[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15913]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL KAREN DIXON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute and congratulate a 
real American heroine, Lieutenant Colonel Karen Dixon, who hails from 
the Seventh Congressional District of Maryland. I was honored to attend 
a pinning and promotion ceremony for Lieutenant Colonel Dixon last 
Friday at the Women's Military Service Memorial at Arlington National 
Cemetery, Arlington Virginia. During this ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel 
Dixon was promoted from the rank of Major to Lieutenant Colonel.
  Lieutenant Colonel Dixon is the ninth child of 11 children born to 
Alice and James Dixon. Of those 11 children, four have served in the 
military. She is an honors graduate of Catonsville High School and 
received several awards and served as a member of the All-State cross 
country team. She received a bachelor of arts degree in social work 
from Bennett College, where she was commissioned as a second lieutenant 
in the United States Army Signal Corps upon selection as a 
distinguished military graduate. In 1995, she received a master's of 
arts degree in management from Webster University.
  Mr. Speaker, during her tenure in the Army, she has served in many 
capacities. She currently is assigned as a Department of the Army 
Systems Acquisition Management Coordinator, assigned to the Secretary 
of the Army's staff. Her next assignment is Chief of the Headquarters 
Branch, Joint Headquarters Regional Subcommand, NATO in Greece.
  Lieutenant Colonel Dixon is an American soldier, a person of 
capability and ideals. She has dedicated her life to an American Army 
that always must remain true to its principles, an Army that must 
always conduct itself with fairness. She understands that our 
commitment to fairness and merit is our strength. She has served this 
Nation well. And in the process, she has learned that no one gives us 
our freedom; it must be earned. No one guarantees fairness that we 
ourselves are not willing to affirm, even if that requires some 
personal risk on our part.
  Lieutenant Colonel Dixon understands that life is a struggle, but she 
is an American. She believes that when we persevere, fairness will 
ultimately prevail. The United States military is remarkable among the 
great fighting forces of the modern world.

                              {time}  1900

  More often than not, the young people who have defended us and, all 
too often, have made the ultimate sacrifice have done so as volunteers.
  Last March, President Clinton applauded the service and achievements 
of all the women who have put on the uniform of the United States and 
fought for their country. As the President also recognized, however, 
obstacles to hard-earned recognition all too often remain, in the 
military and in civilian life.
  Mr. Speaker, we must continue to build a military which is as diverse 
as this wonderful Nation. Never again should gender predetermine a 
person's opportunity to serve.
  The ideals of American women and men, our commitment to freedom, to 
equality and fairness, have made this country the strongest in the 
world. We must never forget that. Fairness is the foundation of our 
freedom.
  Today, we acknowledge Lieutenant Colonel Karen Dixon for her 
competence and her commitment to American ideals and for her tremendous 
service.
  Lieutenant Colonel Dixon has demonstrated that merit will be 
recognized and fairness will prevail if we persevere. By her actions, 
she has shown that a commitment to fairness remains the foundation of 
America's strength. That is why I am so honored to represent Lieutenant 
Colonel Dixon in the Congress of the United States of America.

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