[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 131 (Friday, September 11, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING VETERANS' VOICES AWARD RECIPIENT DR. TOURILA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM EMMER

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 11, 2015

  Mr. EMMER of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to 
celebrate Dr. James Tourila of St. Cloud for receiving a Veterans' 
Voices Legacy Award. I was proud to nominate Dr. Tourila for this award 
for his impressive work on behalf of veterans.
  Jim achieved the rank of Sergeant in the United States Army and was 
deployed to Korea from 1975 to 1976. After retiring from the Army, Jim 
graduated from Bemidji State University and went on to get his Master's 
Degree and PhD in psychology. From there, Jim moved to St. Cloud where 
he worked as a psychologist at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center for 
twenty years. Jim currently practices at the Central Minnesota 
Counseling Center in St. Cloud.
  Jim has supported Minnesota's veterans in more ways than one. He is 
an enthusiastic hot air balloon pilot which led to the creation of 
Freedom Flight, Inc. to honor veterans who never made it home. Jim has 
also served as director of the St. Cloud Honor Flight, which has flown 
more than a thousand veterans from around the state of Minnesota to see 
the National Monuments in D.C. Jim has been elected as the VFW National 
Surgeon General twice and is currently serving his eighth year as the 
Minnesota VFW State Surgeon.
  Minnesota is so proud of Jim and I am happy to be able to celebrate 
all of his efforts today. His years of hard work have bettered the 
lives of hundreds of veterans, and because of that, there is no one 
more deserving of this award.

                          ____________________