[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 28, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





    CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF RAUL PERDOMO AND HIS LIFETIME OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 28, 2024

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Raul 
Perdomo, a longtime resident of Southeast Michigan and a veteran of the 
Vietnam War, and to grieve his passing. His service to our country, 
both in the military and afterward, is worthy of commendation.
  Born on September 28, 1944, in Caracas, Venezuela, Raul moved to 
Dearborn, Michigan, at the age of 16. Following his graduation from 
Dearborn High, he became a naturalized citizen and answered our 
nation's highest calling when he joined the United States Navy to serve 
in the Vietnam War. This set the stage for a lifetime of service to his 
community and to his country. After his military service, Raul returned 
to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and enrolled at the University of Michigan 
where he studied anthropology before studying business at Eastern 
Michigan University.
  As a graduate of the University of Michigan, Raul was one of the most 
enthusiastic supporters of the Wolverines. His hearty ``Go Blue!'' and 
love for the Maize and Blue was known by anyone who met him, whether 
through his 40 years of work for the University of Michigan Athletics 
Department, as President of the U-M Club of Tampa Bay, the Central Cafe 
and Beer Depot in Ann Arbor, or during his time helping run the Ann 
Arbor Community Recreation and Education Center. Public service 
remained at the forefront of Raul's life, and even after retiring from 
the military. he remained just as committed to serving his community, 
which included 20 years of research and tenure on the Institutional 
Review Board at the Ann Arbor VA Hospital, and as a patient advocate as 
the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the 
life of Raul to our nation. A naturalized citizen answering his 
country's highest calling, he served his country with bravery and honor 
in the Vietnam War before continuing to serve his local communities 
after leaving the military, bringing joy, enthusiasm, and love to 
everyone he met along the way.

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