[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5943-S5944]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JUDGE GREENE

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today I wish to note a special 
occasion next week, the unveiling of a portrait at the U.S. Court of 
Appeals for Veterans Claims to honor a dedicated public servant and a 
keen legal mind, Judge William P. Greene, Jr.
  Judge Greene is a prime example of an American who has dedicated 
himself to the well being of our country and its veterans. He was born 
in Bluefield, WV, a small coal town in the Appalachian mountains. His 
grandfather worked on the rail cars transporting coal, but also was a 
school teacher and instilled in his family the value of education and 
hard work. Judge Greene's father continued that example, working on the 
railroads while pursuing a degree from Bluefield State College--an 
institution originally founded to train African-American teachers who 
would then instruct in the segregated schools. Judge Greene's parents 
both graduated from that institution and went on to teach in their 
community. His father was then drafted after the attack on Pearl Harbor 
and went on to become a commissioned officer and serve with the famed 
``Buffalo Soldiers''--the only African American infantry unit to see 
combat in Europe during World War II. Judge Greene's affinity and pride 
for the Buffalo Soldiers became a life-long passion, as demonstrated by 
his involvement in the construction and dedication of the Buffalo 
Soldier Monument in Fort Leavenworth, KS. In the portrait being 
unveiled, one of Judge Greene's many Buffalo Soldier paintings can be 
seen in the background.
  As a result of his father's military career, Judge Greene moved a 
number of times during his formative years, and learned from an early 
age to get along with a wide variety of people under varying 
circumstances. He subsequently put those skills and abilities to good 
use as a citizen, a servicemember, and a leader in the legal field.
  Before joining the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Judge 
Greene graduated with a bachelor of arts in political science from West 
Virginia State College, where he participated in Army ROTC and accepted 
an

[[Page S5944]]

Army Commission. He was designated to serve with the Armor Branch, but 
while awaiting orders to jump school, Judge Greene was offered 
acceptance to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps on the 
condition that he take the LSAT and be admitted to a law school which 
was scheduled to start in just a few weeks. Three years later he 
received his law degree from Howard University School of Law, passed 
the West Virginia Bar, and became an officer in the Army JAG Corps. He 
married his West Virginia childhood sweetheart and spent the next 25 
years serving his country and gaining lifelong respect for the men and 
women in uniform. He received countless awards and honors for his 
service and expertise in both the law and the military, and he 
repeatedly demonstrated his great ability to bridge racial tensions and 
brings more African Americans into the Judge Advocate General's Corps.
  As he is known to say when speaking publically, one of Judge Greene's 
life mottos is: ``When opportunity knocks, you can't say `wait, let me 
pack my bags.' '' So when in 1993 another opportunity presented itself, 
Greene took it, and left the Army to serve as an immigration judge for 
the U.S. He worked tirelessly in that position, handling thousands of 
immigration matters in the 3 years he served in that capacity.
  Then, opportunity knocked again. It was a proud day in 1997, when 
President Clinton appointed Judge Greene to the Court of Appeals for 
Veterans Claims. Until 1988, the Veterans Administration, now the U.S. 
Department of Veterans Affairs, was the only Federal agency that was 
not subject to judicial review. In a long overdue decision, the Senate 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs created the U.S. Court of Appeals for 
Veterans Claims with my full support. Veterans deserved judicial 
oversight and the creation of the court was a major accomplishment 
during his first term in the Senate. As a skilled attorney and a 
veteran, Judge Greene brought a keen understanding of veterans' issues 
to the bench. He served as the court's chief judge from 2005 to 2010, 
and was known for his character and leadership during a time of 
tremendous growth and change at the court.
  Although he officially retired last year, his commitment to hard work 
continues and Judge Greene currently serves as a senior judge on the 
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Judge William P. Greene, Jr., is 
a soldier, a jurist, and an American to be respected, and I am proud to 
recognize and honor his service today.

                          ____________________