[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 126 (Monday, September 15, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING EDWARD BANAS, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROB SIMMONS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 15, 2003

  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor my 
constituent and fellow Vietnam veteran, Edward S. Banas, Sr. of 
Voluntown, Connecticut on his election as National Commander-in-Chief 
of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
  Edward S. Banas, Sr. served as a Military Policeman in the United 
States Army during the Vietnam War. By his honorable service from 1965 
to 1968 he was awarded the Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service 
Medal, National Defense Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal. After 
Vietnam, Ed Banas joined the Norwich Police Department in 1968, and 
served with the department for more than 10 years. Whether protecting 
our Nation and our freedom abroad or protecting and serving the members 
of his community, Ed Banas has dedicated himself to making life better 
for our people.
  In Vietnam, Ed Banas formed a solid bond with his comrades-in-arms 
that inspired his volunteer service as a veterans' advocate for more 
than 30 years. We honor that service here today. His tour of duty in 
South Vietnam made him eligible for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and 
he joined VFW Post 1004 in Jewett City, Connecticut in 1967 where he is 
a Life Member. Since joining the VFW, Ed Banas has served in a variety 
of Post-level positions, including Post Commander. At the district 
level, he earned the honor of All-American District Commander. He 
served as Department Commander of Connecticut in 1993-94.
  Ed Banas never forgot his comrades who fell in battle in Vietnam. In 
February, while serving as Junior Vice Commander-In-Chief, Ed and a 
delegation from the VFW took part in a 10-day visit to Thailand and 
Vietnam to gather information on Americans missing from the war in 
Southeast Asia and to press the issue of POW/MIAs to the government of 
Vietnam. Through the efforts of Ed Banas and the VFW, we are working to 
bring those soldiers home. They are not remains; they are heroes and we 
will never forget them. Today our men and women in uniform are 
defending our Nation and our interests in dangerous and distant places. 
We will honor the sacrifices they and their families are making and we 
will never forget the sacrifices that have been made by those who went 
before.
  Now more than ever we need strong leadership from our veterans' 
service organizations to help us keep the promise to our veterans and 
their families. From ensuring our veterans have continued access to 
timely, quality healthcare to supporting our soldiers currently serving 
overseas, the VFW is working hard on many battlefronts.
  In his message to the VFW National Convention in San Antonio last 
month, Ed Banas reminded us, ``We are the veterans' voice on Capitol 
Hill and while our battlefields may have shifted from the sands of Iwo 
Jima to the Halls of Congress that does not mean that we are any less 
resolved to accomplish our mission today than we were then.''
  From the moment he first wore the uniform of our great Nation to this 
very day, Ed Banas has been a courageous, tireless and honorable 
servant of our Nation and our people. He has more missions to 
accomplish and I will be proud to help him. As a Vietnam veteran, I am 
keenly aware of the important role that the VFW plays in the lives of 
America's veterans. Through its vast network of posts, the VFW helps 
veterans build strong communities, and serves as a vital resource to 
its members, from World War II era veterans up to our newly returning 
soldiers from Iraq. I know that Ed Banas has all the energy and 
enthusiasm necessary to make his year as Commander-in-Chief of the VFW 
a successful one.
  Ed and his wife Sandra, a nurse at the Westerly Hospital, are the 
proud parents of five children, and live in Voluntown, Connecticut.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize my friend and constituent, 
Edward Banas, Sr. and to extend to him my heartiest congratulations for 
his years of wonderful service. I wish him and his family all the best 
as he begins his new tour of duty as the Veterans of Foreign Wars 
National Commander-in-Chief for 2003-2004.

                          ____________________