[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 102 (Friday, July 11, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF REVEREND GEORGE I. PAULSON ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 
                               RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2003

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Reverend Father 
George I. Paulson on the occasion of his retirement. Father Paulson is 
a trail-blazing leader who has selflessly devoted himself in service to 
our nation, his faith, his students and colleagues, and his family 
throughout his life.
  The first Navy Chaplain to represent the Greek Orthodox faith, Father 
Paulson is retiring after 59 years of ministering to congregations and 
believers around the nation. In his long and distinguished career, he 
helped countless individuals in both military and civilian life to cope 
with religious, family, and personal concerns.
  During nearly three decades of service to our country, Father Paulson 
rose to the rank of Captain in the United States Navy. His compassion 
and dedication to the spiritual well-being of the men and women serving 
in the armed forces is legendary. Among many notable accomplishments in 
his distinguished military career, he organized and for six years 
directed a Leadership School at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina 
following his tour of duty in Vietnam. Designed to improve the quality 
of leadership in the U.S. armed forces, the School trained facilitators 
to lead sessions that ultimately involved over 15,000 Marine and Navy 
officers during the difficult final years of that military conflict. It 
was credited with helping to reduce racial tensions among members of 
the armed forces and improving morale.
  Father Paulson also was responsible for reducing sick calls to the 
Base Rehabilitation Center by two-thirds, a remarkable achievement for 
which he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal by the Secretary of 
the Navy. In addition to this honor, Father Paulson also received a 
Navy Unit Commendation; a National Defense Service Medal; an Armed 
Forces Expeditionary Medal; a Vietnam Service Medal; a Republic of 
Vietnam Campaign Medal; a Combat Action Ribbon; and a Vietnamese Cross 
of Gallantry Unit Citation.
  By special appointment of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos of the 
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America Father Paulson 
was named the ecclesiastical endorsing agent for the Armed Forces of 
the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas.
  In addition to 28 years of military service, he served two decades as 
a pastor at St. Nicholas Church in Virginia Beach as well as four-year 
terms as pastor to congregations in Tacoma and San Francisco. For 
almost a quarter century, he taught numerous courses in religious 
studies at St. Leo College in Virginia and served as Chairman of the 
Psychology and Theology Departments. Graduating from Holy Cross 
Seminary in Connecticut in 1944, Father Paulson went on to Boston 
University to earn a Masters Degree in Education and a Doctorate in 
Ministry with a concentration in Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics. He 
earned his doctorate in 1993 at the age of 75.
  And his family always maintained its primacy in Father Paulson's 
life. In 1944, he married his beloved, Evangeline Kertiles Paulson. 
Together they raised four wonderful sons, who in turn blessed them with 
eight grandchildren; Ned and his wife Susan raised George and Carl; 
Louis and his wife Jeannette raised Elias, John, and Matthew; Bill and 
his wife Margaret raised Billy, Jr. and Leah; and George, Jr. and his 
wife Regina raised Jon and Christopher.
  In recognition of his outstanding accomplishments, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in honoring Reverend Father George Paulson on the 
occasion of his retirement.

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