[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 64 (Friday, May 17, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4533-S4534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO VAL G. HEMMING, M.D.

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Dr. Val G. 
Hemming, M.D., Dean of the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the 
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, USUHS. Tomorrow, 
on May 18, 2002, following the graduation ceremonies at the School of 
Medicine, Dr. Hemming will mark the end of his 37 year career in 
Federal service.
  Dean Hemming's Federal career began in the United States Air Force 
where he served for 25 years as a career officer and physician from 
1965 through 1990. In 1987, Dr. Hemming was selected to serve as the 
Chair of the USUHS School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, a 
position in which he continued to serve as a civilian upon his 
retirement from the Air Force, at the rank of Colonel. In 1995, he was 
appointed interim Dean of the School of Medicine, and following an 
extensive search process, he was selected as Dean in May of 1996.
  As dean, Dr. Hemming has worked to further the established mission 
and goals of the USUHS School of Medicine. Under his leadership, the 
University has continued to provide the Nation with highly qualified 
health professionals dedicated to career service in the Department of 
Defense and the U.S. Public Health Service. These graduates leave USUHS 
trained to provide continuity in ensuring medical readiness and the 
preservation of lessons learned during combat and casualty care. This 
critical role is, in fact, the significant factor that led the Congress 
to establish USUHS in 1972.
  During his career, Dr. Hemming has served as an advisor to Congress, 
most recently testifying before the House Veteran's Affairs Committee's 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations during hearings that 
resulted from the events of September 11, 2001. Dr. Hemming's knowledge 
and unique expertise provided valuable insight as the Committee 
discussed the urgent requirement for civilian physicians to be trained 
in the medical response to weapons of mass destruction, WMD. 
Significantly, those hearings resulted in proposed legislation 
recommending that the USUHS School of Medicine share its WMD-focused 
curricula with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  It is exceptional leadership such as that of Dean Hemming and the 
dedicated careers of his uniquely trained School of Medicine graduates, 
combined with the extraordinary USUHS faculty and staff, which led to 
the awarding of the Joint Meritorious Unit Award to USUHS by the 
Secretary of Defense on December 11, 2000. Dr. Hemming's commitment and 
leadership was also recognized in the tribute paid by the Secretary of 
Defense Donald Rumsfeld who recently wrote:

       The Department takes great pride in the fact that the USUHS 
     graduates have become the backbone for our Military Health 
     System. The training they receive in combat and peacetime 
     medicine is essential to providing superior force health 
     protection, and improving the quality of life for our service 
     members, retirees, and families. All of us in the Office of 
     the Secretary of Defense place great emphasis on the 
     retention of quality physicians in the military. The USUHS 
     ensures those goals are met.


[[Page S4534]]


  As Dean Hemming retires from his distinguished career, it is 
incumbent to point out that amid all of his successes as an academic 
leader, Dr. Hemming also achieved significant success as a scientist. 
His research interests have included pathogenesis of Lancefield group B 
streptococcal infections in the neonate and pathogenesis of lower 
respiratory tract bacterial and viral infections in infants and young 
children. Indeed, his research in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, RSV, 
infection resulted in the first biological product for the prevention 
and reduction of RSV infection in children; his product, which was 
approved by the Food and Drug Administration in January of 1996, has 
contributed to the fight against an infection that had claimed the 
lives of 4,500 children and hospitalized more than 90,000 children in 
our Nation each year.
  Our Nation can be proud of Dr. Hemming's long and distinguished 
career of service and I am pleased to join with his family, friends and 
colleagues in expressing appreciation for the significant contributions 
he has made to the health of the uniformed services and that of all 
citizens, particularly our children. I certainly wish him continued 
success and happiness in the years to come.

                          ____________________