Sailors practice ceremony for Missouri's big Saturday

Groton - Becky Gates will join an elite group of women Saturday when she helps to commission the newest member of the Virginia class of submarines.

The Secretary of the Navy is responsible for finding the right person to imbue a ship with her spirit, traditionally a woman who has contributed to the country. She often has a connection with the ship's namesake.

Rosalynn Carter is the sponsor of the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) and Laura Bush is the sponsor of the USS Texas (SSN 775). The governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, sponsored the USS Hawaii (SSN 776) and Eleonore Rickover, the USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709).

For generations, these women have called out the same words at commissioning ceremonies - "Man our ship and bring her to life!"

Gates, the wife of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, is the sponsor for the Missouri (SSN 780), which will officially become a U.S. warship on Saturday in a ceremony at the Naval Submarine Base.

Robert and Becky Gates lived at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri after Robert Gates was commissioned in the Air Force in 1967 and assigned there as an intelligence officer.

Becky Gates was selected as the Missouri's sponsor in recognition of her commitment to the country, through the work of her husband and her own community work, according to Capt. Beci Brenton, spokeswoman for Navy Secretary Ray Mabus.

The submarine has taken on a lot of Gates' personality, said Lt. Cmdr. Jess Porter, the executive officer. He described Gates as "very outgoing, very eager to do new things."

"A new crew has to be eager to learn," Porter said Thursday, after they finished practicing for Saturday's ceremony. "This crew has done a phenomenal job learning the systems on board this ship and the missions that we could be tasked with doing."

Almost one third of the 130-man crew is in the process of qualifying in submarines, or has just qualified.

It's an all-male crew, but the first women submariners are in training to serve on ballistic-missile and guided-missile submarines. Porter said he has "no doubt" that women will serve on Virginia-class submarines at some point in the future.

"I think doing so opens up a huge talent pool that we have been isolated from," Porter said, "so I think it's a good thing."

The Navy is not bringing women aboard the smaller fast-attack submarines right away due to concerns about the lack of privacy. But Navy officials have not ruled out that possibility for the future.

The Missouri crew has practiced for the commissioning twice a day since Tuesday to make sure everything will run smoothly. About 3,000 people are expected to attend, including the defense secretary. He will not speak at the ceremony, according to his spokesman.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, Secretary of the Navy Mabus, Commander of the Submarine Force Vice Adm. John J. Donnelly, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon are also expected to attend. The principal speaker is U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.

First commissioning in three years

On Thursday, folding chairs lined the pier. The audio-visual equipment floated on a barge to make room for all the chairs. A platform for the dignitaries was set up in front of the Missouri.

Each practice run only took about 20 minutes since they abbreviated the speeches. The director of ship commissionings delivered Gates' line, telling the crew to man the ship.

That was the cue for them to run aboard as "Anchors Aweigh" played over the speakers. They lined up, then filed back off, eager to finally become a part of the fleet on Saturday.

"It's about time," said Machinist's Mate Second Class Nicholas Koblick, who is from St. Louis, Mo. "We spent a lot of hours in the shipyard, and we're a junior crew. For most of us, this is our first boat. So we're anxious to go out and do it."

The Hawaii was the last sub commissioned at the base, in May 2007. The USS New Hampshire (SSN 778), also delivered by Electric Boat, was commissioned the following year at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Construction of the Missouri, the seventh member of the Virginia class, took 65 months. EB officially delivered the submarine to the Navy Thursday, nine months ahead of schedule, under budget, and in 600,000 fewer man hours than the New Hampshire.

Electric Boat President John P. Casey said the early delivery "demonstrates the dedication of the men and women of Electric Boat, and will help ensure our success in the future."

j.mcdermott@theday.com