[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 135 (Thursday, October 2, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1923-E1924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO NORMA C. NOTTINGHAM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 1, 1997

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, Emerson wrote that ``To know that even one 
life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have 
succeeded.''
  Today, I rise to honor an outstanding American citizen who far 
surpassed Emerson's definition. I come to the floor to recognize the 
retirement of a woman who has touched the lives of thousands of our 
Nation's youth. Mrs. Norma C. Nottingham has reached into each of our 
districts--transcending partisan politics--to help shape America's air 
and space forces through the admissions process at the U.S. Air Force 
Academy.
  Mrs. Nottingham retires this week from a key Pentagon post in the Air 
Force Academy Activities Group where her contributions have been both 
monumental and long lasting. I rise to not only recognize this 
retirement, but to honor the woman whose nearly 44-year career in 
Government service has been marked by a deep commitment, a high level 
of caring, and an inspiring sense of humor.
  Mrs. Nottingham is a native of the Washington, DC area and has 
performed brilliantly in a variety of positions throughout her career. 
She served two U.S. Senators, Ken Keating of New York and Pete Williams 
of New Jersey, as a staff assistant during the 1970's. Prior to that 
involvement, she was employed by the Office of the Surgeon General, 
U.S. Army. Since June 1981, Mrs. Nottingham has been the key point of 
contact for Congress in the nomination and admissions process for the 
Air Force Academy.
  While serving in her latest position, Mrs. Nottingham's exemplary 
dedication to the Academy and its mission was a key factor in ensuring 
the brightest and best young men and women were nominated and appointed 
to the Academy. Her exhaustive knowledge of Academy policies and 
programs earned her the respect and trust of virtually every 
congressional office on Capitol Hill. Additionally, her skills in the 
political arena were of immeasurable benefit to the Academy and the Air 
Force on numerous occasions: her experience on Capitol Hill proved 
invaluable as she assisted in the preparation of legislation, counseled 
congressional staffers on the Academy's admission procedures, 
orchestrated staffer visits to the Academy as well as regional 
instructional workshops for the staffers, and played a key role in the 
success of hundreds of congressional-sponsored Academy Day events 
across the Nation.
  Mrs. Nottingham personally traveled to my district 9 years ago to 
assist me with my first Academy Day and has been instrumental in the 
planning and development of each annual program, providing hands-on 
service and expert advice to my staff and constituents.
  Mrs. Nottingham also contributed significantly to the Foreign Cadet 
Program through

[[Page E1924]]

her contact with American Embassies throughout the world, State 
Department representatives in the Washington, DC area, and key 
admission officials from other service academies.
  Perhaps Mrs. Nottingham's greatest legacy is not what she has 
personally done, but what she has done to educate, empower and guide 
hundreds of staffers who will continue to bring her dedication, zeal 
and compassion to the academy admissions process. Norma has personally 
aided hundreds of young men and women, but the staffers she has 
inspired and taught have touched the lives of thousands more. There can 
be no doubt that her work will continue for generations because she 
took the time to do more than her job--she took the time to teach all 
she knew to hundreds, if not thousands, of other willing men and women 
dedicated to helping the thousands who yearly seek admission to a U.S. 
Service Academy.
  Not only have lives breathed easier because of Norma Nottingham's 
direct involvement, but for many, many years to come, her legacy will 
continue through us to inspire bright, honest, and hardworking young 
men and women to seek a career in service to our great Nation.
  Truly, this is to have succeeded.

                          ____________________