[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19479-19480]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       COLONEL PATRICIA E. BOYLE

 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a great 
American and a true military heroine who has honorably served our 
country for 25 years in the Air Force Nurse Corps: Col. Patricia E. 
Boyle. Colonel Boyle began her career as an intern and then staff nurse 
at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. She quickly rose 
through the ranks and served at Air Force bases throughout the country, 
including Peterson Air Force Base, AFB CO, Vandenburg AFB, CA, Wright-
Patterson AFB, OH, and Robins AFB, GA. In each assignment, she excelled 
and overcame every challenge, and was rewarded with greater 
responsibilities and opportunities. Colonel Boyle has been recognized 
throughout her career as a leader who could motivate others to give the 
best they had to offer. Her talent for teaching and mentoring 
personnel, as well as her creativity and skill in management were 
instrumental in many of the successes the Air Force Medical Service 
enjoys today. Above all, she is a compassionate nurse who always put 
the welfare of her patients first.
  Colonel Boyle served with distinction as a fellow on my staff from 
1999 to 2000, and in this capacity greatly strengthened the acclaimed 
Department of Defense Tri-Service Nursing Research Program, among other 
highly valuable efforts. In her follow-on assignment as director of 
Congressional and Public Affairs in the Office of the Air Force Surgeon 
General, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the department of 
Defense to make TRICARE for Life a reality for senior military 
retirees. The Surgeon General and his staff depended daily on her 
astute judgment and seasoned advice to meet the increasingly difficult 
challenges faced by our military departments today as they provide 
exemplary health care around the world in the 21st century. Colonel 
Boyle has made a substantial difference in the lives of our young 
troops and their families everywhere, and has improved the lot of our 
retired

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military patriots who have sacrificed so much. She always went the 
extra mile to serve her country and her fellow man. Her performance 
reflects greatly on herself, the U.S. Air Force, the Department of 
Defense, and the United States of America. I extend my deepest 
appreciation on behalf of a grateful Nation for her dedicated service. 
Congratulations, Col. Patricia Boyle. I wish you Godspeed.

                          ____________________