Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it is an honor for me to rise today in recognition of Dawn A. Moliterno upon her recognition as the Florida Public Relations Association Person of the Year.

Over the years, Ms. Moliterno has time and again proven herself as an exceptional businessperson. Beginning with a career in the retail industry, Ms. Moliterno served as the Marketing Manager and Company Spokesman for the Cafaro Company for 10 years. She then moved on to apply her marketing, communication, and strategic development skills to the Walton County Florida Chamber of Commerce. While there, Ms. Moliterno served as the Vice President of Marketing and Membership and had oversight of all membership, marketing, strategic partner relationships, product development, sales, and advertising efforts for the Regional Chamber. As a testament to her keen business sense, in just 4 short years Ms. Moliterno increased membership in the Regional Chamber from 1,604 members to over 2,500 members.

Ms. Moliterno has earned numerous accolades that reflect the hard work and dedication that she has applied to her profession. Selected by Florida State Senator Don Gaetz along with only 500 other females from across the country, Ms. Moliterno was sent to Washington, DC, for the 2008 Leadership for Women in Business Conference. She is also the Regional Steward for Coastal Vision 3000/THE Beach and spearheaded the Athena International Award for Women for the Northwest Florida region in 2006.

The First District of Florida is incredibly fortunate to house such a talented and ambitious person, and it will benefit from the hard work provided by Ms. Moliterno for years to come.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to honor Dawn Moliterno for her exceptional talents and her service to the First District of Florida.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Ray Helton, United States Army, who is retiring after 33 years of dedicated service to this Nation. Colonel Helton currently serves as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, with duty in Washington, DC. He is the principal advisor to the commander and senior USSOCOM officials on congressional affairs. In this capacity, I have had the pleasure and honor to come to know Ray well as we have travelled together on various congressional delegations.

Colonel Helton enlisted in the Army in February 1975, completed Special Forces training, and served with the 10th Special Forces Group. After his enlistment ended, he attended the University of Illinois where he graduated as a distinguished military graduate. He returned to active duty in January 1981 as an infantry officer. His Infantry assignments included leading two platoons in the 3d Infantry Division and commanding two companies in the 101st Airborne Division. He served as a company commander, battalion executive officer and battalion commander in the 3d Special Forces Group. He has conducted training and operations with soldiers on five continents. Colonel Helton also served as the chief of assignments of the Combat Arms Division in United States Personnel Command, as a strategic planner and writer on the Joint Staff and as the Garrison Commander of Fort Drum, New York.

Colonel Helton's military education includes the infantry officer basic course, airborne school, combat divers course, air assault school, ranger school, Special Forces qualification school, and the joint psychological operations course, just to name a few. He also received a master of arts degree in national strategy and policy from the Naval War College and a master of science degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Madam Speaker, few can match the dedication and professionalism of Ray Helton. He is a man of honor and a man of principle. On behalf of the United States Congress, I wish to thank Ray for his years of dedicated service. Vicki and I wish him, his wife Jane, and their children and grandchildren the best wishes for continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the service of Colonel Michael Shupp, United States Marine Corps, who is retiring after 27 years of dedicated service to this Nation. I came to know Colonel Shupp well as we travelled together on various Congressional delegations. As a consummate professional, he did an outstanding job representing the United States Marine Corps.

Colonel Shupp graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1981. In 1985, he reported to the U.S. Naval Academy and was recognized by President Bush and others for his outstanding performance.

In 1990, as a company commander, he deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm where his unit served with distinction. He also deployed twice to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the late- 1990s. Since 2001, I have had the pleasure and honor to come to know Michael well during his assignment as the Marine Corps' Liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Colonel Shupp assumed command of Regimental Combat Team--1 (RCT-1) on 15 September 2004 at Camp Fallujah, Iraq while deployed on Operation Iraqi Freedom II. There he led the Regiment through counter-insurgency operations, the Battle of Fallujah (Operation Al Fajr), humanitarian assistance efforts and the reconstruction of Fallujah, and the first free Iraqi national election in January 2005. In early 2008, he became Legislative Assistant for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

His personal decorations are numerous and include the Legion of Merit with Combat ``Valor'' Distinguishing Device and gold star in lieu of second award, the Bronze Star with Combat ``Valor'' Distinguishing Device, and the Combat Action Ribbon with gold star in lieu of second award.

Madam Speaker, few can match the dedication and professionalism of Colonel Michael Shupp. He epitomizes the values and traditions of the United States Marine Corps. On behalf of the U.S. Congress, I would thank him for his years of dedicated service. Vicki and I wish him and his family best wishes for continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the 65th anniversary of Naval Air Station, NAS, Whiting Field. The anniversary was quietly marked by a simple cake-cutting ceremony attended by over 100 northwest Florida dignitaries, Navy and Marine Corps League representatives, military personnel, Government civilians, and other base employees on July 16, 2008. This ceremony celebrated a long- lasting friendship between the base and surrounding community and served to further forge their wonderful relationship for many years to come. A much larger, formal ceremony will be held on October 25, 2008.

According to historian and U.S. Navy Retired CDR Doug Seigfried, the 65-year-old NAS Whiting Field is the busiest field in the Training Command and home to Training Wing Five's three T-34C primary/ intermediate maritime prop squadrons, two TH-57B/C Sea Ranger helicopter training squadrons and the helicopter and fixed-wing instructor instructional units. Eighty-three percent of all student Naval aviators conduct a portion of their initial flight training at Whiting, which averages over 350 flights a day.

Construction began on the largest of Pensacola's auxiliary fields in early 1943 and was completed in November. The new field, located 35 miles northeast of Pensacola and 6 miles north of Milton, was planned to incorporate two individual fields about a mile from one another with base facilities located between them. Both Whiting's North and South Fields featured four 6,000-foot runways, a large parking mat and two big red-brick, hangars. Despite the fact that construction was not yet complete and assigned personnel were temporarily living in tents, the field was officially dedicated by RADM George D. Murray, commandant of the Naval Air Training Center, Pensacola, on July 16, 1943. In attendance at the ceremony was the recent widow of Captain Kenneth Whiting, Naval Aviator Number 16, for whom the field was named.

Fifteen days earlier, SNJs (the Navy's version of the North American T-6 Texan) of VN-3A and VN-3B from Chevalier and Saufley Fields had arrived at their new South Field home to inaugurate operations in basic and radio instrument instruction as part of the intermediate phase of the World War II training program. With the two fields comp1eted, VN-8C and its large fleet of SNBs (Navy designated Beech Aircraft TC-45s) arrived at North Field from NAS Corry in November 1943. The squadron moved back to Corry in December 1944 and was replaced by operational training squadron VB4 OTU 4, flying Consolidated PB4Y-l Liberators. With all the multi-engine and basic instrument instruction conducted at the base, a large building was constructed to house the numerous Link trainers and six big Link celestial navigation trainers manned by WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).

After the war, Whiting became a naval air station under control of the new Naval Air Advanced Training Command, Jacksonville, Florida. Based at Whiting from 1946 to almost the end of 1947 were VB-2 and VB-4 advanced training units flying Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateers and Lockheed PV-2 Venturas; the advanced carrier qualification and Landing Signals Officer training unit flying F6F Hellcats, SB2C Helldivers, TBM Avengers and SNJ-3/5Cs; and two photo training units flying the PB4Y-IP and F6F-5P.

Over the next several years, Whiting survived through reorganization of its missions and promotion of its newer facilities and longer runways. The first jets assigned to the Training Command were sent to Whiting Field in July 1948. From 1951 to 1956 Whiting Field devoted its total efforts to primary instruction. It was during this period that the Training Command introduced new aircraft, consolidated bases and made major syllabus changes to respond to the Navy's predominantly jet- equipped air wings and squadrons. In addition, in December 1959, the multi-engine training group, METG, the pre-helicopter instrument phase, moved its operations to Whiting from Forrest Sherman NAS Pensacola.

During the 1960s, Whiting concentrated on T-28 basic prop training and in January 1965 began parallel T-28 basic instructional programs due to the increased number of students required to meet the augmented pilot training rate prompted by the Vietnam war. In 1965, the field underwent a major facelift as new living spaces replaced old WW II-era ``splintervilles,'' together with a new training building and upgrades to both fields' runways and ramp areas.

In January 1972, as a result of yet another major reorganization of the Training Command, Whiting Field became the home of Training Air Wing 5. After 30 years of working with fixed-wing aviators, Whiting began rotary-wing activities. In November 1977, the first of the new T- 34C Turbo Mentors arrived at Training Air Wing 5 to replace the primary-phase T-34B and the basic-phase T-28. By 1983, the last T-28 had been retired and all three North Field squadrons conducted primary and intermediate prop training. In the 1990s, VT-3's Red Knights were designated as the first joint primary training squadron. The era of joint Navy/USAF flight training had begun.

Madam Speaker, no one can deny the honorable and significant contributions NAS Whiting Field has made since it was dedicated in 1943. On behalf of the United States Congress and a grateful Nation, I wish to thank the men and women on NAS Whiting Field, both past and present, for 65 years of unwavering support of our Nation's defense.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor for me to rise today to recognize the 15th anniversary of the Pensacola Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. The NCBW of Pensacola is involved intimately in a wide variety of social, religious, economic, and political facets of northwest Florida, and I am proud to recognize its 15 years of service to the Pensacola community.

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women is a service and advocacy organization that supports women of color who want to work towards solutions on issues of concern to African-American women and youth. Started in 1971 by a small group of dedicated women from New York, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women quickly grew to over 900 members and organized as a broad national service group in 1981.

The National Coalition installed the Pensacola Chapter on October 1, 1993 with 38 local women as its founding members. The chapter's mission is to empower African-American women and youth through programs that meet their diverse needs. These programs are targeted to support black women at key stages in life and include important activities such as youth mentorship and community service.

Recent examples of the Pensacola Chapter role in the community include its Annual Hat Show and Luncheon to raise money for college scholarships targeted to African-American high school seniors. This event features a fashion show of fancy and unique hats and attracts over 500 people each year. Over the past six years, the Hat Show has raised over $50,000 for scholarships and has helped close to 100 students launch their college careers. Another key NCBW activity is its Adopt-A-School and Mentoring Program. Each coalition member is paired with a student from a particular school and provides advice and guidance to that student throughout the year.

For 15 years, the Pensacola Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women has provided vital service to the people of northwest Florida. Their devotion to empowering African-American women is a true testament to the ability of our citizens to work together in order to better our lives and our country.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to recognize the Pensacola Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women for its 15 years of dedicated service to its community.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the service of Ms. Sammie C. Twitty on her retirement as the command suite and director of nursing services secretary, Naval Hospital, Pensacola, Florida in August 2008. Ms. Twitty completed an honorable career of over 40 years dedicated to the Federal Civil Service and served as executive assistant to 11 commanding officers during her tenure.

Ms. Twitty's dedication and influence on the overall mission of the hospital ensured the command was professionally and personally well received throughout the Pensacola area. Her advice on protocol matters, fitness reports, travel, and correspondence was vital to the success of every commanding officer since her arrival in the command suite. She fluidly managed schedules to accommodate complex arrangements and difficult scenarios. Directly responsible for the smooth flow and operation of the front office, she skillfully managed challenging situations with care and thoughtfulness in mind at all times.

Throughout her many years of service she has been the go to person for all administrative functions and greatly enhanced the quality of office operations wherever she worked. She had a direct, positive influence on many young sailors and civil service personnel by distinguishing herself as a loyal, honest, hardworking individual. Her outstanding service has paved the way and set the standard for all who follow. Ms. Twitty's exceptional professional abilities, dedication, attention to detail, initiative, and loyal dedication to duty reflect great credit upon herself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States naval service.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, Vicki and I would like to congratulate Sammie Twitty on her retirement and wish her many more years of success and happiness.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor for me to rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of Pensacola Junior College, the oldest public two-year college in Florida. The college has served the residents of Northwest Florida with distinction, and it is a privilege to recognize its 60 years of devoted service to the community.

Pensacola Junior College opened its doors in an old boarding house on the corner of Palafox and Cervantes Streets in downtown Pensacola on September 8, 1948. A total of 136 students attended the college that year. During the 2007-2008 academic year, PJC served almost 34,000 students. Today the college has full-service campuses in Pensacola, Warrington, and Milton, as well as a Downtown Pensacola Center and a Pensacola Naval Air Station Center. The college is in the process of opening new locations in North Escambia County and South Santa Rosa County. Almost 40 percent of graduating seniors from local high schools begin college life at PJC.

Pensacola Junior College is widely recognized as one of the premier two-year colleges in America, offering more than one hundred majors and areas of concentration, along with the latest high-tech resources. The Mary Ekdahl Smart Center for Patient Simulation Training & Research on the Warrington campus is one of the nation's outstanding nursing education centers. The Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts and the Ashmore Center for the Performing Arts both serve as centers for the area's cultural community. The college's Public Broadcasting Service station, WSRE, provides area residents with quality programming, as well an abundance of other educational services.

Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges, PJC offers associate of arts degrees, associate of science degrees, and associate of applied science degrees, as well as a multitude of certificate programs. In addition, PJC offers excellent opportunities through its distance learning programs, adult basic education and continuing education departments, dual enrollment program, and adult high school.

PJC is led by an outstanding, local board of trustees, chaired by Mr. Vincent Andry, with Mr. John O'Connor as vice chairman. The college welcomed recently its sixth president, Dr. Ed Meadows. Almost 100,000 students have graduated from PJC over the past 60 years, and more than one million students have attended PJC during its 6 decades of service. It is a privilege to have this outstanding college as an integral part of the Northwest Florida community.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to recognize the 60th anniversary of Pensacola Junior College.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the service of Colonel Ricky Crews, U.S. Air Force, who is retiring after 33 years of dedicated service to this Nation. A graduate of the University of West Florida and Troy State University, Colonel Crews is the Installation Inspector General for the 94th Airlift Wing, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, GA. Colonel Crews acted as the ``eyes and ears'' of the Wing Commander as he identified and corrected problems and coordinated the installation Fraud, Waste and Abuse monitoring program.

Colonel Crews enlisted in the Air Force in 1975. He completed basic training at Lackland AFB, TX before receiving specialized training at Keesler AFB, MS in Signals Intelligence. He performed tours of duty with the 6987th Security Group at Shu Lin Kou, AS in Taipei, Taiwan and with the 6917th Security Group, at San Vito AS, in Brindisi, Italy. He finished his active duty commitment with an assignment as a Communications Specialist at Strategic Air Command Headquarters in Omaha, NE.

Colonel Crews joined the Air Force Reserve in 1979 at Eglin Air Force Base Aux Field 3 (Duke Field), FL as an Airborne Weapons Mechanic, flying AC-130A Gunship missions worldwide. Upon his commissioning in 1983 through Officer Training School, he was assigned back to the 711th Special Operations Squadron at Eglin AF Aux Field 3 (Duke Field), FL, as a Fire Control Officer. He was responsible for directing and controlling the tactical operations of the AC-130A aircraft during both training and actual combat operations. In 1988, Colonel Crews moved forward in the AC-130A to assume the duties of Mission Navigator. During his assignment at Duke Field, Colonel Crews participated in several real world contingencies including operations in Panama, Haiti, and Iraq.

Colonel Crews' other assignments include: the 911th Airlift Wing, Pittsburgh, PA, the 908th Airlift Wing, Assistant Director of Operations for the 357th Airlift Squadron, 908th Operations Support Flight Commander and the Deputy Commander, 908th Operations Group, Air Force Reserve Command in Maxwell AFB, AL, 908th Aeromedical Evacuation Support, and the 908th Operations Support Squadron. This assignment included recruiting, equipping and training combat aircrews to ensure combat readiness to meet all Air Force Reserve and global airlift requirements in peace and wartime in support of the Total Force. While assigned at Maxwell, Colonel Crews served in both Afghanistan and Iraq in support of the Global War on Terror.

A navigator with over 3,500 hours, Colonel Crews has flown global close air support and airlift missions including combat missions in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan and combat support missions in Panama, Haiti, Qatar and Uzbekistan. He completed Air War College in 2004 and Air Command and Staff College in 2001.

Madam Speaker, few can match the dedication and professionalism of Colonel Ricky Crews. He is a man of honor and a man of principle. On behalf of the United States Congress and a grateful Nation, I wish to thank Colonel Crews for his years of dedicated service. Vicki and I wish him, his wife, Debbie, and their daughter, Alyssa Ivey our best wishes for continued success and happiness in the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my good friend and neighbor, Superintendent Johnny Rodgers. Johnny has been the Superintendent of Schools, Santa Rosa County since 1999. The people of Santa Rosa County re-elected him twice since then and he is retiring from public service at the end of this year.

A career educator, the Pensacola News Journal recently wrote ``For years, Santa Rosa County has relished the title of being a high- performing public school system.'' As Johnny gets ready to turn over the reins to a new superintendent, he should be proud of how good a school system he has led and mentored.

Johnny started his life of public service in 1968 in the United States Air Force. He served honorably in Vietnam and Thailand and upon returning to civilian life, Johnny received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of West Florida. Johnny doesn't talk much about his service during the Vietnam conflict but we all know how important his contributions were and I want to thank him again for his service during a time of war.

Before Johnny's current position, he served in numerous public education positions in Santa Rosa County, including teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal. Named Elementary School Principal of the Year in 1994 and Middle School Principal of the Year in 1997, Johnny has done it all.

He has been married to the former Vick Rogers for 40 years and together they have two children and four grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor MG Jeffrey Reimer as he retires from the United States Air Force after 34 years of service.

A 1974 graduate of the University of Florida, Major General Reimer held a variety of important assignments in his 34 years of service. As the top graduate from his pilot training program class, he initially served as an F-4C Wild Weasel pilot. Assigned to the Air Training Command, he was the top graduate from T-37 instructor training and the Instructor Pilot of the Year. He has effectively served the Nation in numerous positions within the test and acquisition community. He was an F-16 acceptance test pilot and was selected to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology and USAF Test Pilot School. As a distinguished graduate of the school, he served as an instructor and continued his experimental test pilot duties at the F-16 Combined Test Force.

Major General Reimer served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as a military staff assistant for developmental testing of aircraft and air-to-air missiles. His later assignments include: Program manager for the MC-130H Combat Talon and program director of special programs for the Air-to-Air Joint System Program Office. He has commanded the 4953rd Test Squadron, Air Force Security Assistance Center, and the Air Armament Center. In his most recent assignment, Major General Reimer served as the Air Force Program Executive Officer for the F-22. He saved the taxpayers $411 million using a multi-year contract to purchase 60 F-22 aircraft.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of working very closely with Major General Reimer when he was Commander of the Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base. Together, we worked through test facility closure and test wing consolidation issues. He provided strong leadership and candid assessments to Air Force officials which were necessary to effectively accomplish the mission.

Madam Speaker, few can match the dedication and professionalism of MG Jeffrey Reimer. He is a man of honor and a man of principle. In his 34 years of service, he has touched the lives of many and our Nation is stronger because of his dedicated service. On behalf of the United States Congress, I wish to thank MG Jeffrey Reimer for his years of dedicated service. Vicki and I wish him and his family our best wishes for success and happiness in the future.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the U.S. Congress, it is an honor for me to rise today in recognition of Paul T. Mobley, Sr., Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Paul Mobley, Sr. has spent the last 24 years serving his country as both a Special Agent for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and a Sergeant for the United States Marine Corps. After graduating from Troy University in 1984, Mr. Mobley began his career as a Patrol Officer with the Dougherty County Police Department. After being promoted to Lieutenant, Mr. Mobley was soon selected to join the prestigious criminal investigative service of the U.S. Navy.

In 1996, Mr. Mobley was assigned to the Computer Crimes Investigation and Operations Unit of the NCIS Gulf Coast Field Office and was instrumental in establishing the unit's first computer forensics lab. Since 2002, he has specialized in cyber-related operations for the counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence communities. For 4 years, Mr. Mobley worked within the U.S. borders making our Nation more secure during the war on terror. While dutifully serving our country as an NCIS Special Agent, he has also faithfully served as President of the West Florida Home Education Support League and Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 10 in Pensacola, Florida.

In June of 2006, after completing the High Risk Operations Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA, Mr. Mobley was called to serve his country yet again as an NCIS Special Agent in Kabul, Afghanistan. Mr. Mobley is now serving his third tour of duty in Afghanistan. The Department of the Army recently presented him with the Commander's Award for Civilian Service for ``exceptionally meritorious achievement and outstanding civilian service . . . in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.'' Upon completion of his second deployment, the Department of the Navy presented Mr. Mobley with the Expeditionary Medal from the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Mr. Mobley continues to be a courageous soldier and vital part of the war against terrorism.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the U.S. Congress, I am proud to honor Mr. Paul T. Mobley, Sr. for his dedicated service to the community of northwest Florida and to the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it is an honor for me to rise today in recognition of Lonnie and Libby Williams Upon their 50th wedding anniversary.

Libby Barnes and Lonnie Williams began their courtship in 1956 in Milton, Florida. The two were introduced by Ms. Williams's cousin and immediately started dating. The couple recalls with fondness the ``Toot N Tell It'' drive-in restaurant they often frequented and remembers the days when their friends would congregate at the restaurant and ``just talk.''

At the time, Milton was still a small town--not the burgeoning city it is today--and, as the couple reminisces, ``there wasn't a lot to do.'' Unperturbed by these geographic restrictions, the couple took advantage of the religious opportunities in the area and often attended the Pace Assembly of God Church together. After dating for 2 years, the couple was married on August 22, 1958.

The Williamses have been blessed with a wonderful, large family. With four children and

eight grandchildren, Lonnie and Libby Williams are constantly active and reminded of their good fortune. The couple cites their faith as the center point of their relationship and advises that the secret to marital bliss is to ``never go to bed angry.''

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Williams on their 50th wedding anniversary. They are truly an outstanding family and an asset to the First District of Florida.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it is an honor for me to rise today in recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of the Pace, Florida Fire Department.

In 1959 the city of Pace had little access to emergency services. A small group of ten local citizens took matters into their own hands and heeded their community's call for help. With only two donated fire trucks, these ten brave men created the Pace Volunteer Fire Department and began responding to local emergencies. In the beginning, the department had no station to house firemen or fire trucks. Instead, two Pace households used ``fire phones'' to take emergency calls. These households would then phone each firefighter at home to alert them of the fire. With little extra funding for gear, the men often responded to these fires with nothing but the clothes on their backs and courage in their hearts.

As the fire department gained its footing in the Pace area, the local community began to provide funding for a new alert system, a new fire station, and appropriate firefighting gear. The firefighters' wives founded a ladies auxiliary which helped to raise funds and to support their husbands. With such dedicated support from the local society, the fire department quickly grew to over thirty firefighters. Over the past fifty years, the Pace Volunteer Fire Department has expanded from one station and two donated fire engines to four substations and eleven fire trucks. Today, a group of twenty firefighters and ten associate members now respond to over 1,400 emergency calls each year.

The dedicated men and women of the Pace Fire Department have faithfully served their community for fifty years. Each and every day these volunteers respond bravely to our most dangerous disasters, and they ask for nothing in return. Their commitment to the citizens of Pace and passion in fulfilling their duties distinguishes them as one of the best fire departments in the country.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to honor the Pace Fire Department for its fifty years of courageous service to their community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mrs. Shirley Pigott on her retirement as the Chief of the Community Relations Division at the 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office, Eglin Air Force Base.

Mrs. Shirley Pigott has had many accomplishments in her 31 years of civil service work for the military. She served as Deputy Director and Chief of the Community Relations Division in the Air Armament Center Office of Public Affairs. She was an Advisory Board member of the Okaloosa County Cherokee Elementary School, Eglin Air Force Base Officers' Club, and Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.

She was a Military Affairs Committee Advisory Board member of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Niceville/Valparaiso Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce. Shirley was a member of the Okaloosa County Veterans' Memorial committee, the American Heart Association Ball Committee, and the Air Force Association. She was also a member of the Board of Directors on the Okaloosa County Commission on the Status of Women.

Furthermore, Shirley served her community by being the foremost Eglin authority on local civic and opinion leaders. She was a helpful figure during President Bush's visit to Eglin. Beyond her community, Shirley worked with the White House staff preparing guest lists.

Shirley attended Okaloosa-Walton College and received 2 years of college credit in Management. She has taken 182 hours of the Air Force College of Installation Sustainment and Management, A3, classes and numerous other Air Force classes on a variety of topics. Shirley took 1 year of Bible classes by correspondence from Rhema Bible Institute in Tulsa, OK. She continued her education by taking Mandatory Annual International Merchant Purchase Authorization Card, IMPAC, Card refresher classes with certificates.

Shirley Pigott has received a long list of important certificates and awards. They include: Air Force Systems Command Public Affairs Civilian of the Year Award, 1987; The Military Order of the World Wars Certificate for supporting the Massing of the Colors ceremonies, 1990- 2006; Robert L.F. Sikes ``Patriotism Award'' from the Crestview Chamber, 1993; Air Force Enlisted Foundation Certificate for supporting the Bob Hope Birthday and Anniversary celebration, 1996; Air Force Development Test Center Best Program, ComRel Award, 1997; Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce President's Award for Outstanding Assistance to the Chamber and the Armed Forces, 1999; Certificate of Appreciation for the Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs Achievement Awards Second Place--Director's Excellence Award, Special Achievement, 2000; Certificate of Appreciation for Exemplary Civilian Service in supporting President George W. Bush's visit, 2002; Notable Achievement Award for outstanding leadership and support for the 2004 Open House and Air Show, 2004; Air Armament Center Staff Civilian, Cat IV, of the Quarter, 2005; Nominee for the First Northwest Florida ATHENA Awards Program, 2006; and, Okaloosa County Women's Hall of Fame Nominee, Second Annual Northwest Florida ATHENA Awards Program Recipient, Air Armament Center Recognition Ceremony for Community Support, 2007.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to congratulate Shirley Pigott on her retirement and wish her many more years of success and happiness

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I rise today in recognition of Deputy Anthony Forgione of the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office, who was slain in the line of duty on July 22nd. My deepest condolences go out to Deputy Forgione's family and friends as they mourn his untimely loss.

Deputy Forgione, a former Fort Walton Beach Police officer, was just two days shy of his three-year anniversary with the Okaloosa county Sheriff's office. He was killed when he and two other deputies, all members of the Special Response Team, went into a home to apprehend a suspect who had walked out of a mental health evaluation. The suspect fired at the team with a shotgun, fatally wounding Deputy Forgione. He was only 33 years old and is survived by his wife and two daughters, ages 5 and 10. Deputy Forgione's death marks the first time in the history of the Sheriff's Department a deputy was killed in the line of duty and has shocked a community proud of that history. The funeral service for Anthony Forgione is set for 2:00 p.m. on July 26th at the Niceville Assembly of God in Niceville, FL.

The Northwest Florida Daily News reported that when summarizing what happened during yesterday's early morning events and the manner in which his deputies responded to the incident, Okaloosa County Sheriff Charlie Morris said, ``Sometimes, it just goes wrong. Sometimes in doing our job, we lose people. They did their job well this morning, and they did it well. It's just gut-wrenching.'' When speaking of Deputy Forgione, specifically, he stated, ``He was a professional, a true professional and he loved his SRT team.''

As Sheriff Morris and the rest of the local law enforcement community deal with the loss of one of `their own', he said, ``It just gets in the deepest part of your stomach and turns it upside down''. As a former Deputy Sheriff myself, I can attest to the pain the whole department is feeling at this time and my heart goes out to them.

Madam Speaker, the communities of Okaloosa County have reason to be proud of Deputy Forgione and I am humbled to have the honor of representing those people. Vicki and I will keep Anthony's entire family, especially his wife, Jessica and his young daughters, in our thoughts and prayers. I hope all the people of Northwest Florida and our Nation do the same. On behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to recognize the unheralded bravery of Deputy Anthony Forgione and wish to honor his exemplary service to the Okaloosa County community. May God bless Deputy Forgione and all those who serve in law enforcement to protect our communities.