[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1337]]


                    TRIBUTE TO PATRICIA FROUNFELKER

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. C. A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 25, 2008

  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to honor 
Patricia Frounfelker, recently nominated for the 2008 Service to 
America Call to Service Medal. Ms. Frounfelker is being nominated for 
her studies of potential hazards and risks associated with U.S. combat 
vehicles. Ms. Frounfelker's research on these hazards has led to safety 
improvements that are minimizing risks for our Nation's soldiers on the 
front line.
  In her three years of government service with the Army Research 
Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, Patricia 
Frounfelker has become a leading expert in analyzing and characterizing 
the survivability of U.S. Army soldiers to a wide variety of potential 
risks. Most recently, she examined the potential for reactive armor to 
cause collateral injuries to troops who are near a tactical vehicle 
that is under attack. Ms. Frounfelker developed a detailed test plan to 
characterize reactive armor tiles being sent to Iraq for use on the 
Abrams tank. She collected and analyzed the data following each test 
and determined the collateral injuries likely to be suffered by 
dismounted U.S. troops within proximity to the tank. Ms. Frounfelker 
conducted her analysis using a novel methodology that she had 
previously developed to characterize the collateral damage to 
dismounted troops within proximity of the Stryker and Bradley vehicles. 
Her results identified areas of concern regarding hazards from each 
version of reactive armor and have led the Army to change how 
dismounted troops operate around these vehicles.
  During the same period, Ms. Frounfelker served as the lead assessor 
of crew casualties for 25 U.S. Army developmental systems, including 11 
that were fielded in Iraq or Afghanistan. These systems included three 
variants of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) and 
several tactical wheeled vehicles. She collected and analyzed fragment 
data for every live-fire test of these systems, and her assessments 
provided the data needed to assess the lethality of U.S. munitions and 
the survivability of combat vehicles.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join with me today to honor Patricia 
Frounfelker in her nomination for the 2008 Service to America Call to 
Service Medal. Patricia Frounfelker's efforts in this time of war have 
directly benefited soldiers and Marines by identifying and assessing 
potential injuries they might suffer in or near U.S. combat vehicles. 
This has allowed the Army to modify the vehicles or the tactics, 
techniques and procedures before the vehicles are fielded to better 
protect U.S. military personnel. Her efforts have resulted in better 
equipped, better protected warfighters, who are better able to protect 
and defend our Nation. It is with great pride that I congratulate 
Patricia Frounfelker on her exemplary efforts to increase safety for 
our armed forces overseas.

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