[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   TRIBUTE TO LT. COL. TODD E. BLOSE

                                 ______


                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 10, 1995
  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lt. Col. Todd 
E. Blose for exceptionally meritorious service from July 1993 to May 
1995, while serving as the last commander of the Sacramento Depot 
Activity.
  The closure of the Sacramento Army Depot has been an unparalleled 
success and has become a standard of excellence held up at the highest 
levels of the Army and Department of Defense. In all aspects of the 
closure, environmental cleanup, transfer of missions and equipment, 
transition of real property, and reuse of the facilities, the 
Sacramento Depot Activity family has led the way with resourcefulness, 
innovation, and dedication.
  Lieutenant Colonel Blose has been the leader of this process, 
collaborating with a very diverse group of individuals and agencies at 
the local, State, and Federal levels. Closure of the base was completed 
2 years ahead of the original base closure schedule saving over $10 
million in fiscal year 1994, $7 million in fiscal year 1995 and $1.5 
million in caretaker funds in fiscal year 1996 and fiscal year 1997.
  This accelerated closure could not have been accomplished without the 
impressive support received from the civilian employees who were, in 
fact, losing their jobs through the closure. Lieutenant Colonel Blose 
convinced the employees that he would work hard on their behalf and 
gained their promise of dedicated service to support the closure 
process. He carried through on his promise and was able, through 
extensive and aggressive outplacement efforts, to place all but 161 of 
the original 994 employees on board when he arrived. These 161 have 
continued to receive support and 10 have received subsequent job 
placements.
  Lieutenant Colonel Blose led the efforts to complete the necessary 
environmental documentation for closure, have the appropriate agencies 
review the findings, and gain their approval. Many real estate and 
environmental proceeding actions and negotiations had to take place 
concurrently so that all required documents were in place by the target 
closure date on March 3, 1995. There were numerous challenges 
encountered during the past 2 years, none more difficult than 
completing the radiation surveys at the depot and gaining delicensing 
approval. Lieutenant Colonel Blose's knowledge of radiation issues and 
his skill in teamwork and persuasion were vital in coercing reluctant 
bureaucracies to expedite their efforts on the depot's behalf and to 
maintain the proper balance of cost versus risk.
  Lieutenant Colonel Blose also played a key role in establishing and 
cochairing the Restoration Advisory Board, which reviewed and 
ultimately supported the cleanup process. He also provided valuable 
input and counsel to the city of Sacramento Army Depot Reuse 
Commission. The resulting reuse plan laid the groundwork for attracting 
Packard Bell Electronics to the depot site, completely replacing the 
former depot work force and providing the basis for the city's $7.2 
million payment to the Army for the property in 2005.
  In his command tour at Sacramento Depot Activity, Lieutenant Colonel 
Blose set a tone of professionalism, teamwork, and compassion. He 
challenged his staff and employees to perform extraordinary efforts and 
they responded with an accelerated closure which is being cited as the 
national model for base closure, environmental cleanup, and reuse. I 
ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Lieutenant Colonel Blose's 
exceptional leadership performance, which is a credit to himself, the 
Tooele Army Depot Complex, the Industrial Operations Command, and the 
U.S. Army.


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