[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 88 (Friday, May 23, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING HELEN HYDEN ADAMS FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO CENTRAL FLORIDA 
        DURING ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 23, 2025

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, Helen Hyden Adams was born to a Korean mother 
and a father in the U.S. Army. She always knew she would serve in the 
Army and followed in her father's footsteps. She is a product of the 
JROTC program and graduated from Fort Knox High School in 1986 and 
served in the U.S. Army Dental Corps from 1986 to 1990. Her last 
station of duty was at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Helen joined the 
Disabled American Veterans in 1994 and was elected the first woman 
commander of the DAV Department of Alaska in 2000. She continued to 
serve in various leadership roles within the organization, including a 
run for national office in 2008.
  Realizing that many veterans and their families were still struggling 
to navigate the VA system, she and her husband, John Adams, a U.S. Army 
veteran, founded Connecting the Dots for Veterans, a veteran-focused 
nonprofit that educates, engages, and empowers veterans and their 
families. Helen is affectionately called Dottie by everyone.
  As a service-connected disabled veteran since 1994, she shares her 
journey with others so that they may be successful in navigating the VA 
process. She educates, engages, and empowers veterans and their 
families. Ultimately, her program of Connecting the Dots for Veterans 
is a suicide prevention program. It offers veterans and their families 
hope, but more importantly, a step-by-step process that is proven to 
work in successfully navigating the complexities of the VA system.
  To continue assisting transitioning military members, she founded 
Operation Connecting the Dots and serves as its CEO.
  Her civic affiliations are as follows: Congressman Darren Soto's 
Veteran Advisory Board, American Legion Post 10, DAV Chapter 148, VFW 
Auxiliary Unit 3227, Amvets Post 33, Osceola County Veterans Council 
(OCVC) Vice Commander, OCREC Veterans Advisory Board.

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