[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H6866-H6867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF CAPTAIN ZACH EVANS AND CAPTAIN JOSHUA SADDLER FOR 
                        THEIR LIFESAVING ACTIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the valiant actions 
of two Air Force officers from our community who placed their own 
physical safety on the back burner to save citizens from a burning 
vehicle crash.
  Captain Zach Evans, a pilot with the 3rd Airlift Squadron, and 
Captain Joshua Saddler, a MQ-9 Reaper pilot with the 65th Special 
Operations Squadron, are not just heroes but are sons from Nebraska. I 
am proud to say that Captain Evans is a former member of our district 
staff.
  When Zach joined the Air Force, I knew he would go far. Needless to 
say, Zach and Josh are both living up to, if not surpassing, all 
expectations and are bringing great honor to our community.
  On May 5, Captain Zach Evans and Captain Joshua Saddler, good friends 
and graduates of the University of Nebraska, witnessed a truck driving 
erratically on a poorly lit road in Dover, Delaware. The truck swerved 
between lanes, crossing medians, and ignoring traffic signals.
  Captain Evans and Captain Saddler called 911 to report the driver and 
kept a safe distance. However, the driver

[[Page H6867]]

soon ran a red light directly into an SUV, resulting in a burning two-
car collision.
  They pulled over, and along with two civilians, assisted the victims 
in both vehicles.
  While Captain Saddler attended to the trapped people in the SUV, 
Captain Evans, at great personal risk to himself, sprinted to the 
burning truck to remove the suspected drunk driver, who had two broken 
legs, from the vehicle.
  Thankfully, Captain Evans saved the man just before the truck became 
fully engulfed in flames. Captain Evans and Captain Saddler stayed with 
the victims until first responders arrived on scene and remained to 
direct traffic.
  Captain Evans and Captain Saddler were each recognized on October 23 
with the City of Dover Gold Medal for their lifesaving actions and were 
presented with the Dover Police Department's Distinguished Citizen 
Award.
  I salute both Captain Zach Evans and Captain Joshua Saddler and the 
two civilians for their actions that day.


              Recognizing Barbara Felden on her Retirement

  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Barbara Felden, 
who, after 43 years of honorable service to our country as an enlisted 
airman in the Air Force and as a senior civilian liaison in Germany, is 
retiring.
  I worked with Barbara starting in 2008 when I was commander of the 
435th Air Base Wing at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
  Since 2011, she has been the Host Nation Advisor to the Commander of 
the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa.
  At 21, Barbara, a German citizen, married to a U.S. airman, qualified 
to join the U.S. military service. She was assigned to Robins Air Force 
Base after basic training, and returned to Germany where she served in 
various liaison assignments, first as an interpreter, then taking on 
command-wide responsibilities dealing with Federal officials.
  In 1948, she transferred to the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing liaison 
office where she developed first-time liaison initiatives with local 
communities, such as the organization of German civic leaders and 
familiarization to the United States.
  One of Barbara's most challenging assignments was closing down the 
historic Rhein-Main Air Base in Frankfurt and transferring their 
operations to Ramstein Air Base.
  Barbara also served as director of the liaison for the U.S. 
Kaiserslautern Military Community, the largest military overseas 
community in the world.
  During my time as commander at Ramstein, Barbara organized events and 
meetings with the community. I recall that one time she helped arrange 
for me to deliver the opening remarks at the world's largest wine 
festival where I had the opportunity to lead a parade and conduct the 
orchestra.
  Barbara has provided critical support and assistance for a variety of 
major projects during her tenure at headquarters for the U.S. Air 
Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa.
  During the COVID pandemic, she liaised with Federal and State 
officials to ensure military missions could continue, while ensuring 
alignment with the host nation protective measures.

                              {time}  1030

  In the late summer of 2021, the emergency evacuation of Afghan 
nationals to Ramstein Air Base presented many challenges for Ms. Felden 
and her team. While initial expectations were for 5,000 evacuees, about 
35,000 people were actually processed at Ramstein.
  Barbara has always displayed the utmost professionalism in the 
various positions she held during her 43 years. I am proud of her 
accomplishments, and I am honored to call her and her husband, Claude, 
my friends. I salute you both. I thank Barbara for all she has done in 
her stellar career.

                          ____________________