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USS Alaska Receives Omaha Trophy

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060712-01
Release Date: 7/12/2006 9:23:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mary Popejoy, Northwest Region Fleet Public Affairs Center

SILVERDALE, Wash. (NNS) -- The officers and crew of USS Alaska (SSBN 732) were selected as one of four recipients of the 2005 Omaha Trophy award June 27.

The original Omaha Trophy was given by the citizens of Omaha, Neb., to Strategic Air Command (SAC) in 1970, to be presented as an annual award to the top Air Force missile wing.

In 1992, following the activation of Strategic Command, the Strategic Command Consultation Committee, representing the citizens of Omaha, requested the award be given to the top ballistic missile unit and the top aircraft unit in order to reflect the current jointness of the strategic deterrence mission.

The awardees demonstrate the highest standards of performance. Selection for the award is based on formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety, and other factors, such as community involvement and humanitarian actions.

"Alaska is a top performer, with both crews demonstrating high morale and strong retention," said Rear Adm. Frank Drennan, commander, Submarine Group 9. "Alaska is the most effective two-crew team in the Pacific and an outstanding example of our nation's strategic forces," he said.

Some of Alaska's accomplishments included Alaska achieving 100 percent Strategic Systems readiness while covering 40 percent more of the strategic commitment than the average Pacific Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN), and both crews received above average evaluations on Tactical Readiness Evaluations conducted in 2005.

In addition to those accomplishments, the submarine's Blue Crew received the 2005 Submarine Squadron 19 Strategic "S" and Communications "C" Awards, and the Gold Crew received the Submarine Squadron 19 Tactical "T" Award. Both crews received the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Golden Anchor Retention Excellence Award for 2005.

Drennan went on to say the crew of Alaska deserves this award because they have truly raised the bar of performance excellence.

"I can think of no other SSBN that has demonstrated such sustained superior performance in strategic operations during the normal SSBN patrol cycle or responded so well to emergent tasking," said Drennan.

"Both crews achieved an equally outstanding level of performance, as evidenced by their ability to have the highest combined tactical, strategic and weapons surety scores in the Pacific Submarine Fleet. This ship clearly exemplifies the spirit and example of the Omaha Trophy," said Drennan.

"I am ecstatic that USS Alaska was selected for this award," said Cmdr. Jon Fahs, commanding officer, USS Alaska. "It is extra special because June 16, we combined crews in preparation for our engineering refueling overhaul in Norfolk, so this is something each crew member can be proud of because we won it as a team," said Fahs.