[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 115 (Friday, July 15, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1141-E1142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          IN RECOGNITION OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL DENNIS SCHMIDT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 2016

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge my constituent 
Dennis Schmidt from Fairfax Station, Virginia, a former Lieutenant 
Colonel in the United States Army and lifelong dedicated public 
servant. Mr. Schmidt devoted twenty-one years of his life to the United 
States Army, including assignments and deployments during the Vietnam 
War. After he completed his military service, his dedication to public 
service did not stop.
  Between 1989 and 1993, Mr. Schmidt worked for the Army Research 
Laboratory in the Army Material Command, during which he helped develop 
technology over multiple fields such as weapons systems, medical 
equipment, and protection tools. This research has helped save American 
lives, and gives our soldiers an edge in the performance of their 
duties to our country. From 1994 to 1998, Mr. Schmidt refocused his 
talents as acting Science and Technology Advisor to the Director for 
Force Development, where he evaluated and managed the Army's annual 
research programs budget. Through such

[[Page E1142]]

means, Mr. Schmidt fought to maintain the Army's ability to look after 
its troops by providing state of the art equipment and technology.
  Mr. Schmidt continued to fight to maintain the Army's research 
funding levels for another decade, as both a Deputy Director and 
Director specializing in science and technology at the Department of 
the Army. He maintained the Army's budget of $13 billion, which 
allocated funds to over twenty projects with a total workforce in 
excess of 14,000 engineering and research staff.
  His civilian assignment spanned three decades in the Department of 
the Army. Mr. Schmidt will best be remembered for his dedication to 
preserving and increasing funding for suicide prevention, and 
developing new weapons technologies to aid in keeping our troops safer 
and better equipped while serving their country.
  Mr. Speaker, Dennis Schmidt embodies what it means to be an American 
patriot. He is an impressive example of going beyond his duty, and he 
should be honored for it. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking 
Mr. Schmidt for his many years of service, and I wish him the best in 
his future endeavors.

                          ____________________