[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 156 (Sunday, September 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN RECOGNITION OF JAMES C. BINNICKER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize James 
C. Binnicker, a man who has dedicated a lifetime of service both to our 
country and to the families of our military veterans. It is my pleasure 
and privilege to honor him as a great leader and a great American.
  Mr. Binnicker's career of service began as a Civil Air Patrol cadet 
in his hometown of Aiken, South Carolina. He enlisted in the United 
States Air Force in 1957. Mr. Binnicker served honorably and with 
distinction for more than thirty years. He reached the pinnacle of 
achievement in 1986 when he was selected to be the Chief Master 
Sergeant of the Air Force.
  The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is a unique non-
commissioned rank. As the highest enlisted leader in the Air Force, 
Chief Master Sergeant Binnicker served as the personal adviser to the 
Air Force Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all 
issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and utilization of the 
enlisted forces. There have only been fifteen Chief Master Sergeants of 
the Air Force in the history of the U.S. military, and Mr. Binnicker 
was the ninth.
  When Mr. Binnicker retired from the Air Force in 1990, he could have 
rested on the legacy he had created. Instead, he took on another 
challenge, the leadership and development of the Air Force Enlisted 
Village, a non-profit charity in Shalimar, Florida that provides a home 
for the surviving spouses of enlisted airmen. As President and CEO of 
the Enlisted Village, Mr. Binnicker oversees a $28 million organization 
with 86 employees who care for more than 500 independent and assisted 
living residents on two campuses.
  Mr. Binnicker's accomplishments were recognized in 2008 when the 
Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging selected him as 
their ``Executive of the Year.'' Considering that caring for the 
elderly is a second career for Mr. Binnicker, the honor of being 
recognized by his peers in the state's largest aging-services 
organization is quite significant. Mr. Binnicker has dedicated his life 
to helping those in need, we will be eternally grateful for his 
service.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to 
honor one of America's true heroes, James C. Binnicker, for his 
leadership and service to Northwest Florida and throughout the world.

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