[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 21, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1138-E1139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SERVICE ACADEMY SELECTION BOARD

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 21, 2011

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend my Service Academy 
Selection Board, an exemplary group of selfless, dedicated 
Washingtonians who have served our country and have been so generous to 
continue their service by helping me select nominees to the United 
States Service Academies. Although academy nominations and appointments 
are attributed to me, they are not, by any means, my singular effort. 
Most of the work, involving careful vetting and painstaking evaluation 
of each applicant, as well as encouragement and recruitment, is done 
largely by my Service Academy Selection Board.
  The work of the Service Academy Selection Board is so critical to our 
nation that I ask the entire House to join me in recognizing and 
thanking the members of the District of Columbia's Service Academy 
Selection Board, who recommend to me the nominees from whom the academy 
selects appointees: Cdr. Kerwin E. Miller, USN (Ret), Chair, U.S. Naval 
Academy, Class of 1975, attorney in private practice; George R. Keys, 
Jr., immediate past Chair, U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1970, 
Rhodes Scholar, partner with Jordan & Keys LLP; Wesley Brown, Chair 
Emeritus, U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1949, Academy's first African-
American graduate, for whom the Academy's new field house is named; 
Steven Blust, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Class of 1971, President of 
the Institute of International Containers, former Chairman of the 
Federal Maritime Commission; Capt. Karen Courington, USAFR, Air Force 
Academy Admissions Liaison Officer, C-17 pilot, employee of Deutsche 
Bank designing their ``Veterans on Wall Street'' initiative; David 
Gragan, U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1977, Senior Procurement 
Executive of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of 
the

[[Page E1139]]

Treasury; Anthony K. Hollinger, U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1987, 
established a Veterans Affairs program for the University of the 
District of Columbia; OV Johnson, U.S. Air Force, retired 1974, served 
in the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations; Daniel J. 
Keenaghan, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 2000, international trade 
specialist who specializes in logistics and export promotion; Charles 
B. King, III, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1994, Risk Analysis 
Branch Chief with the Transportation Security Administration; Riaz 
Latifullah, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Class of 1978, employee of 
AARP, Inc; Tony Montes, U.S. Army veteran, longtime D.C. resident and 
community activist; James Nelson Rimensnyder, U.S. Military Academy, 
Class of 2005, whom I nominated in 1999 and 2000, deployed in support 
of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2006-2007 as an armor platoon leader 
and again in 2008-2009 as a Task Force Intelligence officer; Barbara J. 
Smith, Chair of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Professional 
Development at Bowie State University and; Joel C. Spangenberg, U.S. 
Naval Academy, Class of 2000, Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs.
  These D.C. residents each have lead outstanding lives of professional 
accomplishment and service. Together, they make an awe-inspiring group. 
Their service to the District of Columbia and to our nation has been 
outstanding in every way.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting the District 
of Columbia Service Academy Selection Board for their diligent work and 
dedication to our youth, for their continuing service, and for their 
commitment to our country.

                          ____________________