[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11993]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      IN TRIBUTE TO ALFRED RASCON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2001

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise for the second time in two years to 
pay tribute to Alfred Rascon, who was recently confirmed as the 10th 
director of the Selective Service System.
  Alfred is a remarkable man. Born in Mexico, he moved to Oxnard, 
California, in my district, with his family when he was a small child. 
His family raised him there and instilled in him the values of honor, 
integrity, a love of his adopted land and a reverence for life and his 
fellow human beings.
  At age 17, he left Oxnard and joined the Army. He trained to be a 
medic and a paratrooper. On March 16, 1966, in the jungles of Vietnam, 
Alfred was severely and repeatedly wounded as he crawled from comrade 
to comrade to render aid, to protect his comrades and to retrieve 
weapons and ammunition needed in the firefight they were in.
  By the time Alfred was loaded into a helicopter, he was near death. A 
chaplain gave him last rites. He survived. Because of his efforts, so 
did his sergeant and at least one other in his platoon.
  But the Medal of Honor Alfred was due was lost in red tape, until two 
years ago, when the record was corrected.
  He returned to civilian life, became a naturalized citizen and 
rejoined the Army. After another tour of duty in Vietnam and achieving 
the rank of lieutenant, Alfred again became a civilian. But he 
continued to serve his country, with posts in the Department of 
Justice, where he served with the Immigration and Naturalization 
Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and INTERPOL. Prior to his 
appointment as director of the Selective Service System, he served for 
five years as its Inspector General.
  He is married to the former Carol Lee Richardson. They have two 
children.
  Mr. Speaker, Alfred Rascon is a humble man who achieved greatness by 
quietly and unselfishly doing what he believed was right. He is the 
right man to head up the Selective Service System. I know my colleagues 
will join me in congratulating Alfred on his selection and give him our 
full support in achieving the goals of his new position.

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