[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 150 (Wednesday, November 28, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL (U.S. ARMY-RET) LEE F. KICHEN)

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. VERN BUCHANAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 28, 2012

  Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, 
Lieutenant Colonel (U.S. Army-Ret) Lee F. Kichen of Sarasota, Florida. 
Colonel Kichen is a great American who recently retired after decades 
of service to his country and his fellow veterans.
  Colonel Kichen most recently served as a state service officer with 
the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) at the Veterans Affairs Regional 
Office in St. Petersburg. He was also the VFW's state legislative 
chairman. Successive VFW Commanders in Chief also appointed Lee to the 
National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee, National By-Laws and 
Resolutions Committee, Veterans Services Resolution Committee and the 
National Legislative Committee. In these positions, he has been a 
tireless and effective advocate for our Veterans.
  As a state service officer for the VFW and in a previous position as 
a veterans service officer for Sarasota County, Lee has helped 
countless veterans and their families obtain from the U.S. Department 
of Veterans Affairs benefits, such as disability compensation, 
pensions, health care, and vocational and rehabilitation training.
  I had the privilege of working with Lee in his capacity as VFW 
legislative chairman on several issues, including the establishment of 
a national cemetery in Sarasota to ensure area veterans are laid to 
rest with the respect and dignity they deserve and passage of the Post 
9/11 GI bill to provide service men and women who have served in active 
duty since September 11, 2001 with additional education benefits 
similar to those provided in the G.I bill.
  Lee is a native of Framingham, Massachusetts.
  He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts at 
Amherst and Master of Arts degrees from Pacific Lutheran University and 
Chapman University.
  In addition to his civilian education, Lee is a graduate of the 
Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 
and the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
  He retired from the United States Army in 1997 after twenty-seven 
years of service as an Armor officer. He served in various command and 
staff positions in the Continental United States and overseas.
  His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, with one oak 
leaf cluster; the Meritorious Service Medal, with two oak leaf 
clusters; the Army Commendation Medal, with two oak leaf clusters; the 
Army Achievement Medal and the Korea Defense Service Medal. He also 
wears the Army Staff Identification Badge, the Army Superior Unit 
Award, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the Bronze 
Medallion of the Order of St. George, and the Silver Medallion of the 
Order of St. George.
  He is a Gold Legacy Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and 
a Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of 
Foreign Wars National Children's Home, the Military Officers 
Association of America and the Military Order of the World Wars.
  He is also a member of the Jewish War Veterans, the AMVETS, the 
American Legion, the Association of the United States Army, the Armor 
Association, the United States Cavalry Association, and the Benevolent 
and Protective Order of the Elks.
  Lee is on the Board of Directors of the 3rd Cavalry Association. He 
served as President of the Sarasota County Veterans Commission from 
1999-2002. He is the Vice Chairman of the Sarasota National Cemetery 
Advisory Committee. He also serves on Senator George Lemieux's and 
Congressman Vern Buchanan's Service Academy Selection Boards
  He was recognized by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3233 as its Man of 
the Year, Elks Lodge #2495 as its Citizen of the Year, the Bradenton-
Sarasota Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars with the 
Silver Patrick Henry Medallion for Patriotic Service and by the 
Sarasota County Veterans Commission as its Veteran of the Year.
  On behalf of the people of Florida's 13th District, I thank Lee for 
his dedicated service to our nation and wish him and his wife Carol a 
happy and healthy retirement.

                          ____________________