[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 137 (Thursday, October 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE OF ALFRED S. PATE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 16, 2002

  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the retirement of a 
dedicated public servant and good friend, Mr. Al Pate, Director of the 
North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center (NCVAMC). Mr. Pate will 
be retiring on November 2, ending 30 years of service to our nation's 
veterans.
  For the last 12 years, Al Pate has served as director of NCVAMC, a 
facility serving the veterans of northern Illinois with 150 operating 
hospital care beds, 204 nursing home care beds, a 60-bed domiciliary 
for homeless veterans, and 89 drug and alcohol treatment beds. With an 
annual budget of $100 million, Al oversaw a staff of 1,130 and 700 
volunteers who handle in excess of 180,000 outpatient visits a year.
  Al has been recognized as a national leader in developing resource 
sharing agreements between the VA and the Department of Defense. 
Working with Captain John Fahey, Al led the initiative to jointly offer 
common services with Naval Hospital Great Lakes, located less than a 
mile away. Acting with little or no support from his immediate 
supervisor, Al has successfully laid the foundation for the 
establishment of a jointly operated, federal hospital in North Chicago 
serving both active duty military and veterans. This will result not 
only in better service for beneficiaries, but better value for the 
American taxpayer.
  Prior to coming to North Chicago, Al Pate served as the Associate 
Medical Center Director at the Hines VA Hospital in Chicago. In his six 
years at Hines, Al coordinated several administrative services and 
chaired a number of hospital committees. He also served as Special 
Assistant to the Director at Lakeside VAMC, Administrative Resident at 
VAMC Cincinnati, Ohio, and as an adjudicator at the VA Regional Office 
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
  Al received a Bachelors of Science degree in Secondary Education from 
Ball State University in 1971. He received a Master of Science degree 
in Public Administration from Ball State the following year. He also 
received a Master of Science degree in Hospital Administration as part 
of the VA Graduate Education Program.
  Al Pate served in Vietnam with the United States Marine Corps as part 
of the all volunteer Combined Action Program. Wounded in combat, he 
received the Purple Heart, and was honorably discharged in 1969.
  It is Al's dedication to veterans that distinguishes his career. This 
dedication earned him the respect of his colleagues, veterans advocates 
and, most of all, of the veterans he serves. I admire Al for the work 
he does, for his service to our country, and for his friendship. He 
will be sorely missed in North Chicago and I will pledge to work to see 
that his vision of a joint federal hospital in North Chicago is 
realized. I wish Al and his wife Patricia a happy retirement and thank 
them for their service.

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