[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 87 (Tuesday, June 2, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING CDR KERWIN E. MILLER, USN (RET.)

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 2, 2015

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to a changing era in 
the District of Columbia. Tonight, at the Columbia Heights Education 
Campus, CDR Kerwin E. Miller, USNR, Ret., Chair of our District of 
Columbia Service Academy Selection Board, conducts his last Service 
Academy College ceremony as Chair for recognition of new appointees to 
the Service Academies and recruitment of District of Columbia high 
school students for future years. After 10 distinguished years of 
service as Chair, CDR Miller passes his baton to David P. Gragan, our 
current Vice Chair.
  CDR Miller, a graduate of U.S. Naval Academy Class of '75, joined the 
Service Academy Selection Board under my predecessor, Walter Fauntroy, 
in 1986. He has served during my congressional service since 1991 as a 
board member, as Vice-Chair, and since 2005, as chairman.
  In those 10 years, CDR Miller has directed his formidable energies 
toward District of Columbia students, encouraging them to join him on 
the road leading to the inestimable opportunities afforded by an 
appointment to one of the five Service Academies of United States.
  During his service, CDR Miller has been an inspirational figure and a 
highly effective chair. Not long ago, for example, there were years in 
which few, if any, students from the D.C. public schools applied for 
the nominations. As always, we were pleased and proud to have our 
private and parochial school students. Tonight, D.C. will feast on a 
more diverse harvest of CDR Miller's leadership as he and I present 
certificates of appointment to the U.S. Military, U.S. Naval, U.S. 
Coast Guard, and U.S. Air Force academies to nine D.C. students. Four 
of our appointees attended D.C. public schools and one attended a D.C. 
public charter school.
  When CDR Miller becomes Chairman Emeritus of our Selection Board, he 
will not ``retire.'' In continued devotion to the Academies and to 
recruitment of the finest to serve, he will remain on our Service 
Academy Selection Board, and, in addition, he will work with the 
academies on an effort to increase Academy nominations from 
Congressional Black Caucus member districts. He will join with Academy 
graduates like Pat Locke, the first African-American woman to graduate 
from West Point, to help advise CBC members concerning recruitment of 
their constituents to take advantage of the educational and career 
opportunities offered by the Service Academies.
  The District of Columbia is very fortunate that CDR Miller has not 
worked alone. He achieved his success in collaboration with the hard 
work of the other members of our Selection Board, David P. Gragan, 
USAFA '77, Vice Chair, Timothy M. Ash, USAFA '00, Lewis D. Baker, USMA 
'91, Capt Holly D. Childs, USAFR, USAFA '06, Lt Col Patrick Clowney, 
USAF (Ret), USAFA '94, O.V. Johnson, Daniel J. Keenaghan, USMA '00, 
George R. Keys, USAFA '70, Past Chairman, Mr. Charles B. King, III, 
USMA '94, Riaz K. Latifullah USMMA '78, Laila Linares, USMMA '06, 
Merita Carter, Pierpont Mobley, Ofc. James N. Rimensnyder, DCMP, USMA 
'05, Prof. Barbara J. Smith, Joel C. Spangenberg, USNA '00, Michael B. 
Velasquez, USNA '89, and Harry Wingo, USNA '88.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
outstanding service of CDR Kerwin E. Miller, in congratulating David 
Gragan on becoming Chair, and in thanking the members of our D.C. 
Service Academy Selection Board for their dedication and service to the 
District of Columbia, to the U.S. Service Academies and to the nation.

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