---------------------------------------------------------------- The United States Navy on the World Wide Web A service of the Navy Office of Information, Washington DC send feedback/questions to comments@chinfo.navy.mil The United States Navy web site is found on the Internet at http://www.navy.mil ---------------------------------------------------------------- STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN JAMES E. RATTE, JR. COMMANDING OFFICER NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE, NEW LONDON BEFORE THE SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SUBCOMMITTEE ON SUPPORTING MILITARY FAMILIES: THE GROTON MODEL 16 JUNE 2003 Mr. Chairman and Senator Dodd, welcome to Groton, Connecticut, the submarine capital of the world, and Naval Submarine Base, New London, the home of our submarine force. Thank you for visiting and allowing me the opportunity to speak to this subcommittee about the Sailors, families and community of the first, and what I believe is the finest, attack submarine base in our Navy. Today marks my tenth month as commanding officer of this base. I asked for this assignment, I got it, and like my predecessors, I consider the opportunity a great privilege. From that original foothold along the flat eastern terrace of the Thames River some 134 years ago, to our designation as the Nation's first permanent continental submarine base in 1916, to today – this base has grown in size and mission. We now occupy more than 687 acres with some 250 buildings and more than 70 tenant commands. Currently, we homeport 17 submarines; 14 LOS ANGELES Class attack submarines, two SEAWOLF Class attack submarines and NR-1, Navy's only nuclear powered deep-diving research submarine. Commander, Navy Region Northeast and Commander, Submarine Group TWO, as well as Naval Submarine School, the center of excellence for the training of our Submarine Force, are all located here. Additionally, the base will host an establishment ceremony for our newest tenant activity this week. Friday, the recently created Submarine Learning Center, in charge of all submarine training commands nation-wide, will officially stand-up. We expect further new additions in the years to come. We are looking forward to Naval Inshore Boat Unit 22 as well as the New Haven and Plainville, Connecticut Naval Reserve Centers consolidating their activities and moving to the base later this year. We are also readying our waterfront to support new VIRGINIA class submarines - the first of which, USS VIRGINIA, will be christened at Groton's Electric Boat Shipyard this August, and commissioned in 2004. Submarine Base New London's focus, however, extends beyond those national assets stationed on our waterfront and the tenant commands that support them. Our mission remains supporting fleet readiness by providing quality service and facilities to our submarine community and their families; they are the true heart of our base. We are home to more than 7,500 military personnel and 12,000 military family members. We also support more than 1,400 civilian employees, 1,000 defense contractors, 600 drilling reservists, and 12,000 military retirees. Of our military population, 35 percent are married and four percent are single parents. As we have a large, young and single Submarine School student population, 40 percent of our Sailors live in barracks while 25 percent live in Navy family housing and 35 percent live in the local community. But, no matter their marital status, or where they live, internal and external support networks ensure that they are not only part of our local Navy family, but partners in our southeastern Connecticut community. Every day, I am privileged to hear and see more and more examples of our Sailors, Department of Defense (DoD) civilians and military families contributing to the vibrancy of the southeastern Connecticut community; contributions from some 1,500 personnel annually and spanning more than 40,000 volunteer hours. Their generosity, warmth, and caring help make the Groton-New London area a wonderful place to live. It is through their generosity that Naval Submarine Base, New London's, annual charitable contributions to last year's Combined Federal Campaign totaled nearly $320 thousand. Through their warmth, Sailors across the base have been working alongside members of the Navy League in our annual Toys for Children drive. Through their caring, Sailors teamed with scouts in the Navy Caring and Sharing program, which, this past year, collected more than 2,200 items of food for needy families. Sailors, DoD civilians, and military families, offer volunteer service to organizations such as, American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and a myriad of others. Our volunteers also support local schools and educators in developing our Nation's most precious resource, our young people, by participating in mentoring programs, such as Junior Achievement, as well as partnerships established through the Navy Community Service program. I participate in the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, its Groton Division, and the Council of Governments to share our respective visions and build closer bonds and understanding between our collective communities. Of course, it is more than a good business foundation or a strong local economy that makes a good community. Good neighbors make a good community; and the people of southeastern Connecticut have long been, and continue to be, wonderful neighbors to the Navy. The Groton Public School system has long recognized the uniqueness of the military child. The school system and former administrators helped spearhead the Military Child Education Coalition -- a national organization committed to bringing military and local communities together with school districts to best address the needs of the military child. Next month, the coalition will be holding its fifth annual national conference here in Groton. On a local level, every fall, Groton Public Schools invite us to provide a "Military 101" briefing to new, and otherwise interested, teachers. The briefing is aimed at familiarizing these educators with the military environment, military life, and the benefits and challenges associated with being a child of a military member. The school superintendent also holds monthly meetings of the Military and Superintendent Liaison Committee that allow military representatives from our major local area commands to maintain an ongoing dialogue with senior educators and administrators. Southeastern Connecticut businesses, large and small, have always welcomed service members and their families, offering a wide variety of discounts and special programs to show their appreciation. On an organized level, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut and its Groton Division support our Sailors and families through such initiatives as the Service Person of the Month. The program honors Sailors nominated by their command who have contributed to the success and betterment of their unit and the community. Honorees are celebrated with a special luncheon as well as tokens of appreciation from area businesses and organizations. At the end of the year, the Chambers select a Service Person of the Year from among the 12 honorees. The Navy League sponsors a similar recognition program for the Sea and Shore Officers of the Year. Local area commands nominate candidates who have also contributed to the success and betterment of their unit and the community. While such external support networks assure our Sailors and families of their partnership in our southeastern Connecticut community, our internal support networks assure them of our commitment as one Navy family. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Vern Clark, has said, the quality of service our Nation and Navy can expect from our Sailors is directly related to their quality of work and quality of life. Providing Sailors with the highest quality work environment in which to achieve their goals and accomplish their unit's mission is a priority of each tenant command and activity here. Providing the Sailors and families of those commands and activities with the highest quality of life is a priority of the base and our parent command, Navy Region Northeast. Tenant commands, activities, Sailors and families are the customers, as the base and regional quality of life storefronts are the service providers in such areas as housing, health care, and Sailor and family support. Base housing includes 12 barracks with more than 1,650 rooms accommodating nearly 3,300 personnel and more than 2,100 Navy family homes. The vast majority of those Navy family homes occupy 430 acres outside the base fence-line in the town of Groton. Currently we have some $20 million dedicated to Navy housing improvements, as we complete whole-house renovations in our Conning Towers and Nautilus Park Navy Family housing areas. Such improvements will continue through 2006 with the privatization of Navy family housing and the renovation and replacement of more than 1,400 homes. Our commitment to the finest health care facilities continues as evidenced by our recently begun 4-year, $17 million, renovation of our Naval Ambulatory Care Center. We will also start construction of a new dental clinic in 2005. While our health and dental facilities are only clinics, our doctors have surgical privileges at local hospitals through a memorandum of agreement. Of course, we are also committed to getting the word out about health care and receiving feedback. To that end, the care center hosts monthly TRICARE orientation classes for active duty personnel and their family members. Classes focus on the TRICARE system in Groton and help familiarize members with the availability and accessibility of services both at the center and in the civilian community. Additionally, the care center hosts periodic Health Care Consumer Council Meetings to keep commands and their representatives informed of policies at the center and to learn of any concerns or issues regarding the services provided through either the center or through TRICARE. Sailor and family member support are met through a broad spectrum of local providers. While unit chains of command, especially command senior enlisted advisors, like command master chiefs and chiefs of the boat, and the base command religious program and its chaplains, are always accessible and responsive to Sailor and family needs, the bulk of front line support is provided by our Fleet and Family Support Center and child development program. A regional storefront, our Fleet and Family Support Center is committed to empowering military members and their families to thrive amidst change, to find positive opportunity in it, and to solve any problems or crises that may affect their ability to succeed while in the military. The center serves both active duty and retired personnel and encompasses the Navy "family" of singles, married members and their spouses, children and other family members. The center's services and programs meet the diverse needs of each customer, such as: acquainting single Sailors with local leisure activities, helping expectant parents prepare for parenthood, assisting transitioning members in conducting successful career searches and educating spouses, and other family members, on job search skills, available Navy services and the deployment cycle. Fleet and Family Support Center staff are intimately aware of the unique pressures and problems experienced by Sailors and are trained and equipped to help them and their families realize the greatest rewards from their military careers and lifestyle through a combination of free services, which include counseling, workshops, programs and briefs, as well as self-help and automated services. The center provides information about child development, parenting, continuing education, career development, basic skills for living (such as budgeting and consumer affairs), and a variety of other topics. Help for special needs families is also offered and includes classes for single parents, families with handicapped family members, and more. Another regional storefront, our base Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Department, manages our local Navy child development and youth programs. The childcare and development program supports two main needs: day care and before and after school care. Care is available for the families of active duty military personnel, on a priority basis, and to the families of DoD civilians employed on the base. Fees are based on total family income and are set on a sliding scale. Our day care program enjoys the distinction of being accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Our three child development centers provide care for children from six weeks through six years of age. Having opened a new center in 2000, and renovated another in 2001, we have the capacity to accommodate 263 children. We also support a Child Development Home program. Through the program, childcare providers in Navy housing enhance and expand childcare services beyond that available in our local childcare centers. Under the program, providers are certified within state and Navy guidelines, requiring several hours of initial and ongoing training in child development and related topics. Children are cared for in safe, happy and healthy home environments. Before and after school care is offered under our School Age Care program, which is headquartered in our Nautilus Community Center, in Navy family housing, and currently provides care to 114 children. The program was the second in the Navy to be accredited by the National School Age Care Alliance, receiving this distinction in 2002. Open to children from kindergarten through sixth grade, five to 12 years of age, the program currently serves students enrolled in the four Groton elementary schools adjacent to our Navy family housing areas, as well as three others. We have established a partnership with the Groton Board of Education to provide children in our School Age Program with a dedicated classroom located at adjacent Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Within the partnership, the school provides a classroom; we provide the care and care givers, and the program there is available to children outside our active duty and DoD families. In addition to child care and development programs, our Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Department directs and supports a wide array of youth programs and activities. Our new 17,000 square-foot Youth Center, centrally located in Navy family housing, opened in 2000. It includes a teen lounge, a supervised Internet-equipped computer room, a music room, a dance room, and a gymnasium. From the center and its surrounding athletic fields, we support military community youth football, soccer, basketball, and Little League baseball. "Kids Karnival," a two-day family festival held at the Youth Center in the spring, and open to the public, has brought our military and local community together for the past 12 years, as more than 6,000 children and adults annually enjoy the rides, games, and entertainment. The center is also the main site for our youth summer camp programs, which offer traditional sports activities to the children of active duty members and DoD employees, as well as such diverse pursuits as, gymnastics, judo, archery, dance and drama. The Youth Center, as well as many of our Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Department's facilities, allows our military and local communities to participate together in fun activities like youth birthday parties or high school post-graduation parties. We support from four to seven organized, chaperoned, alcohol-free, all night graduation parties each year. Additionally, our laser tag gaming facility, Laser Storm, hosts 21 youth parties weekly. Of course, the greatest celebrations Naval Submarine Base New London hosts are our submarine homecomings. Each one is very special for Sailors returning home and their loved ones awaiting their arrival. Helping families prepare for this emotional day begins well before Sailors deploy. Deployments are unique to the military lifestyle; our approach to assisting families cope throughout the time on patrol is comprehensive. Our Fleet and Family Support Center provides educational workshops and counseling to introduce families to the emotional cycle of deployment and how to maintain healthy family relationships amidst lengthy separations. Children's programs teach children about deployment and teach parents how to help children adjust to the lengthy separation. We assist schoolteachers, administrators, and counselors as well as community agencies by providing guidance and awareness of our network of services. With the outbreak of war, the center's Child Counselor initiated a "Helping Children Deal with War" outreach program involving eight local schools. The program was extremely well received and helped prepare school professionals to address our children's fears during this time of world uncertainty. Our team of senior enlisted advisors on the submarines, the chiefs of the boat, volunteer command-appointed Ombudsmen, and our center's deployment specialist, maintain an always-accessible network of support. This triad, along with a unit's spouse support group, ensures that families requesting or requiring assistance in problem solving and crisis management, before, during, and after deployments, are able to receive it. The southeastern Connecticut community provides outstanding support to our Sailors and their families during deployments. Recently, many local businesses joined with our Navy Exchange and Morale Welfare, and Recreation Department in celebrating our submarine Sailors returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Current Navy and southeastern Connecticut support networks for our Sailors and their families are a model of care, cooperation, and collaboration. Our Child Development Program is operating under Most Efficient Organization guidelines that concentrate on fiscal and management efficiencies. Our Fleet and Family Support Center is undergoing a functional assessment that will ultimately result in its operation under those guidelines as well. Anticipated growth on base, in terms of new tenant and homeported commands, as well as increasing support requirements to other local Department of Defense commands and units, may challenge our ability to continue providing ample high quality support services. Continued strong support from the Congress, and DoD and Navy leadership, for robust and flexible Child Development Programs, Fleet and Family Support Centers and our many Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs, will ensure that Naval Submarine Base, New London, has the resources and programs necessary to fully meet our mission: service and support to our war fighters and their families. The Sailors and families of Naval Submarine Base, New London, have an outstanding support network. Our internal Navy programs ensure they feel the embrace of our one Navy family and our southeastern Connecticut partnerships ensure that they feel at home in the community. Retaining an effective and responsive support network will contribute significantly to Naval Submarine Base, New London's ability to continue living up to our motto: "The First and Finest" attack submarine base in the Navy.