While serving as Commanding Officer of the Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, and as the senior submariner present at Great Lakes, I was the Chairman of the Great Lakes Submarine Birthday Ball held on 24 April 1982. That weekend, Bob Fountain (then Rear Admiral and Assistant Deputy Commander for ASW and Undersea Warfare (SEA06B)) served double duty as the Recruit Graduation Reviewing Officer, and joined the 200 or so active duty and retired submariners as the Guest of Honor at the Birthday Ball. I bad requested Chaplain Owen Melody, LT CHC USNR, to present an appropriate blessing. His evocative invocation got our attention and our festivities off to an inspirational start!
O God, it’s rumored that you’re a little upset with submariners. ‘!hey have the annoying habit of topping some of your finest efforts. You walked on the water. They found a way to walk under it. You divided the Red Sea amid noise and clamor, leaving behind a gaping wide trench. They divide the sea silently, leaving behind no trace at all. The in one of your finest hours, when you were really on a roll, you took the first submariner, Jonah, submerged him in the sea for three days in the belly of a whale, and then dramatically let him live to tell the tale. Now, these showoffs submerge themselves in their steel fish for months at a time, and without batting an eye, come home, hale and hearty.
They’re a determined lot, Lord. I can understand your being testy: no one likes to be upstaged. But, In your heart of hearts, I know you like their style. We are grateful for them in the Navy and I know that you are too. The world is a better place, a freer place for what they do. They are the silent sentinels around the world. Bless those serving on lonely patrols this evening,ยท unite us In spirit with them. And, on this, their birthday, grant these submariners your most special blessing. Amen.
DEFENSE TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER
The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) is presenting its Annual Users Meeting and Training Conference on 4-7 November 1996 at the Double Tree Hotel, Arlington, VA. The theme of the conference Meeting the Challenges of Changing Technology, reflects DTIC’a goal to assist our customer community in meeting tomorrow’s challenges by providing the most relevant information in the most appropriate format as quickly as possible.
This meeting provides an opportunity to explore in detail new developments at DTIC and throughout the federal information network. We are particularly pleased that this year we are able to offer a number of speakers and exhibitors from other federal agencies as well as from the Department of Defense. All of the presentations will address the most current issues effecting the research, development and acquisition communities. Not only will these speakers acquaint you with the latest policy and operational developments, but they will also provide you with practical details on valuable and diverse domestic and foreign information resources, security issues, the World Wide Web, copyright and the storage and dissemination of electronic documents. The popular SGML class is again being offered as well.
Changing technologies present exciting new challenges-DTIC’96 promises to provide the tools to expand your horizons to meet these challenges! Check out the conference information on our homepage at http://www.dtic.mil. For further information, please contact Ms. Julia Foscue at (703) 767-8236 or by e-mail at jfoscue@dtic.mil for further information.
