[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 149 (Tuesday, November 27, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF THOMAS HELMUT GRIFFIN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 27, 2012

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas Helmut Griffin, 
who has shown exemplary commitment to both his country and his 
community.
  Tom was adopted by an American Army Sergeant and brought to America 
in 1952. He worked nights at the US Post Office Rincon Annex during his 
senior year of high school in order to help support his family. After 
his high school graduation, Tom was appointed to the United States 
Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1963 
and became an Infantry Officer.
  Tom's Army career shows assignments as a Platoon Leader, Company 
Commander, and Operations Officer at the Battalion, Brigade and Joint 
Staff levels. He has also served as Executive Officer of a Company, 
Battalion, and Infantry Brigade, as Interim/Acting Battalion and 
Brigade Commander, and as Senior Advisor at Infantry, Battalion, and 
Regiment levels to Vietnamese Combat units.
  Tom served three tours of duty in Vietnam as Infantry Airborne Ranger 
involved in direct combat. He was wounded by enemy fire during his 
first tour, yet continued fighting in hand-to-hand combat with enemy 
soldiers. During his second tour in Vietnam, he was a senior advisor to 
a Vietnamese Infantry Battalion. On his final tour of duty, he was an 
advisor to the 23rd Vietnamese Infantry Division Intelligence Staff in 
Kontem. He finished his service in the war as a Senior Advisor to a 
Vietnamese Infantry Regiment. Tom was the last American actually in 
contact and combat with the enemy in 1973.
  For his exceptional service, Tom has been awarded the Silver Star for 
gallantry in action, two Bronze Stars-one for heroism in ground 
combat--a Purple Heart, two Air Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, 
two Meritorious Service Medals, a Joint Services Commendation Medal, a 
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, numerous campaign medals, foreign 
awards, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
  Tom finished his 20 years of service in the Army as a Lieutenant 
Colonel of Infantry. His last two assignments were as a member of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, and at Fort Ord as a Brigade 
Executive Officer in the 7th Infantry Division.
  But Tom's dedication to serving the people of his county and his 
community extends beyond his military career. Tom has earned his 
Master's Degree, a Specialists Degree, and a Doctorate. Licensed as a 
professional counselor, Tom uses his skills to help veterans and 
underserved or low-income families in Monterey County.
  Tom spent seven years researching and studying Army families, with 
specific focus on the impact that military life has on children. He 
served the county's housing authority, with responsibility for the 
psycho-social services of 3,000 underserved, low-income families, many 
of them veteran families in need of assistance. He also built and 
started the HUD-mandated Family Self Sufficiency Program, which was 
selected by the National Housing Authority Association as one of the 
top three programs in the United States.
  Tom has also served as a social worker for Child Protective Services 
in Monterey and Santa Clara Counties. He acted as a liaison between the 
counties and the service families for the Army, National Guard, and all 
active components.
  In 1998, Tom became a member of Monterey County's Vietnam Veterans 
and the founding President of the Veteran's Transition Center. This 
program now owns 40 homes on the former Fort Ord and is housing 55 
homeless veterans and families in a two-year program that leads from 
being homeless and jobless to self-sufficiency.
  In June 2012, Tom put together a Stand Down for homeless veterans, 
where 297 homeless veterans including 10 homeless families were served.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise today to honor this man, Thomas 
Helmut Griffin, for his outstanding dedication, commitment, and 
service.

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