[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 179 (Tuesday, October 12, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING RETIRED COL. VICTOR ``VIC'' FERNANDEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG LAMBORN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 12, 2021

  Mr. LAMBORN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a friend, patriot, 
and man of great faith, Retired Col. Victor ``Vic'' Fernandez. A 30-
year Army veteran, Vic served his country valiantly and led the effort 
to establish the Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, 
Colorado.
  A Colorado native, Vic grew up in Trinidad with a longstanding family 
tradition of military service. His great grandfather fought in the 
Civil War, his father in World War II, and his uncle was captured at 
the battle of Corregidor in World War II and later survived the Bataan 
Death March. Vic followed this tradition of service to his country and 
graduated from West Point in 1959 with a degree in mechanical 
engineering. Vic's 30-year career included two Panama tours, two 
Germany tours, and multiple stateside postings in addition to his time 
in the Vietnam War.
  Vic served two tours in Vietnam, and upon his return, was 
disheartened at the poor reception he and other soldiers received. 
Because of this experience, Vic dedicated his retirement to ensuring 
that soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan did not share the same 
experience. He and his wife Sherry, spent many late nights at airports 
and military bases, often waiting until 2 a.m., to greet returning 
troops with a warm handshake, a cheeseburger with fries, a welcoming 
smile, and prayer.
  Additionally, Vic served as president of the Pikes Peak Chapter of 
the Military Officers Association of America. He was also a founding 
member of the Board of Home Front Cares and the Southeast Family Center 
and Armed Services YMCA.
  In 1999, Vic became the chairman of the Pikes Peak Veterans Cemetery 
Committee. He advocated for a National Veterans Cemetery in the Pikes 
Peak region. Vic wanted a place that would serve the veterans of 
Southern Colorado for generations to follow. In 2006, he, and the other 
founding members of the cemetery board, Ralph McCutchen and Joe Henjum 
approached me with their vision. On my second day in office in January 
2007, I introduced H.R. 295, which directed the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the Pikes Peak 
region.
  In May of 2008, I conducted a field hearing in Colorado Springs to 
address The National Cemetery Administration's longstanding 75-mile 
rule. A typical spring day in Colorado, VA Under Secretary for Memorial 
Affairs William F. Tuerk and other distinguished guests traveling to 
the hearing were greeted with sunny weather in Denver upon arrival. By 
the time they drove through Castle Rock, snowflakes were falling. The 
field hearing started over an hour late, because of poor road 
conditions, due to a white-out blizzard on Monument Hill. Vic and 
everyone involved in the hearing could only attribute the storm to 
divine intervention.
  During the hearing, Vic offered passionate testimony and argued that 
`these geographic and weather pattern hindrances make the Veterans 
Administration internal 75-mile rule a useless tool in the state of 
Colorado. The combination of the geography, weather patterns and a 
foolish regulation serves only to assure that the Veterans and their 
families in the Pikes Peak Region and southern Colorado are not 
properly nor fairly served by Fort Logan.'
  Because of providential weather conditions and the testimony of Vic, 
and others, Under Secretary Tuerk decided it was appropriate to break 
the VA's longstanding, 75-mile rule and establish a national cemetery 
in Southern Colorado.
  Years later, after legislation for the cemetery was signed into law, 
Vic told a reporter, `I think God is keeping me alive so I can be 
buried there.' Vic had dedicated over 20 years passionately advocating 
for this national monument. In 2018, the Pikes Peak National Cemetery 
opened, with the capacity for 197,000 veterans to be interred. Because 
of his vision, the Pikes Peak National Cemetery will serve as a 
permanent monument and final resting place for generations of our 
nation's heroes.
  In addition to his deep-rooted patriotism, Vic was a man of dedicated 
spiritual conviction. A longtime parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi 
in Colorado Springs, he served as a Grand Knight in the Knights of 
Columbus, a Catholic men's chapter that he helped to establish.
  Vic was a giant amongst men and lived his life tenaciously in service 
to his Creator, his nation, his family, and his community. His lifetime 
of service has left a permanent impact on the Pikes Peak region.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in Congress join me in 
honoring this man of great faith, passion, and patriotism, my friend, 
U.S. Army Retired Col. Victor ``Vic'' Fernandez.

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