[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 23 (Monday, February 14, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S678-S679]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT ANNA DIXON

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
impressive accomplishments of a remarkable woman and native of the 
Commonwealth, Lieutenant Anna Dixon of the U.S. Coast Guard. Lieutenant 
Dixon has always possessed an adventurous spirit and harbored a desire 
to expand her horizons and explore the possibilities of the world 
outside of her hometown of Barbourville, KY. So it came as no surprise 
to those who know her that upon graduating from Barbourville High 
School and attending the University of Kentucky to study architecture 
for a year, Lieutenant Dixon decided to take advantage of an exchange 
program and follow her dream of becoming a marine biologist at Coastal 
Carolina College in Myrtle Beach, SC.
  Upon graduating with her degree in marine science and working at an 
environmental testing lab, Lieutenant Dixon decided to take another 
adventurous and courageous leap and enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard. 
Lieutenant Dixon not only completed her basic training at Camp May, NJ, 
in August of 2004, but also graduated at the top of her class and was 
assigned to the Coast Guard Station in Long Beach, CA, where she 
remained for 2 years.
  In the years that followed, this bright and determined woman worked 
tirelessly to qualify for numerous positions within the U.S. Coast 
Guard, including Officer Candidate School where she graduated third in 
her class, as a patroller on the Coast Guard Cutter Spencer, and as 
Chief of Contingency Preparedness at the Coast Guard Station in Key 
West, FL. Most recently, Lieutenant Dixon was assigned the duties of 
public information officer for the Florida Keys response to the 
Deepwater Horizon oilspill, and was hand-selected to be the lead 
advance officer and deputy press secretary for now-retired National 
Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen of the U.S. Coast Guard.
  During her time in the post from July to October of 2010, Lieutenant 
Dixon worked steadfastly to coordinate daily national press conferences 
for Admiral Allen and other high-ranking national leader, to make sure 
information on one of the Nation's most devastating offshore disasters 
was delivered in a timely and accurate manner. Because of her strong 
sense of leadership and her eye for detail, Lieutenant Dixon was 
selected by a board of Coast Guard officers to attend a fully funded 
graduate program to further her experience in communications and public 
relations, as well as to complete a follow-on tour as a public affairs 
officer for a multistate Coast Guard district.
  It is unquestionable that Lieutenant Dixon's career successes, 
including her recent change in rank, have come with much sacrifice, but 
have been well-deserved. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing 
the accomplishments of LT Anna Dixon, and in sending congratulations to 
her proud parents Katy Jones and Bill Matt Dixon, and stepparents 
Michael Jones and Kay Dixon. I wish Lieutenant Dixon continued success 
for the future.
  The Mountain Advocate recently published a story about Lieutenant 
Dixon and her successful career. I ask unanimous consent that the full 
article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                 [From Mountain Advocate, Jan. 6, 2011]

                           (By Eddie Arnold)

                       Just Call Her `Lieutenant'

       When Anna Dixon graduated from Barbourville High School in 
     1998, she had dreams of being a marine biologist. However, 
     with the nearest ocean hundreds of miles away, pursuing such 
     a career seemed even unlikely.
       Little did she know that working in and around oceans is 
     something that she would eventually do--not as a marine 
     biologist but as a member of the United States Coast Guard.
       Even more ironic is that she never even considered the 
     military as a young girl. ``I never even thought about it,'' 
     she said.
       After one year at the University of Kentucky as a student 
     of architecture. she chose to take advantage of an exchange 
     program and moved to South Carolina, where she graduated from 
     the Coastal Carolina College in Myrtle Beach with a B.S. 
     degree in marine science.
       ``There are very few jobs for marine biologists that don't 
     have an advanced degree,'' she said. It was then that her 
     best friend's husband, who was in the Army, suggested that 
     she consider the Coast Guard. ``I didn't even know what that 
     was, I thought they were water cops.''
       However, the suggestion planted a seed in Dixon's mind. 
     ``At first it was a joke. But the more I joked about it, the 
     more I thought maybe it's not that bad of an idea,'' she 
     said.
       After graduation and while living in Savannah, Dixon worked 
     at an environmental testing lab. ``It was like real 
     chemistry, but I could tell that was what I would be doing 
     forever if I didn't make a change and go out on a limb. So I 
     went and talked with a recruiter,'' she said, adding that she 
     made the decision to enlist. ``It sounded like a really good 
     idea.''
       Dixon graduated from basic training at Cape May, New Jersey 
     at the top of her class in August 2004. After going on to 
     Boatswain's Mate ``A'' School training, she was assigned to 
     the Coast Guard Station Los Angeles/Long Beach where she 
     remained from December 2004 to March 2006.
       ``I worked really hard and got qualified as quickly as I 
     could and got recommended to go to Officer Candidate School, 
     where she graduated third in her class.
       From there, she went to a ship--the Coast Guard Cutter 
     Spencer out of Boston, Massachusetts.
       ``I never wanted to do ship life.'' she said. ``But I 
     thought if I didn't do it then. I would never get the chance 
     to do it.''
       During her two years aboard ship, they patrolled from the 
     northeast coast off Canada all the way down to the Caribbean, 
     including doing migrant patrols.
       Even though Dixon said she learned a lot on that 
     assignment, she longed to get her feet back on dry land. When 
     she applied for a new assignment, she noticed that Key West 
     was available. ``I thought to myself there's no way I'm going 
     to get that. There will be thirty other people in line for 
     that. When I learned that I had got it, I was off the coast 
     of Canada. It was like eight degrees,'' she said. ``At three 
     o'clock in the morning I got an email saying I was going to 
     Key West.''
       Being a female presented it's own set of challenges for 
     Dixon. ``During my whole time in the Coast Guard it has been 
     a challenge no matter where I go. But within a month, they 
     find out that I am for real. But I've never had any real 
     problems,'' she said.
       Since being assigned at Key West through the present, 
     Dixon's job as Chief of Contingency Preparedness has posed 
     challenges also.
       In April of this year she was assigned the duties of public 
     information officer for the Florida Keys response to the 
     Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
       ``Since I've been doing that it has been a full-time 
     thing,'' she said. ``But I am still the chief of planning.
       Dixon was hand-selected to be the Lead Advance Officer and 
     Deputy Press Secretary for National Incident Commander 
     Admiral Thad Allen (USCG-Ret.), a job she held from July 
     through October of this year.
       During her time in the post, she coordinated daily 
     national-level press conferences for Allen and other high-
     ranking national leaders including Dr. Lane Lubchenco, 
     Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.
       Although she has enjoyed her duty assignments so far, Dixon 
     said she is looking forward to the next level in her career.
       ``I have been selected by a board of Coast Guard officers 
     to attend a fully-funded graduate program to study 
     communications and public relations, with a follow-on tour as 
     a Public Affairs Officer for an entire multi-state Coast 
     Guard district,'' she said.
       Dixon, who was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant, 
     said she has enjoyed her six plus years in the Coast Guard. 
     ``I didn't know what to expect when I went in but I 
     definitely didn't expect to live in eight states and have all 
     these different experiences. It has been unbelievable,'' she 
     said, adding that her family and friends are really proud of 
     me.

[[Page S679]]

       ``My friends laugh because they say `Anna is in charge of 
     things?' They don't see me as Lt. Dixon, they just see me as 
     Anna. But they are all super proud of me.''
       Over the holidays, she came home to spend some time with 
     her family, including her parents Katy and Michael Jones of 
     Corbin, Bill and Kay Dixon of Barbourville, and brothers John 
     W. Dixon and Matthew Dixon.

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