[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6056]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN BRAD CONNORS, USN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2009

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Madam Speaker, I rise in tribute to Captain Brad 
Connors, USN, who will be retiring after turning over command of Naval 
Base Ventura County on Friday.
  I have worked closely on a number of endeavors with Captain Connors 
over the past three years. He is the consummate professional military 
officer and gentleman.
  Since he graduated the United States Naval Academy in 1982 and earned 
his wings in 1984, Captain Connors has logged more than 4,500 flight 
hours and 900 carrier landings in several different aircraft. He has 
served as squadron executive officer and commander and flew missions 
over Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch. During this tour, his 
squadron was awarded the Navy's ``Battle E'' in recognition of superior 
squadron readiness and mission performance.
  Following a Korean Peninsula deployment onboard USS Kittyhawk, 
Captain Connors led a multi-squadron maintenance detachment in support 
of TopGun's transition to F/A18s and the very first Strike Fighter 
Instructor Course.
  In December 1995, Captain Connors became an instructor at the Naval 
Strike Warfare Center in Nevada. His first official duty was to serve 
on the integration team that facilitated the merger of ``TopGun,'' 
``Strike,'' and ``TopDome'' into the newly formed Naval Strike and Air 
Warfare Center (NSAWC). Following NSAWC's commissioning, Captain 
Connors became its first Air Wing Training Officer. Under his 
direction, integrated air warfare training and standardization went 
through a complete renaissance, including development of the Air 
Interdiction Mission Commander's Course the very first Strike Leader 
flying syllabus.
  Captain Connors also served as Cruiser Destroyer Group ONE's Air 
Operations and Operations Officer onboard the USS Constellation 
following graduation from the Naval War College. During this tour, 
Captain Connors contributed to Iraqi Freedom operational planning, flew 
combat missions, and oversaw the integration of more than 140 coalition 
combatants in support of the operation's maritime objectives.
  At Naval Base Ventura County, Captain Connors commands its more than 
90 tenants, 6,000 military personnel, 9,000 civilian employees and 
3,000 contractors at Point Mugu, the Naval Construction Battalion 
Center at Port Hueneme, the Channel Islands Air National Guard, 146th 
Airlift Wing, and the base's 36,000-square-mile sea test range--the 
largest in the world. He has done an exemplary job.
  Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in thanking Captain 
Brad Connors for his decades of service to his country and the U.S. 
Navy and in wishing him great success in his retirement.

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