Date: Fri 28-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Karen-Stout-commendation-Navy

Full Text:

Commended By The Navy

(with photo)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

MS2 (SW) -- Karen E. McDougall Stout, the daughter of Harold and Evelyn

McDougall of Sandy Hook, has received a letter of commendation from the

commander of the US Navy's Enterprise Battle Group for professional

achievement in support of operation Desert Fox.

Petty Officer Stout's rank, MS2 (SW), denotes mess management specialist

second class surface warfare in the Navy. On her last tour of duty she served

as ship's photographer and food service record keeper aboard the Flagship USS

Nicholson (DD-982) during a six-month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea, the

Persian Gulf and the Adriatic Sea.

The Nicholson was painted haze grey when the destroyer left Portsmouth in

November 1998. When the ship returned home on May 6, the missile launch

platform was alive with color -- 48 red, white, and blue Tomahawk missiles

were stenciled on each side.

The images represented 48 Tomahawk cruise missiles, presumably the number the

Nicholson fired into Iraq and Yugoslavia during its six-month cruise (even

though no one on board would officially confirm that).

This was the ship's first-ever combat mission. None of the ship's weapons

specialists had ever launched a Tomahawk missile until December 16, the first

night of the Operation Desert Fox attacks on Iraq.

A native of Sandy Hook, Karen McDougall Stout attended St Rose School and the

Newtown Middle School. Talented in the arts, she attended the Lathrop School

of Dance for 17 years and graduated from Henry Abbott Technical School in

Danbury with a degree in graphic arts.

After graduating from the Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners Falls,

Mass., she decided to join the Navy in August 1986. She was assigned to the

Navy's field of food service.

From 1987 to 1990 she toured the world aboard the Emory S. Land AS39, a

submarine tender. Following the four years of sea duty, she was assigned to

four years of shore duty at the submarine base in New London.

From 1993 to 1995, Petty Officer Stout was assigned to Presidential food

service security at the White House staff mess (kitchen). During those years,

she accompanied the President on trips to such places as Moscow, England, and

Australia.

From 1996 to 1997, Petty Officer Stout was stationed in Cuba at the US base at

Guantanamo Bay. When one of the messes there was closed, she was sent back

aboard ship to finish that tour of duty.

Between her tours at sea, Petty Officer Stout frequently came back to Sandy

Hook to stay with her parents in their home on Cherry Street. Four years ago

she married another sailor, Larry Stout, who retired recently after serving 16

years in the Navy. The couple and their son, Christopher, 14, live in

Chesapeake, Virginia.

The letter of commendation from the commander of the Enterprise Battle Group

cited MS2 (SW) Karen E. Stout, USN, for professional achievement in the

superior performance of her duties while serving as ships photographer and

food service records keeper on USS Nicholson (DD-982) from November 1998 to

May 1999. It read as follows:

"Petty Officer Stout demonstrated exceptional professionalism through her

extraordinary photography of Desert Fox operations and meticulous attention to

detail in food service records maintenance. Her exhaustive efforts and

continual pursuit of excellence contributed to outstanding combat readiness

while deployed to the Mediterranean Sea/Arabian Gulf in support of Desert Fox.

"Petty Officer Stout's superior professional ability, loyal devotion to duty

and exceptional performance reflected credit upon herself and were in keeping

with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."