[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 194 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING COLONEL WILLIAM W. BUTLER AS VIRGINIA'S 4TH CONGRESSIONAL 
                  DISTRICT'S 2025 VETERAN OF THE YEAR

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. JENNIFER L. McCLELLAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2025

  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colonel William 
Woodard Butler, an extraordinary Virginian and the 2025 Veteran of the 
Year for Virginia's 4th Congressional District. Colonel Butler is an 
outstanding choice for this honor, having devoted his entire military 
career to saving and improving the lives of our service members and 
advancing research in surgery, tropical medicine, hyperbaric medicine, 
and aerospace medicine.
  Colonel Butler has logged over 980 flight hours, including more than 
65 hours in combat, and completed two overseas deployments, one to 
Okinawa and another to Qatar. He concluded his distinguished military 
career as a Professor of Aerospace Medicine at the United States Air 
Force School of Aerospace Medicine, earning the Air Force's special 
experience identifier of Clinical/Academic Grandmaster in both 
Hyperbaric and Aerospace Medicine.
  Internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in altitude-
induced decompression sickness and aeromedical evacuation, Colonel 
Butler's research has directly improved the safety and survivability of 
critically ill and injured service members during transport. His 
contributions have had a lasting, positive impact on the Department of 
Defense and have almost certainly reduced the overall transport 
morbidity for tens of thousands of casualties.
  Colonel Butler's exemplary service has earned him national and 
international recognition. In 2019, he was inducted into the National 
Air and Space Museum's Wall of Honor. In 2022, he received the 
Aerospace Medical Association's prestigious John Ernsting Award, and in 
2024, he was honored with the Chesterfield Education Foundation's BRAVO 
Award.
  Following more than 30 years of combined active duty and reserve 
service, Colonel Butler continued his dedication to the mission as an 
Aerospace Medicine Consultant to the Air Force for an additional 
decade. He has authored over 150 publications, including 29 peer-
reviewed articles, 39 peer-reviewed abstracts, and 23 proceedings, 
technical reports, and textbook chapters, culminating in a definitive 
200-page monograph on the safe aeromedical evacuation of critically ill 
and injured casualties.
  Beyond his remarkable professional achievements, Colonel Butler has 
remained deeply involved in his community. He serves as a Trustee for 
the John Randolph Foundation, a member of the Hopewell City Planning 
Commission, and an active congregant at the Family of God Church in 
Chesterfield. He also helped establish a permanently endowed 
scholarship for students in Chesterfield, Hopewell, and Prince George 
pursuing medical careers and is an engaged member of the William and 
Mary Alumni Book Club in Richmond.
  Mr. Speaker, Colonel Butler's legacy of service, both in uniform and 
in his community, embodies the best of Virginia's 4th Congressional 
District. His lifelong commitment to science, service, and community 
betterment stands as an inspiration to us all. I ask my colleagues to 
join me in congratulating Colonel Butler on being named the 2025 
Veteran of the Year and in thanking him for his decades of exemplary 
service to our Nation.

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