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review; Synchronizing the efforts of the Department of Defense's requirements, resources and acquisition processes to deliver the right capabilities at the right time and the right price to our warfighters; and, Transforming the Joint Requirements Oversight Council to make it more agile, transparent, inclusive and responsive to the capability needs of the Combatant Commanders and more focused on the nation's most pressing military issues. Admiral Giambastiani has been awarded numerous U.S. and foreign decorations, including seven Defense and Navy Distinguished Service medals and two honorary doctorate degrees. He is most proud of his 19 unit awards and commendations because they recognize the participation and accomplishments of the entire team. Madam Speaker, it is through the commitment and sacrfice of Americans like Admiral Giambastiani that our Nation is able to continue upon the path of democracy and strive for the betterment of mankind throughout the world. It is with sincere admiration and appreciation that I pay tribute to Admiral Giambastiani for all that he has accomplished for America and its Armed Forces. On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank Admiral Giambastiani for his 41 years of dedicated service and wish him many years of continued success and happiness. ____________________