[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 116 (Thursday, September 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF FRED DEARBORN, CIVILIAN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, 
                     U.S. ARMY ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LANE EVANS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 1999

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exemplary public 
service of Mr. Fred Dearborn, who is retiring after serving over 15 
years as the Civilian Executive Assistant at the Rock Island Arsenal. 
As a tireless champion of the Arsenal and its dedicated workforce, Fred 
deserves the praise that comes with a job that has been well done.
  Fred Dearborn is one of the finest public servants I have had the 
pleasure to work with. He is truly a credit to the U.S. Army and its 
hardworking civilian employees.
  Fred's career in the Army has spanned over 30 years. From his days as 
an engineer at the Red River Army Depot to becoming the Civilian 
Executive Assistant at the Arsenal, he has become recognized as one of 
the best in the business. He is also widely known as being one of the 
nicest and most honest people in the Army community. These are 
attributes that in my mind truly sum up Fred as a person. They also 
reveal why he has become a recognized leader at the Arsenal, in the 
Army and in the Quad Cities.
  These leadership skills were greatly needed over the last two decades 
as the arsenal went through rapidly changing times. Fred served as the 
Civilian Executive during the military buildup of the early 80's 
through the drawdown of our Armed Forces during the last decade. 
Through his stewardship during these dramatic ups and downs, the Rock 
Island Arsenal became synonymous with quality and efficient work. Fred 
should take great pride in his role in helping to establish the Arsenal 
as perhaps the greatest armaments manufacturing facility in the world. 
Many of the numerous awards and citations recognizing the Arsenal as 
one of the premier facilities in the U.S. Army would not have become a 
reality without his hard work and foresight. Without a doubt, his work 
has made it a better place.
  Fred's contributions to the Arsenal, our community and to the 
Nation's defense are immeasurable. I am glad that I had his wise 
council during my service on the House Armed Services Committee. He 
truly has a knack for making the most complicated and technical issues 
understandable to a layman as well as the ability to see how the bigger 
trends in our national security policy affect the arsenal. Without his 
expertise and his vision, my job in promoting the arsenal and its 
workforce in Congress would have been much tougher.
  Fred's dedication to the Rock Island Arsenal has been an inspiration 
to those of us who believe in the value of public service. I know that 
he will be missed by all of those who have had the pleasure of working 
with him.
  While Fred will be retiring, I know that he will still be involved in 
our efforts to maintain the Rock Island Arsenal and its irreplaceable 
capabilities. He has chosen to remain in the Quad Cities with his wife 
Cheri for their hard-earned break. I hope that I will still be able to 
turn to him for advice in our fight to maintain the best facility in 
the U.S. Army.
  I wish Fred and his family the very best on his retirement.

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