[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 133 (Friday, August 4, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1115-E1116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING TROY FERGUSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 4, 2017

  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Troy Ferguson, a 
veteran of the United States Marine Corps, a caring and compassionate 
servant to the people of Oregon's 2nd District, a leader amongst Team 
Walden, and a man that I am honored to call a friend.

[[Page E1116]]

  Troy first served his country as a Marine, where he excelled in the 
high standards of the Marine Corps and rose to the rank of Staff 
Sergeant. Troy's southern upbringing and faithful Marine Corps service 
made him a gentleman, through and through. Troy always demonstrated the 
bearing of a leader, and had the character to back it up.
  Troy joined my staff in 2001 as a part time worker manning the front 
desk. In a very short period of time, it became apparent that he had a 
natural talent for this business and helping constituents.
  In his 16 years he did just about all the jobs that make up a 
district office: receptionist, constituent services representative, 
constituent services manager, constituent services director, field 
representative, legislative advisor, and regional director. Troy has 
been a jack-of-all-trades on my team, acquiring expertise in a wide 
array of issues, policy, and casework, and he mastered each area 
quickly.
  In particular, Troy's 11 years of service in the Marine Corps 
equipped him with an unmatched ability to help veterans in need 
throughout my district. Troy played an integral role in our effort to 
save ``The Dom''--the local VA facility in Southern Oregon--when the VA 
shortsightedly made an attempt to close that facility. Now renamed as 
the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics, this facility 
continues to provide critical services to thousands of veterans each 
year.
  Over the years, thousands of individual constituents received 
personal guidance and assistance from Troy. He was the guru of 
constituent services, not only on Team Walden but also in the Oregon 
delegation. Whether it was casework involving the IRS, veterans and 
military service members, or Social Security and Medicare, Troy became 
a recognized expert at identifying the problem and promptly finding a 
solution. When the delegation constituent services folks got together, 
Troy was looked to by all as the most knowledgeable person in the room 
when it carne to taking care of constituents and ensuring that the 
agencies had the opportunity to make things right.
  On top of that, when most people struggled to master the skills of 
proficient writing required of congressional staffers, Troy stood out 
as a naturally gifted writer. He has that rare ability of organizing 
complex concepts and putting them on paper so that they can be easily 
understood by anyone. Troy was a born communicator who could deliver 
bad news to a constituent with compassion and good news with 
enthusiasm.
  His ability to communicate, breadth of knowledge, and natural 
leadership made him a key part of welcoming new members to the team. 
Eager to show new staff the ropes and make them feel at home, Troy 
became a respected mentor and trainer to those joining Team Walden. New 
staffers were often advised to ``Ask Troy. He'll walk you through how 
to get the job done and done right.''
  Outside of the office, Troy is a man of many gifts and talents. He is 
a gourmet cook--those who worked with Troy over the years have fond 
memories of the incredible Italian lunches he prepared for his fellow 
staffers. He co-founded the Jackson County Veterans Advisory Committee, 
and exhibits selfless service even in his off hours. As a respected 
member of the local veterans community in southern Oregon, Troy will 
continue to serve with Jackson County Veterans after he leaves my 
office.
  He is a family man in every sense of the word. He is a devoted 
husband and father, and most recently, a proud grandfather.
  Troy will be impossible to replace. Though he will never truly leave 
Team Walden, I will miss his dedication to serve Oregonians. It comes 
as no shock to anyone who knows Troy that his next endeavor will 
involve serving his community--this time with the United Way. I have no 
doubt Troy will bring his sense of duty to helping others, his fine 
character, and his leadership to his next career--just as he did for my 
team for 16 years.

                          ____________________