[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN HONOR OF MR. TOGO DENNIS WEST, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 20, 2018

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I 
rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding leader and dear friend of 
longstanding, Togo Dennis West, Jr. Sadly, Togo passed away on 
Thursday, March 8, 2018. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, 
April 24, 2018 at 2 p.m. at the Washington National Cathedral in 
Washington, D.C.
  Togo D. West, Jr. was born to Togo D. West, Sr. and Evelyn E. Carter 
West in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on June 21, 1942. He graduated 
from Akins High School in 1965 as valedictorian, was a member of the 
National Honor Society, and an Eagle Scout with Bronze Palm. He earned 
a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and a Juris Doctorate 
degree from Howard University, where he graduated first in his law 
school class in 1968.
  In 1969, he entered the United States Army as a Commissioned Officer 
in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. He also served as a staffer in 
the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and 
Reserve Affairs for four years.
  In 1975, Togo was appointed Associate Deputy Attorney General by 
President Ford. He then served in several capacities in President 
Carter's administration including General Counsel to the Department of 
the Navy from 1977 to 1979; Special Assistant to both the Secretary and 
Deputy Secretary of Defense in 1979; and General Counsel to the United 
States Department of Defense from 1980 to 1981. In 1993, President Bill 
Clinton appointed him the United States Secretary of the Army. As the 
second African-American to serve in this position, Togo oversaw the 
transition of the Army from a post-Cold War organization to a 
contemporary fighting force. He also was the driving force behind 
initiatives that granted women more opportunities to serve within the 
ranks and a strong advocate for harsher penalties for sexual 
misconduct. In 1998, President Clinton appointed him Secretary of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. During his tenure, he was a strong 
advocate for increased funding for veterans medical care and benefits.
  Outside of his government service, Togo was also actively involved in 
the community. He presided on a variety of boards and served in a 
number of organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Over 
the course of his life, he received numerous awards and commendations, 
including the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal; 
Distinguished Eagle Scout in 1995; and the Silver Buffalo Award and the 
Silver Beaver Award.
  George Washington Carver once said, ``No individual has any right to 
come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind distinct 
and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.'' We are all so 
blessed that Togo West, Jr. passed this way and during his life's 
journey did so much for so many for so long. His leadership, his 
counsel, and his prominent presence will be greatly missed.
  Togo is survived by his loving wife, Gail; his two daughters, Tiffany 
and Hilary; two wonderful grandchildren; and a host of other family 
members and friends.
  On a personal note, the West family shares a special relationship 
with the Bishop family. My wife, Vivian, Togo's wife, Gail, and Hilary 
shared membership in the Metropolitan D.C. Chapter of The Links, Inc. 
Togo and I are both Eagle Scouts and share the honor of having been 
named Distinguished Eagle Scouts by the National Council of the Boy 
Scouts of America. Moreover, Hilary served as valued member of our 
congressional staff in Washington as she started her career ascension 
in Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, my wife Vivian and I, the members of the United States 
House of Representatives and the United States Senate, along with the 
more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District, honor 
and salute Togo West, Jr. for his outstanding achievements, service, 
and public distinction. I ask my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives to join us in extending our deepest condolences to his 
family and friends during this difficult time. We pray that they will 
be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith in the Holy Spirit in the 
days, weeks and months ahead.

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