[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 125 (Tuesday, July 22, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4525-S4526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO DR. FREDRICK ``SKIP'' BURKLE

  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, Dr. Fredrick ``Skip'' Burkle, Jr., is a 
distinguished veteran, physician, and humanitarian whose service to our 
Nation exemplifies the highest ideals of courage and compassion. 
Throughout his career, Dr. Burkle has selflessly dedicated his life to 
graciously serve not only the American people, but countless others who 
his influence and expertise extended to.
  Dr. Burkle was drafted into the U.S. Navy at the height of the 
Vietnam war as a military physician at Delta Med, a Forward Casualty 
Receiving Facility for the 3rd Marine Division near the Demilitarized 
Zone. Under relentless mortar fire and nightly combat, Dr. Burkle 
provided lifesaving care to wounded marines, civilians, and enemy 
combatants alike. While serving at Delta Med, Dr. Burkle came under an 
incoming enemy attack which caused him to collide into the wall of a 
bunker, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. However, Dr. Burkle did 
not let this injury stop him from continuing his career of service.
  His valor and dedication earned him the Bronze Star with Combat V, a 
testament to his extraordinary service in an extremely dangerous 
engagement of the war. In 1975, Dr. Burkle returned to Vietnam to serve 
as the medical director for Operation Babylift, a daring humanitarian 
mission that evacuated thousands of orphans from Saigon in the final 
days of the war. His leadership during this operation saved countless 
lives and demonstrated the enduring commitment of American compassion 
in times of crisis. During the Persian Gulf War, Dr. Burkle served as 
senior medical officer at Al Khanjar Navy-Marine Trauma Center, one of 
the largest field hospitals in the Marine Corps' history.
  Dr. Burkle retired as a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, but his 
commitment to public service did not end there. He went on to become 
one of the

[[Page S4526]]

world's experts in disaster response, global health, and humanitarian 
assistance. Dr. Burkle further offered his expertise in disaster and 
emergency medicine by serving as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for 
Global Health at the U.S. Agency for International Development, where 
he was notably tasked to organize preparations for postconflict 
humanitarian assistance following the U.S. invasion of Iraq. His work 
has spanned continents and crises, earning him well-deserved 
recognition.
  Dr. Burkle's life is a testament to the values we hold dear: service 
above self, healing in the face of destruction, and unwavering 
dedication to the betterment of humankind. I commend Dr. Burkle for his 
service to this country; we are a nation forever in gratitude for his 
accomplishments. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. 
Fredrick ``Skip'' Burkle for his military service, his humanitarian 
legacy, and his enduring impact on global health and diplomacy.

                          ____________________