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2005 Ron Paul Chapter 74

Not linked on Ron Paul’s Congressional website.

Congressional Record [.PDF]

Tribute To Rear Admiral John D. Butler
24 June 2005

HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Friday, June 24, 2005


2005 Ron Paul 74:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Rear Admiral (Lower Half) John D. Butler, a Texas City, Texas, native who retires after 31 years of faithful service from the United States Navy on July 1, 2005.

2005 Ron Paul 74:2
Many of us have come to know and recognize Rear Admiral Butler over the past two years as he has served as the Program Executive Officer (Submarines) since February 2003. During his tenure as the Navy’s top submarine acquisition officer, Rear Admiral Butler delivered USS Virginia (SSN 774) and USS Jimmy Carter (USS 23). Virginia’s commissioning in October 2004 ended the longest drought of submarine commissioning in that service’s 105-year history. Whereas Virginia is the first of her class, Jimmy Carter is the last of the Sea Wolf Class. Jimmy Carter brings a host of new and revolutionary capabilities to the fleet that will help the United States to win the Global War on Terror.

2005 Ron Paul 74:3
Under Rear Admiral Butler’s watch, the submarine construction industry has been, virtually, reborn. He was a driving force in transitioning the Virginia Class’ second Block Buy contract into a Multi-Year agreement that will save an estimated $80 million per submarine over the five-hull agreement. Currently, there are six Virginia Class submarines under construction and an additional three ships under contract.

2005 Ron Paul 74:4
Admiral Butler has also made great efforts in converting four Ohio Class Trident Ballistic Missile Submarines into the transformation SSGNs. Each of these 560-feet long, 18,000- ton submarines will be able to carry up to 154 precision-guided Tomahawk Land-Attack cruise missiles, 66 Navy S and to support covert Special Operations, each SSGN will be able to carry two Dry-Deck Shelters, two Advanced SEAL Delivery Systems, or one of each top the ships’ integrated lock-in/lock-out trunks. With the Ohio Class’ inherent stealth, these SSGNs, the first of which delivers in November 2005, will be a potent warfighter in the Global War on Terror.

2005 Ron Paul 74:5
Admiral Butler has also acted as an emissary with allied nation’s undersea forces, especially with both the Royal Australian Navy and with Great Britain’s Royal Navy. In doing so, he has not only strengthened our bonds with these most trusted allies, but has also enhanced national security.

2005 Ron Paul 74:6
Admiral Butler joined the Navy via the Nuclear Power Officer Candidate Program in 1975 after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry. His sea duty assignments have included: Division Officer on board USS Will Rogers (SSBN 659); Navigator/Operations Officer on board USS James K. Polk (SSBN 645); Navigator/Operations Officer on board USS James Madison (SSBN 627); and Repair Officer on board USS Proteus (AS 19).

2005 Ron Paul 74:7
Admiral Butler’s shore assignments have included: Attack Submarine Training Head for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Submarine Warfare); AN/BSY–1 Submarine Combat and Acoustic System (PMS417) Chief Engineer for Program Executive Officer, Submarine Combat and Weapons Systems; Sea Wolf Class Submarine (PMS350) Assistant Program Manager (Design and Construction) for Program Executive Officer, Submarines; Strategic and Attack Submarines (PMS392) Major Program Manager for Naval Sea Systems Command; and Executive Assistant and Naval Aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition). He has also served in temporary assignments attached to the Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station, Arctic Ocean; Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Groton, CT, and Newport News, VA; and attached in support of U.S. Embassies at Cairo, Egypt; Moscow, Russia; and Panama City, Panama. Over the course of his career, Admiral Butler has helped to design, build, and deliver a total of 23 submarines — nearly one-third of today’s total force.

2005 Ron Paul 74:8
Admiral Butler’s personal awards include the Legion of Merit (3 awards), Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, in addition to other service and unit awards.

2005 Ron Paul 74:9
Mr. Speaker, Admiral Butler has given 30 years of service to the Navy, to Congress, and to the people of the United States of America. He has served our Nation well and has helped to ensure that our undersea fleet remains the best in the world. He has left a large and meaningful legacy and I am honored to rise today to express my appreciation for Admiral Butler and for his wife Eileen who has served her Nation right along side her husband. Being a Navy wife is not an easy task, and she has been nothing less than a model of courage, patience, and devotion.

2005 Ron Paul 74:10
Mr. Speaker, colleagues, please join me in wishing Admiral and Eileen Butler: “Fair winds and following seas and long may your big jib draw!”



















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