Norfolk Submarine Commands Honored with Battle "E" Award
Navy Newsstand
Story Number: NNS040128-10
Release Date: 1/28/2004 3:38:00 PM
By Chief Journalist (SW/AW) Mark O. Piggott, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- In January, three Norfolk-based submarine commands took top honors in the 2003 Battle Efficiency award competition.
USS Minneapolis-St. Paul (SSN 708), attached to Submarine Squadron 6, USS Newport News (SSN 750), attached to Submarine Squadron 8, and the Medium Auxiliary Floating Drydock Resolute (AFDM 10) each earned the annual award that strengthens individual command performance, overall force readiness and recognizes outstanding performance.
According to Vice Adm. Kirkland H. Donald, Commander, U.S. Naval Submarine Forces, this year's winners exceeded all of these expectations.
"The competition for these honors was, as always, extremely keen," he said. "These awards should be a source of great pride to each and every crewmember."
According to Resolute Commanding Officer Lt. Cmdr. Gregory T. Eckert, 42, this final honor is a tribute to the hard working men and women who served on the Atlantic Fleet's last floating drydock.
"It's a great ending to the 22 years Resolute spent as a submarine force asset here in Norfolk," the Eureka, Ill., native said. "It is a great tribute to the many contributions this 58-year-old drydock has made. It is very appropriate for those now serving and those that have served on board her. Like our motto states, 'It's more than ships at sea.'"
Resolute was deactivated in October after nearly 60 years of service.
For the submarine Minneapolis-St. Paul, it was the hard work that finally paid off. According to Cmdr. David S. Ratte, 41, MSP's commanding officer, the crew's dedication to training and readiness contributed to their success in the Battle "E" competition.
"The officers and Sailors of MSP worked very hard, both in port and at sea, to be an all-around command," the Stillwater, Minn., native said. "This is a great honor. It validates the command's daily work program and tells the men that hard work really does pay off."
On the submarine Newport News, Cmdr. Fred Capria, 41, Newport News' commanding officer, said the honor belongs to both his crew and their families.
"The crew and the families are the most important single factor that enabled Newport News to be awarded the 2003 Battle 'E'," the Dillsburg, Penn. native said.
"Through an arduous schedule, the crew prevailed and made the most of each opportunity, practicing every aspect of submarine operations. The families are included because without their support, the crew would not have functioned so efficiently," Capria concluded.
Though the competition is based on a year-long evaluation, certain instances stand out that marked these commands' excellence.
"We set ourselves apart by providing the fleet an extraordinary docking facility, and have always risen to all challenges," Eckert said. "This was evidenced by the final emergent docking of USS Albany (SSN 753), tasked to us after the date we were originally supposed to be inactivated. This was carried out with limited manning a month after inactivation date, and yet it was done without incident and on schedule."
Ratte noted that though MSP won the Battle "E", his boat was not the only outstanding submarine in the squadron.
"First, all the boats in Squadron 6 worked extremely hard this last year; we saw that daily in our interactions with each of our sister submarines," Ratte explained. "As such, it is humbling to be named Battle 'E' for the squadron next to those great ships. The competition is lean and stiff, and my crew and I thank our commodore for selecting us for this high honor."
"The value in the Battle 'E' is that it communicates to the crew and their families that all their hard work and commitment to excellence is recognized and appreciated," Capria added. "As with many aspects of submarine operations, the crew cannot discuss their accomplishments with their families and friends. Being awarded the Battle 'E' allows the crew to showcase some of their many accomplishments," he concluded.
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