Visiting USS Frank Cable

Polaris Point, Guam -- During a historic visit to Guam, RADM Daniel H. Stone, Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command and 43rd Chief of the Supply Corps, presented Sailors aboard USS Frank Cable (AS 40) with awards and addressed their concerns "at the end of the logistics pipeline."

After a morning of touring much of the naval logistics infrastructure on Guam, RADM Stone was welcomed aboard USS Frank Cable by Supply Officer CAPT (Sel) Ted Digges. During a quick tour of the ship, CAPT (Sel) Digges discussed the ship's mission of "supporting the black hulls," and its overall importance within the submarine community. After meeting with the Commanding Officer, CAPT Paul Bushong, RADM Stone made his way to the mess decks to address the Supply Department.

RADM Stone began by presenting Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals to SK1 (SW) Michael Pautu, SK2 (SW)April Grant, and SK3 (SW) John Martin.

Afterwards, SK1 (SW) Paul Martir, SK2 (SW) Bonifacio Bainco, SK3 (SW) Gary Barbosa, and PCSN (SW) Kristoffer Ilagan were recognized as Supply Department's Senior Sailor of the Quarter, Junior Sailor of the Quarter, Petty Officer of the Quarter, and Blue Jacket of the Quarter, respectively. PCSN (SW) Ilagan was also recognized as having recently been selected as Guam's regional Blue Jacket of the Quarter.

After the awards ceremony, theRADM Stone spoke to the Supply Department, emphasizing the strategic importance of Guam, and also the critical support that USS Frank Cable provides to the submarines and surface ships in the Western Pacific. He spoke about the future of the Navy and elaborated on several supply rating mergers. RADM Stone then went into depth on the new DDX class destroyer, which will cut the number of personnel in the Supply Department from 60 to approximately 10.

RADM Stone concluded by expressing his gratitude to the Sailors of the USS Frank Cable for their hard work and dedication, and personally thanked them for the role they played in supporting the tsunami refief efforts earlier this year.

ENS Ben Nichols, Customer Service Division Officer, USS Frank Cable

COPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Department of the Navy, Supply Systems Command
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group