[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 116 (Thursday, July 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S4804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JOHN FALKENBURY

 Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to Mr. 
John Falkenbury, the president and chief operating officer for the 
United Service Organizations, USO, of North Carolina, on his decades of 
service to the great State of North Carolina.
  For over a decade, since his initial appointment as president and COO 
for the USO of North Carolina in 2009, John has been integral in 
coordinating, planning, and leading the operations of the USO State 
headquarters, five USO fixed centers, and mobile centers in locations 
spanning the entire State. John's leadership skills were prominently 
displayed in his ability to mobilize thousands of volunteers over the 
years to support countless Active-Duty servicemembers, veterans, and 
their families. John's extensive resume is a testament to his lifelong 
commitment to public service, which includes his past role as president 
and CEO of Five Oaks Nursing Center in Concord, NC, serving as the 
managing partner of the Falkenbury Family LLC, and as the president of 
the Stephen D. Falkenbury Jr. Foundation in Charlotte, NC. Prior to his 
work for the USO, John served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, which 
included numerous assignments across the United States and in Germany.
  The USO centers across the State of North Carolina provide critical 
resources and support to our men and women in uniform and their 
families. These services include transition assistance, financial 
literacy, child educational programs, deployment, and homecoming 
operations, military and civilian outreach programs, Fallen and Wounded 
Warrior escort services, and a focus on providing the entire community 
with support and assistance. Through his leadership, dedication, and 
passion for service, John Falkenbury has been a champion in ensuring 
these programs are readily available for anyone who needs them.
  The North Carolina USO has a strong track record of dedicated support 
of servicemembers at military installations, including Fort Bragg, Camp 
Lejeune, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. In 2016, when the 
devastating Hurricane Matthew flooded large portions of Eastern North 
Carolina, John assisted in the delivery of 1,000 care packages via 
Blackhawk helicopter to soldiers and civilians in afflicted areas. A 
USO mobile center deployed near Lumberton, NC, for 5 days to provide 
basic necessity items, a BBQ dinner, satellite access, and internet 
service to over 400 servicemembers.
  As a Senator, a member of the USO Congressional Caucus, and a North 
Carolinian, I am pleased to congratulate John Falkenbury on his 
retirement and for his impressive career of public service and 
steadfast commitment to our country.

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