89 



Navy Focus -- National Impact 



Good Morning Chairmen, I am Rear Admiral Paul G. 

 Gaffney, II, USN, Commander of the Naval Meteorology 

 and Oceanography Command, with headquarters located at 

 the Stennis Space Center, MS. Thank you for the 

 opportunity to testify for the Navy on this important 

 concept of Federal-National collaboration in 

 Oceanography. 



-_ As an island Nation, protected from aggressors and 

 linked to partners by the world's great oceans, it is 

 fundamental that we understand the marine environment 

 around us. It is equally fundamental that a Navy, 

 especially a global Navy, understand the medium in 

 which it must train and operate. In fact, the maritime 

 environment is the root discriminator that separates 

 navies from armies and air forces. It follows then 

 that navies require, as a matter leading to successful 

 mission execution, the very best knowledge of 

 oceanography and its allied sciences. ' 



