[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15346]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MRS. BRIGITTE HANES

  Mr. THURMOND. Madam President, I know that my colleagues are aware of 
the excellent services provided by the military liaison offices of the 
Senate. For many years military and civilian liaison officers have 
given invaluable assistance in the areas of constituent services, 
military issues, and fact-finding visits.
  One of these liaison officers is Mrs. Brigitte Hanes. During the past 
nine years she has worked tirelessly solving the problems of soldiers 
and their families who have asked for help from their Senators.
  The wife of an Army officer, Brigitte raised two daughters before 
embarking on her own career. First, she served on the staff of the 
Commander in Chief of the Joint Forces in Korea. Then she was the 
Personal Affairs Coordinator for foreign military students at the 
Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. Brigitte and her 
husband moved to Washington in 1991. It was December of that year that 
she went to work in the Army Senate Liaison Office.
  She gained a reputation around the Senate as a very reliable person. 
Few people are more widely known and respected than Brigitte. She is 
known throughout the Senate as an expert in dealing with a range of 
constituent issues relating to the Army and many other military 
matters.
  When I needed to get something done I would call Brigitte. For 
example: she arranged for the shipment of a wheel chair from a 
Senator's office to the mayor of a town in Bosnia. In fact she 
delivered it to Andrews Air Force Base herself to start it on its way. 
She talked to a deserter and although he was afraid, she convinced him 
to turn himself in to Army authorities. She talked a soldier into 
boarding a plane for Korea. He had called his mother from the airport 
and told her he was not going to get on the plane. She called the 
Senator's aide who put in a conference call to Brigitte. She got two 
years incapacitation pay for a Reservist whose unit administrator had 
been unable to get it for him.
  In addition to her vast casework load she organized and escorted 
Senate staffers on very informative orientation visits to military 
posts where they could see the Army at work.
  She has been honored repeatedly by her superiors who recognized what 
a valuable resource they had in Brigitte.
  We will miss her support in the Army Senate Liaison Office when she 
leaves at the end of August to accept a promotion in the office of the 
Chief of Army Reserves' Legislative Liaison Office.
  I would like to say thank you to Brigitte for her nine years of 
devoted service to the Senate and to wish her success and happiness in 
her new endeavor.

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