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Alaska Earns CNO Safety Award

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090717-02
Release Date: 7/17/2009 12:10:00 AM

By Commander Submarine Group 10 Public Affairs

KINGS BAY, Ga. (NNS) -- The crew of USS Alaska (SSBN 732) was selected as a winner of the 2008 Chief of Naval Operations Afloat Safety Award July 11.

Alaska completed a 26-month refueling overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in March 2009, receiving the safety award for the time period in the shipyard.

Rear Adm. Barry Bruner, Commander Submarine Group 10, congratulated the Alaska crew on a job well done.

"I was specifically pleased to see the Alaska crew receive the award given the specifically demanding safety considerations associated with depot-level maintenance," Bruner said.

Cmdr. Paul Haebler, commanding officer of Alaska (Blue), was the commanding officer of the combined blue and gold crew while in the shipyard.

"This award has special significance because it means that not only did Alaska accomplish a 28-month engineered refueling overhaul under budget and in near record time," Haebler said. "But it was done with a focus on doing it the right way, which means with safety as our first priority."

Alaska's Command Safety Officer, Senior Chief Missile Technician (SS) John Rhodes, was credited with the success of Alaska's safety program.

"I am very pleased at the exceptional performance of the crew while in Norfolk Naval Shipyard, during sea trials and upon Alaska's arrival in Kings Bay," said Rhodes. "The ship was placed in many potentially dangerous situations and succeeded due to the constant focus on shipboard and home safety. Our outstanding safety record has culminated with the receipt of the CNO Afloat Safety Award for 2008."

According to the award message from the CNO, this award recognized the outstanding contributions to fleet readiness, increased morale, efficiency and economic use of resources through safety.

The boat was authorized to display the green "S" for safety on the sail of the submarine for the next year.

For more news from Commander, Submarine Group 10, visit www.navy.mil/local/csg10/.