"Bring the USS Georgia home" has echoed throughout the state for more than 14 years.

Soon, the 560-foot Trident submarine will be stationed at the naval submarine base at King's Bay in Camden County.

To pay tribute to the vessel, the CSRA Regional Development Center (RDC), in conjunction with the "USS Georgia Return to Service Committee," is participating in a statewide effort to have a Georgia state flag presented to the submarine in all 159 Georgia counties and to hold a signing ceremony for the official log entry documenting the flag's presentation. The log entry will become a permanent part of the ship's records.

The local flag presentation and signing ceremony is set for Wednesday, February 13, at 1 p.m. in the commissioners' chambers at the Lincoln County Courthouse.

Launched in 1982, the USS Georgia is an Ohio-class, nuclear-powered, fleet ballistic missile submarine and the third ship to bear the name of this grand state. The keel laying ceremony was presided over by First Lady Rosalyn Carter. In fact, her initials can still be seen on the ship's hull.

Then, after 18 years of faithful service to the United States Navy, the ship's fate was in jeopardy. The Nuclear Posture Review Committee determined that the Navy had too many nuclear submarines, and the vessel was slated for salvage. But reengineering proved that the ship could be retro-fitted to accommodate Tomahawk missiles, allowing enough room for a special operations platform.

The conversion took place during the last two years while the ship was in Norfolk, Virginia.

In the meantime, the return to service committee led the charge to have the ship stationed in King's Bay. Sheila M. McNeill, past president of the Navy League of the United States, chaired the committee, and Governor Sonny Perdue served as its honorary chairman.

The flag project will be in the CSRA for two short weeks, beginning Wednesday, February 6. During that time, Andy Crosson, executive director of the CSRA RDC, will be visiting each county, along with a representative from the return to service committee, to collect flags and signatures on the official log entry document.

For more information about the submarine or the flag presentation ceremonies, call the CSRA Regional Development Center at 1-706-210- 2000 or visit the agency's website at www.csrardc.org.