[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 6 (Thursday, January 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E76]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO ROBBIE & JIM HEINTZMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 11, 2007

  Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to say farewell to two very 
special people, Robbie & Jim Heintzman. Robbie began working as a 
caseworker for me when I started my first term of office and her 
husband, Jim, was a helicopter pilot for many years with the Los 
Angeles Police Department. Now, they have decided to retire and will 
soon move to Prescott, Arizona to begin a new chapter in their new 
lives.
  Robbie has been a true asset to me and I value her loyalty, 
dedication and expertise. Her compassionate and cheerful presence will 
be sorely missed in my office, and I know the loss of Jim's expertise 
and dedicated service will create a void at the police department as 
well.
  Robbie's very interesting life prepared her well for the job in my 
office. She was born in Japan and was the only child of an Air Force 
dad and a mom who was the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice 
of the Japanese War Crimes Trial. Living in many places throughout the 
world, Robbie has always loved traveling and hopes that retirement will 
afford her the opportunity to finally satisfy her wanderlust.
  Over the years, Robbie has held many different jobs including 
bartender, cocktail waitress, newspaper/radio advertising consultant, 
secretary, saleslady and mother to sons, Sean and Colin Donohue. The 
three major careers in her life have been as a singer, sailor and as 
solver of problems for my constituents. She also found time to be a 
travel coordinator/consultant and now is looking forward to having the 
time to lead tours to exotic locales.
  Robbie's singing career started in Hawaii in 1974. In 1975, she went 
to Tokyo to sing as the house vocalist for Club El Morocco, which at 
the time was rated the premier nightclub in Japan. After returning to 
the United States, she formed ``Just Us,'' her own Country-Pop group, 
in Kingman, Arizona and sang professionally until 1983.
  While cruising the waters around Hawaii on the S.S. Independence and 
S.S. Constitution from 1983-1985, and on the waters around Tahiti on 
the S.S. Liberte in 1986, Robbie held the positions of Bartender, 
Junior Assistant Purser, Cashier, Yeoman and Senior Purser. She served 
the last four positions as a commissioned Staff Officer in the U.S. 
Merchant Marine. In February 1986, she was promoted to Cruise Hostess 
and resumed singing with the orchestra as part of her duties.
  Eventually leaving Tahiti for the United States, she started her 
career as a Staff Assistant/Caseworker with California Senator Ed Davis 
in 1989 and after I was elected to Congress, Robbie began working for 
me in January of 1993. Always kind, attentive and sympathetic, she 
delighted in solving constituent problems and loved helping to make a 
difference in their lives.
  About the time that Robbie began her singing career, Jim started his 
law enforcement career in his hometown of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. 
However, sunny California soon beckoned and he moved west to pursue a 
career with the Los Angeles Police Department.
  Jim entered the LAPD Academy on January 22, 1973 and after six 
grueling months of training, he graduated second in his class. Jim's 
first assignment was the Hollywood Patrol where he walked the Hollywood 
Boulevard Foot Beat for 2\1/2\ years. He went on to serve in Hollywood 
Vice, Metro Division and SWAT. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1982 and 
continued his career at Pacific Division. In August 1983, Jim joined 
the elite Air Support Division and received his Command Pilot wings in 
January, 1984. He was promoted to Sgt. II in 1992. Air Support Division 
has been his home for the past 23 years and he has over 5,000 flight 
hours under his belt. Some of Jim's more interesting adventures 
included Pope Paul's visit to Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Summer 
Olympics, the 1992 Riots, the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the 2000 
Democratic National Convention. Jim is most proud though, of his day-
to-day patrol over the streets of LA and his ability to be the ground 
officers' ``eye in the sky'' which greatly enhanced their safety.
  Robbie and Jim are active volunteers in the Santa Clarita Valley and 
participate in many organizations. Although California's loss will be 
Arizona's gain, they plan to quickly resume volunteer activities in 
their new community. In addition, Jim hopes to continue his flying 
career in some capacity. Very soon, there will be more time for golf, 
visiting and other leisure activities. But more importantly, there will 
be enough time to pursue Robbie's passion for travel because there is 
more of the world to see and many new people to meet.
  As Robbie and Jim begin those pleasant, well-deserved years of 
retirement, I would like to thank them for their many years of 
dedicated service. I ask my colleagues to join me and extend our best 
wishes to the Heintzmans for a healthy and happy future filled with 
success.

                          ____________________