US Navy Submarine Force Announces Battle "E" Winners

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Jan. 7, 2009) The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Chicago (SSN 721), awarded the 2008 Submarine Squadron Three (CSS 3) Battle Efficiency (Battle E) award for continual mission readiness, leaves Naval Station Pearl Harbor for a scheduled six-month deployment to the Western Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Luciano Marano.)

Focus on Defense:

NORFOLK, Jan. 7, 2009 -- Commander Submarine Force, and Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, announced the winners of the Battle Efficiency competition within the submarine force Jan. 1 in separate messages to the submarine fleet.

The prestigious Battle "E" is awarded annually to ships demonstrating a maximum condition of readiness for their class, and for their capability to perform wartime responsibilities. The competition is conducted to strengthen individual command performance, overall force readiness, and to recognize outstanding performance.

The Battle "E" awards for the submarine fleet are presented by the commodore of each submarine squadron to the submarine under their command which has demonstrated the highest level of battle readiness during the previous year.

The winners are:

Commander, Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 1 (Pearl Harbor) – USS Los Angeles (SSN 688);

SUBRON 2 (Groton, Conn.) – USS Providence (SSN 719);

SUBRON 3 (Pearl Harbor) – USS Chicago (SSN 721);

SUBRON 4 (New London) – USS Virginia (SSN 774);

Commander, Submarine Development Squadron 5 (Bangor, Wash) – USS Connecticut (SSN 22);

SUBRON 6 (Norfolk) – USS Montpelier (SSN 765);

SUBRON 7 (Pearl Harbor) – USS Columbus (SSN 762);

SUBRON 8 (Norfolk) – USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723);

SUBRON 11 (San Diego) – USS Topeka (SSN 754);

SUBDEVRON 12 (Groton) – USS Alexandria (SSN 757);

SUBRON 15 (Guam) – USS Buffalo (SSN 715);

SUBRON 16 (Kings Bay, Ga.) – USS Florida (SSGN 728);

SUBRON 17 (Bangor) – USS Pennsylvania (SSBN 735);

SUBRON 19 (Bangor) – USS Ohio (SSGN 726); and

SUBRON 20 (Kings Bay) – USS Maryland (SSBN 738).

The winners in submarine force special categories are: the torpedo retriever Swamp Fox (TWR 821) and the floating dry dock Arco (ARDM 5), both homeported in San Diego; the deep submergence research and ocean engineering submarine NR-1, homeported in Groton; and the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), homeported in Guam.

Los Angeles, Topeka, Frank Cable, Arco and Florida are repeat winners.

Submarine Force Master Chief Jeff Garrison said every crew member could take pride in their accomplishment.

"Being awarded the Battle "E" is a team accomplishment that every crew member can take a great deal of pride in," said Garrison. "Additionally, every Sailor on the winning boats can take personal pride in their accomplishments knowing that their individual contributions to the submarine's mission led to their boat being selected for this prestigious award. This is truly an award where outstanding individual effort leads to team success."

(Report by Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Dean Lohmeyer, Commander, Submarine Force Public Affairs.)

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