[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 146 (Monday, October 3, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S6046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     TRIBUTE TO DR. ALFONSO BATRES

 Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment 
today to recognize Dr. Alfonso Batres with the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for his dedicated service to our Nation's veterans. Dr. Batres 
is a Vietnam veteran who now serves as the chief officer for 
Readjustment Counseling Service, where he has devoted his career to 
building a national network of community-based vet centers. At these 
vet centers, veterans can obtain counseling, job assistance, and 
medical referrals, in addition to other services.
  Dr. Batres was recently awarded a 2011 Samuel J. Heyman Service to 
America Medal from the Partnership for Public Service. The award, also 
known as a ``Sammy,'' is awarded annually to exceptional Federal 
employees. Specifically, Dr. Batres was awarded the 2011 Career 
Achievement Medal, which recognizes a Federal employee for significant 
accomplishments throughout a lifetime of achievement in public service.
  Under Dr. Batres' leadership, the number of vet centers across the 
country has dramatically expanded from 200 to 300 in an effort to meet 
the growing needs of hundreds of thousands of combat veterans and their 
families. In addition, Dr. Batres created and launched 50 mobile vet 
centers, greatly improving the access to services available to 
veterans. Dr. Batres also developed the Combat Call Center, a national 
call-in service where combat veterans can call in to talk to another 
combat veteran regarding any readjustment issues they may be facing.
  Dr. Batres is an especially deserving recipient of the Career 
Achievement Medal as he has led the Vet Center Program to provide 
services to a record level of veterans and their family members. As a 
result of Dr. Batres' efforts, over 191,000 veterans and their family 
members visited vet centers nearly 1.3 million times in the year 2010 
alone.
  Vet centers have proven so successful due to the unique services they 
provide, which seek to treat the whole person. At vet centers, combat 
veterans can receive counseling from other combat veterans who truly 
understand the struggles veterans face. In 2010, approximately 80 
percent of vet center staff members were veterans, 60 percent were 
combat veterans, and approximately one third of all Vet Center staff 
had served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
  In addition, vet centers are located in convenient locations within 
communities that possess a large population of underserved veterans. 
The programs are constantly adapting to meet the evolving needs of 
veterans and have strict protections in place in order to ensure 
maximum privacy for veterans. This is a truly revolutionary method of 
delivering services and Dr. Batres' vision, along with his natural 
propensity to foster young talent, have proven invaluable in its 
success.
  Dr. Batres' selfless service on behalf of our Nation's veterans has 
greatly improved the lives of many, and I am so pleased to see his 
achievements recognized.

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