[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 14, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E186-E187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PAYING TRIBUTE TO MS. BARBARA L. BONESSA, AFTER 41 YEARS OF SERVICE TO 
                               OUR NATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. NORMAN D. DICKS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 14, 2012

  Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ms. Barbara L. 
Bonessa for her extraordinary dedication to duty and service to the 
United States of America. Ms. Barbara L. Bonessa will retire from 
federal service on February 28th, 2012, after 41 distinguished years of 
service to the U.S. Army.
  Ms. Barbara L. Bonessa has distinguished herself by her exceptional 
leadership and unparalleled demonstration of technical expertise in the 
management of the Army's Budget from June 2006 to February 2012. Ms. 
Bonessa led the development of seven Army Budget requests totaling $944 
billion dollars and seven supplemental requests totaling $635 billion. 
These resources were essential to the Army's strategic and 
unprecedented goals of restoring balance to a force feeling the 
cumulative effects of 10 years of war and setting conditions for the 
future to fulfill its strategic role as an integral part of the Joint 
Force.
  Ms. Bonessa led the Army Budget Office's efforts to develop, justify, 
and defend the Army's budget requests along four imperatives: 
Sustaining Soldiers, Families, and Army Civilians in an era of 
persistent conflict; Preparing Soldiers, units, and equipment for 
success in the current conflicts; Resetting returning Soldiers, units, 
and equipment to restore readiness consumed in operations; and 
Transforming the Army to improve its ability to meet the needs of 
combatant commanders.
  To ensure the Army's story was widely told and understood by its 
stakeholders, Ms. Bonessa built highly effective strategic partnerships 
with senior officials in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the 
Office of Management and Budget, and with Congressional staff and 
members. Her ability to facilitate formal and informal information-
sharing and articulate the Army's message garnered resources and 
protected programs that were necessary to build and sustain the Army 
while simultaneously prosecuting two wars. These relationships were 
instrumental in the Army's ability to articulate, defend and secure 
both base and supplemental funding for the past 7 years. Through her 
tireless efforts, the Army's base and supplemental requests were 
consistently and flawlessly presented, justified, defended, and 
ultimately submitted to and supported by Congress. Her leadership and 
technical skills directly resulted in obtaining critical and timely 
funding for Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, 
and New Dawn; Grow the Army; Army Modularity; Base Realignment and 
Closure; Army Modernization; sustainment of the All-Volunteer Force; 
care of Soldiers, Families and Civilians; and Soldier and leader 
development. As a direct result of her efforts, the Army's supplemental 
requests were consistently funded at 100% or more of its request.
  There are very few Financial Management professionals or leaders who 
have had a greater impact during their service to the Nation than 
Barbara Bonessa. She is highly respected throughout the government for 
her unquestionable integrity and passion for supporting Soldiers and 
the Army. Our commanders in the field have always benefitted from her 
incredible capacity to meet challenges, whether presented by individual 
units or the Congress, and to develop an enterprise approach to 
solutions. The Army has gained immeasurably over the last 7 years from 
her positive and strategic outlook, and she leaves a solid foundation 
upon which the Army will continue to build.
  Ms. Bonessa richly deserves to be recognized for her selfless service 
and influential leadership and her efforts to support an Army at war 
and sustain the all-volunteer force. Her exceptional performance leaves 
a lasting legacy.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my colleagues 
today in saying thank you to Ms. Barbara L. Bonessa, for her 
extraordinary dedication and service to her country throughout her 
distinguished career as an Army civilian. We wish her and her husband 
Alan all the best in her well-deserved retirement.

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