[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               A TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL JERRY SINN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 7, 2006

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the leadership and dedication to public service of Lieutenant General 
Jerry Sinn, who has provided exemplary stewardship of the Army's 
resources and budgeting for the past 7 years. Beginning as a ``tunnel 
rat'' in Vietnam, Lieutenant General Sinn has retired as the Army's 
budget chief after 39 years in uniform.
  After being drafted in 1968, Jerry Sinn was soon commissioned as a 
second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. The Army sent him to 
Vietnam shortly thereafter, where he fought as a tunnel rat--one of the 
deadliest missions in that conflict--and led a Rome Plow team. 
Throughout his career, he has never stopped inspiring, guiding and 
teaching soldiers--whether as a company commander in Korea, a 
mathematics instructor at West Point, a battalion commander with the 
Big Red One, an assistant chief of staff of VII Corps, a brigade 
commander in the 3rd Infantry Division, or commander of the Corps of 
Engineers' North Atlantic Division.
  Lieutenant General Sinn has spent the last 7 years of his military 
career in the Pentagon as the Army's top uniformed budget official. His 
ideas, acumen, finesse and good humor were essential to guiding the 
Army from being a force at peace to a force at war. General Sinn 
oversaw the unprecedented growth in resources and mission since 2001, 
dedicating himself to ensuring that every soldier was properly equipped 
and trained. He looked after families, initiating and pushing numerous 
programs to improve their quality of life. And he made sure that 
everyone involved in financial management understood the importance of 
their work. General Sinn inspired the civilians and the uniformed 
members of Army financial management to do their very best and approach 
their tasks with the same vigor as the soldier on the battlefield. He 
also provided counsel to the Army leadership, the Defense Department, 
the Office of Management and Budget and many members of Congress.
  General Sinn earned a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars, both with 
oak leaf clusters and one with a V Device, among many other medals and 
awards. He lived the Soldier's Creed with great pride and dignity. He 
always placed the mission first. He never accepted defeat. He never 
quit. And though he could have, he never left a fallen comrade.
  Mr. Speaker, throughout his youth in North Dakota, Jerry Sinn thought 
he would follow in his parents' footsteps, raising cattle and growing 
wheat. The U.S. Army, and his many supporters in Congress, are grateful 
that he devoted his life to public service instead. Please join me in 
thanking him for those 39 years of selflessness, and wish him well in 
his future endeavors.

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