[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 120 (Wednesday, September 29, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING DIANE DEVALT AS SHE IS RECOGNIZED WITH THE USO'S 2004 SPIRIT 
                             OF HOPE AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2004

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my 
constituents, Diane Devalt of Stratford, CT. On Wednesday, September 
17, Diane was awarded the USO's annual Spirit of Hope Award, which is 
named for the late actor-comedian Bob Hope. The Spirit of Hope Award 
was created by President Clinton in 1997, and its first recipient was 
Bob Hope, in whose name the award is given. With so many of our troops 
serving in harm's way, I believe that this award has special 
significance this year.
  Diane earned this award for her service as key volunteer coordinator 
of the 1st Truck Platoon, Naval-Marine Corps Reserve Center in New 
Haven. It is a job she took in 2001 and took on new significance when 
her son, Corporal Daniel Gorton was deployed to Iraq for six months 
last year. Mr. Speaker, Diane is a full-time fifth-grade school teacher 
in Stratford. She took this task on in July 2001 with no formal 
training and immediately turned the program completely around. 
According to her citation, Diane took over a family readiness program 
that was virtually non-existent and made ``significant contributions 
during a full-scale Mobilization, Activation and Deployment.''
  Among Diane's most important responsibilities as the unit's key 
volunteer coordinator was to train volunteers to serve as an emotional 
support system for the families of Marine reservists deployed overseas. 
She conducted pre-deployment briefs for Marines and their families, and 
organized Family Day events for families with loved ones serving in 
Iraq.
  Over the past year, I have met with many families whose loved ones 
serve in the National Guard or Reserve Corps and are deployed in the 
war on terror or in Iraq. I can tell you that a strong network of 
emotional support for the families back home, makes it much easier for 
our troops abroad to do their work successfully.
  Mr. Speaker, Diane is an extraordinary woman who has joined some 
extraordinary company. By earning this award, Diane joins the ranks of 
Walter Cronkite, former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn, actress 
Ann Margret and former President George H.W. Bush. I congratulate her 
for receiving this award, and I thank her for outstanding work in 
support of our men and women in uniform.

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