GREENEVILLE – Tusculum University’s pride in the USS Greeneville’s contributions to national security and connection to the town the higher education institution calls home has been evident throughout the Navy ship’s 30 years of military service.
Dr. Greg Nelson, right, presents the resolution to Dale Long.
The university’s Board of Trustees further solidified this relationship with a resolution of appreciation that was presented Friday, Feb. 13, to the Executive Committee of USS Greeneville Inc. The resolution was inspired by the 30th anniversary of the ship’s commissioning, which will be observed Monday, Feb. 16.
“Honoring the USS Greeneville brings all of us at Tusculum University great joy,” said Dr. Greg Nelson, the board’s chair. “The submarine not only helps make the world a safer place through its deployments, but it recognizes an outstanding community that has actively promoted and partnered with the ship. We are thrilled to be associated with the USS Greeneville and are pleased to assist its sailors and their families with their education.”
The board noted in its resolution that Tusculum has provided academic scholarships for crew members and their dependents for more than 20 years.
The document also highlighted that the USS Greeneville has provided faithful and diligent service. It touted honors the submarine has received, including the Battle E as a top performer, demonstrating the crew’s preparedness to carry out missions and tasks. The resolution also noted the ship has earned the Red E and White P for its engineering and personnel readiness, respectively.
The board extended its gratitude to the USS Greeneville for its 30 years of brave service and dedicated defense of the United States.
The bond between the university and the submarine has also been evident in visits by crew members and their commanding officers to campus. Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president, has also attended change of command ceremonies, including the one that will take place Feb. 16, in San Diego. He has also kept in regular contact with USS Greeneville Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to the ship, its crew and family members of the sailors.
Members of USS Greeneville Inc. and representatives of Tusculum pose for a photo afterward. They are, left to right, Vera Ann Myers, Patricia Bohon, Dr. Scott Hummel, Dale Long, Dr. Greg Nelson, Jann Mirkov and Bob Rediske.
Dr. Greg Nelson, right, reads the resolution as Dr. Scott Hummel, center, and Dale Long listen.
“I have loved meeting our impressive servicemen and their leaders on campus and at ceremonies for the ship,” Dr. Hummel said. “They perform magnificent work in defense of our nation. Collaborating with USS Greeneville Inc. has been extremely meaningful for the university as well. That organization’s members are fervent supporters of the submarine and set an outstanding example of the way a community should back a ship that bears its name.”
Attending Friday’s presentation of the resolution were five members of USS Greeneville Inc. They are Dale Long, president; Jann Mirkov, vice president; Patricia Bohon, secretary; Vera Ann Myers, treasurer; and Bob Rediske, crew liaison. Rediske was a member of the initial group of sailors to serve on the USS Greeneville, and he and his wife now live in the community. Their son, Joshua, was the first person to receive the scholarship associated with the ship. A few sailors have also earned it.
Long, Mirkov, and Rediske are joining Dr. Hummel and his wife Starr for the Feb. 16 ceremony.
In remarks following the resolution’s presentation, Long expressed his appreciation to the Tusculum board. He also mentioned the importance of ensuring that younger people in the region know about the USS Greeneville.
Tusculum students and faculty members are in the beginning stages of working on a website for USS Greeneville Inc. That project will involve students in the art and design, computer science, English and history programs and provide these Pioneers with hands-on experience, impress on them the value of civic engagement and help prepare them for their careers.
Dale Long speaks to everyone who attended the presentation.
“As a board, we think we need to do a better job of educating the young people that we have a submarine named after our town and that it is still serving,” Long said. “We think it will continue to serve for the next 10-20 years, and that’s pretty phenomenal to have a boat that will have been in service for 40-50 years.”
Long also remembered how the town persevered when the idea of naming a ship after Greeneville was initially met with skepticism by others outside the community because the town is relatively small. That became motivational.
“Having lived here all of my life, I went home afterward and thought about it,” he said. “My conclusion was that we needed to represent small-town America by having the ship named after Greeneville, and that’s what we did. We have supported the USS Greeneville better than other communities who have had a ship named after them.”
He said the university is another example of small-town success by offering an excellent education in Greene County.
To assist USS Greeneville Inc., please email Long at ussgcy772@gmail.com. More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.