[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 176 (Thursday, December 12, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1862-E1863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING LCDR DANIEL PROCHAZKA, USN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT J. WITTMAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 12, 2013

  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize those men and 
women who have served this great Nation with honor, men such as 
Lieutenant Commander Daniel ``Prozac'' Prochazka, United States Navy.
  For the past year, Lieutenant Commander Prochazka, a proud naval 
aviator and graduate of Georgia Tech, served on my staff as a 
Congressional Defense Fellow. During his assignment, he served as a 
senior member of my staff responsible for defense, veterans, foreign 
affairs and intelligence matters. Lieutenant Commander Prochazka 
executed his work as a liaison to the constituents of the First 
District and the numerous defense installations in the First District 
with distinction. Furthermore, he provided exceptional support to me as 
my staff liaison to the House Armed Services Committee in my role as a 
Subcommittee Chairman and as the Co-Chair of the Congressional 
Shipbuilding Caucus.
  Lieutenant Commander Prochazka directly contributed to my goal of 
providing excellent constituent service to the people of the First 
District. He was responsible for bringing numerous constituent 
inquiries to a successful conclusion and he was able to leverage his 
personal and operational experience to respond to the most challenging 
inquiries.

[[Page E1863]]

  In addition to his efforts on behalf of the First District, 
Lieutenant Commander Prochazka took on projects with regional, state 
and national implications, demonstrating his ability to view a 
challenge from many angles and develop innovative solutions often 
requiring collaboration across many levels of government.
  Lieutenant Commander Prochazka's work ethic, duty to mission, and 
commitment to servant leadership is without equal. I believe that his 
personal drive to achieve excellence in his work has and will set a 
very high standard for his peers.
  I would also like to thank Lieutenant Commander Prochazka for the 
service and sacrifice he has made, and continues to make, for our 
Nation and our great Navy. His keen sense of honor, impeccable 
integrity, boundless work ethic, and loyal devotion to duty earned him 
the respect and admiration of my staff and the First District of 
Virginia. After spending the last 12 years as an E-2C Hawkeye pilot in 
Japan and Virginia and completing eight deployments, which included 
flying combat support missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, Lieutenant 
Commander Prochazka and his family are headed to Norfolk, VA where he 
will become the Executive Officer of VAW-125, the ``Tiger Tails.'' 
Lieutenant Commander Prochazka, who has been selected for the rank of 
Commander, will return to sea and to leading Sailors as he goes back 
into harm's way to execute his trade as naval aviator in the service of 
this great Nation, flying the new E-2D Hawkeye. I have no doubt that 
Lieutenant Commander Prochazka will continue to serve the United States 
Navy honorably and with distinction.
  I wish him, his wife Jen, and his daughter Amelia the best of luck as 
they continue their journey together as a Navy family. It was an honor 
and a pleasure having him serve on my staff. We all can sleep soundly 
at night knowing that men and women like Lieutenant Commander Dan 
Prochazka are members of our all-volunteer force and they stand ready 
to defend our country and take the fight to our enemies; far away from 
their families and the comforts of the United States of America.
  Lieutenant Commander Prochazka, thank you. Best of luck to you and 
God bless you, your family, and all the Sailors you are charged with 
leading. Fair winds and following seas.

                          ____________________