[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 162 (Monday, November 14, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING FLOYD ``SHAD'' MESHAD

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 14, 2016

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor my dear friend and 
committed community advocate Floyd ``Shad'' Meshad for his forty four 
years of work advocating on behalf of America's veterans.
   Shad served as a Captain in the U.S. Army and as Medical Service 
Officer in the Republic of South Vietnam. There, he counseled soldiers 
in the field who were suffering from a multitude of psychological and 
emotional problems resulting from their experiences in combat.
   Upon his return to the States, he continued this work, dedicating 
himself to serving American veterans through counseling and pioneered 
treatment techniques for what would later become known as Posttraumatic 
Stress Disorder, or PTSD.
   Shad's accomplishments are a testament to his commitment to the 
wellness of veterans. In 1971, Shad started the Vietnam Veterans Re-
Socialization Unit, where he spent eight years helping veterans 
readjust to civilian life. And in 1978, Shad worked to develop and 
lobby for the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Act, which 
launched an investigation of PTSD and other psychological issues 
experienced by some Vietnam veterans. The following year, he founded 
the Vet Center Outreach Program, which to this day provides 
readjustment counseling for veterans at more than 300 locations across 
the country.
   In 1985, Shad also founded the National Veterans Foundation (NVF), 
whose mission is to support veterans in crisis and provide services to 
better the lives of veterans and their family members. The NVF operates 
a crisis hotline that offers on-the-spot crisis counselling and 
resource referrals for veterans of all wars.
   Shad has received many accolades for his efforts. He is a recipient 
of the Veterans Administration's Administrator's Commendation & the VA 
Special Contribution Award and has been featured on many major 
television networks and news programs including 60 Minutes, 20/20, 
Dateline, Nightline, and CNN News. He also authored the book, A Captain 
for Dark Mornings, which chronicles his experiences during the war in 
Vietnam.
   My family has known Shad since the 1970s when he worked with my 
husband Walter to develop the curricula for a class on the Vietnam War 
at the University of California, Santa Barbara in my district. By 
offering his personal experiences in Vietnam, Shad has helped thousands 
of young minds better understand the war through the unique perspective 
of both a soldier and a therapist.
   Shad is a dear friend and I am so grateful for his unwavering 
commitment to our nation's veterans. His dedication to easing our 
combat veterans' transition to civilian life is truly inspiring. 
Through his personal work and the work of the organizations he founded, 
more than 350,000 veterans have received help with financial problems, 
mental health issues, receiving VA benefits, healthcare, employment, 
housing, family counseling, and many other issues.
   I am honored to recognize Shad's countless achievements and I would 
like to express my upmost gratitude for his service to America's 
veterans. I wish him nothing but continued success in all of his future 
endeavors.

                          ____________________