[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 16, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE OF PHILIP E. BARRINGER, A CAREER DIPLOMAT 
                           AND PUBLIC SERVANT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHRISTOPHER COX

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 16, 2004

  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, friends, colleagues, and a grateful nation will 
honor Philip E. Barringer in a memorial service this Friday. Mr. 
Barringer served half a century negotiating the arrangements that 
protect the interests of the United States and our Service personnel 
around the world. His negotiating career began with one of the 
twentieth century's historic diplomatic tasks: negotiating for 
governance of post-war Germany between the United States, the Soviet 
Union, France, and the United Kingdom. From the time of the signing of 
the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949 until his retirement in 1999, he 
served in a civilian capacity in the Pentagon negotiating agreements on 
stationing, access rights, and the legal status of United States 
military forces based in friendly foreign countries. For the majority 
of that long and distinguished period of public service, he was 
Director of Foreign Military Rights Affairs, an office under the 
Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs.
  The United States has been fortunate that a man of Mr. Barringer's 
consummate skill had educational opportunities that uniquely prepared 
him for a life of negotiating on behalf of his nation. Born in 
Haverford, Pennsylvania, in 1916, he graduated from the Episcopal 
Academy with highest honors in 1933. He studied for a year in 
Heidelberg College, Germany in 1934, gaining insight into the crucial 
events taking place in Germany during Hitler's rise. He returned to the 
United States and attended Princeton University, graduating in 1938 
with honors in European history. Subsequent law studies at the 
University of Pennsylvania were interrupted by the mobilization of the 
Pennsylvania National Guard in 1941. During and following World War II, 
he served with the 28th Division Artillery; in Headquarters Army Ground 
Forces; and as Secretary of the Legal Division of the Allied Control 
Council for Germany. In 1945 he helped develop the quadripartite 
arrangements for occupied Germany.
  He served 50 years in the Pentagon. Among his early assignments were 
an effort to stimulate Latin America to contribute to the Korean War, 
participating in negotiation of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, 
and negotiating a leasing agreement for U.S. forces in Iceland.
  After attending the National War College in 1950-51, Mr. Barringer 
was assigned to the West Germany, Berlin and Eastern Europe Programs at 
the Pentagon. In that capacity, he was a member of the U.S. Delegation 
to the 1954 Berlin Conference on Germany and Austria, and the ensuing 
Geneva Convention on Korea and Indo-China. His primary responsibility 
was to coordinate the West German defense contribution to NATO; this 
was enlarged in 1956 to assisting western European nations in meeting 
their military contributions to NATO.
  Between 1964 and 1966, he served as politico-military attache at the 
American Embassy in London. Here he worked with the British Foreign and 
Defense ministries to lay the political foundation for the military use 
arrangements for Diego Garcia. As Congress reflects on America's 
victory in Iraq, especially during this anniversary week, it is 
important to recognize how many efforts, over so long a period of time, 
have contributed to America's strength. Mr. Barringer's contribution to 
this matter alone was critical to permitting Diego Garcia to serve its 
very valuable role in supporting our forces in operations against 
Saddam Hussein in 1990-91 and again in 2003.
  On returning to Washington in 1967, he served 1 year as Deputy 
Director of Near East and South Asian Affairs, during the Arab-Israeli 
war. He then became Director of Foreign Military Rights Affairs, and 
served as Defense representative in the continuing negotiation of 
basing, access and status of forces agreements, covering 25 countries 
and areas worldwide. By the end of his career, these had included: US 
Forces in NATO, 1951; Diego Garcia, 1964-76; Japan, 1967; Spain, 1970-
88; Bahamas, 1973; Iceland, 1973-74; Panama, 1974-77 and 1997; Turkey, 
1975; Philippines, 1976-90; Micronesia, 1978-89; Israel, 1979-89; Oman, 
1980-86; Somalia, 1980; Morocco, 1982; Northern Marianas, 1982; 
Portugal, 1983-84 and 1991; Honduras, 1985-86; Thailand, 1986; Korea, 
1989; Australia, 1991; Germany, 1991-92, United Arab Emirates, 1992; 
Guam 1993-95; Partners for Peace, 1994-95; Russia, 1998; and for German 
forces in the US, 1970 and 1995-96. The Pentagon awarded Mr. Barringer 
the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, 1975 and 
1981; Distinguished Service Medal, 1989; Meritorious Executive, Senior 
Executive Service, 1990, and the Paul H. Nitze award, 1998.
  That list of accomplishments does not begin to speak of the full 
impact Mr. Barringer had on his colleagues in the Federal service, his 
family, or his friends. His influence will be felt by many, in very 
personal ways.
  As a Member of Congress, I am grateful to recall a point Mr. 
Barringer repeatedly made in meetings before negotiations: ``The 
Congress of the United States demands that the legal rights of American 
service members sent abroad be protected.'' For many years, under Mr. 
Barringer's careful watch, that principle guided the negotiation of 
Status of Forces Agreements governing U.S. forces serving in places as 
distant as Korea and Bahrain. I appreciate the opportunity to take a 
moment this week to remember the fine service of this talented and 
dedicated civil servant and recall the value of his efforts to protect 
the rights of our military service members serving our nation abroad.

                          ____________________