[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 22, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H3616]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING MAJOR GENERAL BILL BLAND

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Carter) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and 
honor the life of Major General Bill Bland of Georgia's First 
Congressional District, who passed away peacefully at his home 
surrounded by family at 84 years old.
  General Bland is the former Adjutant General for the State of Georgia 
and a beloved husband, father, and a good friend.
  He enlisted in the Georgia Air National Guard in 1958 and received 
his pilot's wings in 1962 at Moody Air Force Base.
  General Bland served faithfully in a variety of assignments which 
took him all over the world. He was a command pilot with more than 
8,000 hours, flying in nine different types of aircraft. He also served 
in the position of Adjutant General until his retirement in 1999, after 
more than 40 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and Air National 
Guard.
  I had the honor and privilege of attending church with General Bland 
and his lovely wife, Harriet, at Wesley Monumental United Methodist 
Church. It was evident Jesus Christ was the Lord and savior of Bill's 
life, and he used all the gifts God gave him to serve others and bring 
glory to God. He was an active and faithful member of the church, where 
he served on the board of trustees for 17 years.
  General Bland will surely be missed by his friends, family, our 
church community, and all who knew and loved him. His legacy of 
selfless devotion to our country and those in need will remain for 
countless years to come.


    Celebrating the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's 50th 
                              Anniversary

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's, or FLETC's, 50th 
anniversary.
  Since the Consolidated Law Enforcement Training Center was created in 
1970 before becoming the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, they 
have continued the mission of safeguarding our homeland and serving as 
America's enterprise resource for Federal law enforcement training.
  In its first year, FLETC graduated 2,200 students. Last year, FLETC 
welcomed more than 67,000 students. They have grown to manage more than 
850 training programs across the training sites, including one in 
Brunswick, Georgia.
  For the past 50 years, FLETC has been a critical program to ensure 
our officers of tomorrow receive the proper training to protect the 
communities in which they serve.
  FLETC has done a great job at adapting throughout their existence 
from hurricanes, government shutdowns, to a worldwide pandemic. 
Whatever they have faced, FLETC has done a remarkable job at getting 
invaluable Federal law enforcement personnel to the front lines.
  Now, more than ever, is an important time to honor their five decades 
as the Nation's producer, resource, and steward of Federal law 
enforcement training.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank all who work tirelessly at FLETC, especially 
those at Glynco in Georgia's First Congressional District.


                    Remembering Kyle Steven Hugunin

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and 
honor the life of Mr. Kyle Steven Hugunin.
  Friends, family, and members of Kyle's community recently recognized 
the 1-year anniversary of his passing at the youthful age of 30. He was 
from Savannah, in Georgia's First Congressional District, and was an 
outstanding, kind, and loving individual, who was a friend to all.

  Kyle was employed by Industrial Conveyor Belt Services for 10 years 
and worked hard in all he did.
  While reminiscing on Kyle's abundance of joy that he brought to all 
family, friends, and others, they recalled that ``he had one of the 
best smiles ever.'' He represented what it looks like to truly live 
life to the fullest and not take any day for granted.
  Kyle was a 2007 graduate of Benedictine Military School and loved the 
outdoors, hunting, fishing, golf, and baseball.
  My thoughts and prayers go out to all who knew and loved him during 
this difficult time.


       Congratulating Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
Brunswick-Godlen Isles Chamber of Commerce for the U.S. certification 
at the highest five-star level.
  Accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the only program 
of its kind. It defines excellence in chamber planning and recognizes 
chambers for outstanding contributions toward positive change in their 
communities. There are currently only 204 chambers across the country 
that have earned the accreditation designation, and only 128 are five-
star.
  The Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce has been the voice of 
the business community and a leader among community programs.
  I applaud all members of the chamber for their hard work throughout 
the years to excel above other chambers throughout the Nation and their 
efforts to lead by example.
  In part due to the chamber's hard work and dedication, our community 
is an exceptional place to live, work, and visit. I look forward to 
seeing the positive future of the chamber and the communities they help 
serve and grow.

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