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THE WEIRS TIMES & THE COCHECO TIMES, Thursday, February 16, 2012
— FRANKLY SPEAKING — SALUTING OUR SHIPYARD
by Frank Guinta U.S. Congress (R- N.H.)
Imagine working in a space so small, there’s barely enough room to turn around. Imagine moving through passage- ways barely wide enough to accommodate you, with pipes and electrical wires protruding above your head. Now imagine living in those same cramped, crowded conditions for weeks on end, far below the ocean’s surface. No, it’s not a scene from “20,000 Leagues Under
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the Sea.” That is what life is like every day for the 134 officers and men who serve aboard the USS San Juan (SSN-751). I had the honor of touring this remarkable submarine at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard a few weeks ago. You can’t fully appreciate the dedication and com- mitment of a submarine’s crew until you have seen for yourself the extremely tight conditions in which they work, eat and sleep for weeks at a time. It’s truly inspiring to see their dedication to serving their country in conditions that most of us would charita- bly describe as “difficult.” The San Juan is current- ly wrapping up an impor-
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tant round of maintenance work and system upgrades at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Seeing that work in progress was yet another reminder of the important tasks performed there every day. Whether you live on the
Seacoast or far inland, it’s good to keep in mind just how important PNSY is to New Hampshire’s economy. For example, The Seacoast Shipyard Association reports PNSY employs more than 5,100 New Hampshire civilian workers. Let me repeat something
I recently told a news re- porter: I always have been, and always will be, firmly committed to keep- ing the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard open. If anyone in Washington even sug-
gests the possibility of closing it, they had better be prepared to deal with me, for I’m ready to fight with all my strength to keep it operating. The professionalism I
saw everywhere during my visit to PNSY reflected the pride and dedication dis- played every day by thou- sands of men and women in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. I told you a few weeks ago about my recent visit to American troops serving in Afghani- stan. As I talked with soldiers who are serving at Camp Eggers in Kabul and Camp Leatherneck in Hel- mand Province, you could easily see how focused they are on accomplishing their mission. That same “can do” spirit is evident everywhere the
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American uniform is worn, both at home and abroad. Whether it is an Army patrol on a dusty road in Afghanistan, a Coast Guard patrol in the Gulf of Mexico, a Navy patrol off the Philippines or a hundred other places in between, you can find our service men and women carrying out the tasks that are assigned to them, and doing it well. And because they do, you and I are able to go about our daily lives in peace and security. I am dedicated to mak-
ing sure our military has the tools it needs to do to its job, and to remain the world’s premier force for freedom. As I toured the San Juan,
I was especially impressed by her state of readiness. The crew is prepared and ready to respond to any situation that arises at a moment’s notice. We need to marshal that same spirit of determination and focus as we make sure the Portsmouth Naval Ship- yard continues to play a leading role in our nation’s defense, and that it re- mains vehicle for economic prosperity, too, for many generations to come. I look forward to report-
ing back to you in two weeks on the latest de- velopments in Washing- ton. In the meantime, if I can be of service to you, or if you want to share your thoughts, sugges- tions or concerns with me, please call either my dis- trict office in Manchester at (603) 641-9536 or my Washington office at (202) 225-5456, or contact me through my website at
www.Guinta.House.Gov. You can also follow what I’m doing 24/7 on Face- book at www.facebook. com/repfrankguinta and on Twitter at @RepFrank- Guinta. Until next time, please
know that I am always on your side and am actively fighting for New Hamp- shire’s interests in Wash- ington.
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