[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 75 (Thursday, June 11, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6260-S6261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  NAMING OF YEOMAN FIRST CLASS STEPHEN R. DYKEMA AS THE 1997 ENLISTED 
              PERSON OF THE YEAR FOR THE U.S. COAST GUARD

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a 
fellow South Carolinian for outstanding service and dedication to this 
Nation. I take great pleasure in congratulating Yeoman First Class 
Stephen R. Dykema for his selection as the 1997 Enlisted Person of the 
Year for the U.S. Coast Guard.
  Each day more than 25,000 enlisted men and women put their lives and 
safety on the line to carry out the Coast Guard's diverse missions. The 
Coast Guard plays a critical role as an armed service in defending our 
Nation and maintaining national security. In addition, the Coast Guard 
annually conducts thousands of fisheries enforcement boardings; 
prevents tons of cocaine and marijuana from reaching the streets; gives 
safety instruction to more than one-half million recreational boaters; 
and saves about 5,000 lives. The American public has learned to depend 
on the Coast Guard's service, both close to home and in trouble spots 
around the world.
  That service is built on a tradition of dedication by Coast Guard 
enlisted personnel. Yeoman First Class Stephen R. Dykema is an 
individual who epitomizes that tradition. Petty Officer Dykema was 
selected as the 1997 Enlisted Person of the Year because of his 
exemplary military bearing, leadership ability and work performance. He 
currently is assigned to the Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey. 
However, he has spent much of his time assigned to the cutter Madrona, 
a buoy tender stationed in my hometown of Charleston.
  Throughout his nine-year Coast Guard career, Petty Officer Dykema has 
received numerous medals and commendations. But I'd like to highlight 
just one incident that really shows why he has earned the honor of 
being named as Enlisted Person of 1997. During one of the Madrona's 
longer deployments that year, a box of mail was lost. Among the box's 
content were bills, family letters, care packages, and Father's Day 
cards--all those routine types of correspondence upon which a sailor's 
morale depends. Petty Officer Dykema swung into action, launching a 
personal search for the missing box of mail. His documentation of the 
box's history was so thorough that the day after it was released, the 
unit that had received the mail called to make arrangements for getting 
the box to Charleston.
  Petty Officer Dykema also is one of those rare individuals who finds 
time to contribute to his shipmates and community. I'm told that he has 
used his personal time to help fellow crewmembers repay overpayments 
and

[[Page S6261]]

helped people with their travel claims and housing problems. He also 
has been involved in helping those less fortunate with clothing and 
food and plays the keyboard and sings every Sunday at his church.
  In short, Yeoman First Class Stephen Dykema has earned the 
recognition he has received as Enlisted Person of 1997. This young man 
is a credit to the Coast Guard, to South Carolina, and to this 
Nation.

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