[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22099]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        TRIBUTE TO EMILIO TORRES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 21, 1999

  Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincerest 
congratulations to Mr. Emilio Torres of San Antonio, TX, upon his 
retirement after 51 years of Federal Government service.
  Mr. Torres began serving his country on May 4, 1948, with a tour of 
duty in the U.S. Navy. After his service with the Navy, Mr. Torres 
spent his remaining years of Federal Government service at Kelly Air 
Force Base in San Antonio. Throughout those years of service, Mr. 
Torres held positions in Kelly Flight Test and in the Quality Assurance 
Division of the Directorate of Maintenance. Mr. Torres also served as 
chief of the Quality Evaluation Team and as chief of Administration 
Services for the Directorate of Maintenance. In addition, Mr. Torres 
was assigned to the San Antonio-Air Logistics Center as a special 
projects officer.
  As an artist, Mr. Torres has made a number of significant 
contributions to Kelly Air Force Base. Mr. Torres is the designer of 
the Veteran's Monument at Kelly Air Force Base, and his efforts were 
instrumental in establishing the Kelly Air Force Base Heritage Museum. 
Mr. Torres has also received wide recognition and acclaim for his 
historical carton depiction of Kelly Air Force Base, a piece which 
appeared in the San Antonio Express News, the San Antonio Light, and 
the Kelly Observer.
  Mr. Torres' artistic contributions have been recognized by the city 
of San Antonio, and his works have been presented to many distinguished 
officials including the Pope, the Queen of England, the King of Spain, 
all U.S. Presidents beginning with President Kennedy, and a number of 
secretaries of the Air Force, Governors, State senators, and other 
visiting dignitaries.
  In his final duty for the Federal Government, Mr. Torres has been 
assigned to the San Antonio-Air Logistics Center Commander's Action 
Group. In this capacity, Mr. Torres manages the special projects 
function which aids the commander in support of distinguished visitors, 
briefings, tours, displays, and orientations.
  The efforts of Emilio Torres merit recognition, not only for his 
years of dedicated service, but also for the indelible imprint that his 
artistic works have left on the San Antonio community.




                          ____________________