[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 14916-14917]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  PAYING TRIBUTE TO BILLY O. HIGHTOWER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 7, 2004

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to pay tribute to Billy 
Hightower and thank him for his work as Mesa County Veterans Service 
Officer with the Veteran's Affairs Department. His years of commitment 
and dedication as a

[[Page 14917]]

public servant is certainly commendable and worthy of recognition 
before this body of Congress and this nation today. Along with my 
fellow Americans, I am grateful for all that he has accomplished during 
his years of service.
  Billy bravely served in the U.S. Air Force as a jet mechanic in the 
Korean War, and later went on to teach psychology and sociology at both 
Grand Junction Central High School and Mesa State College. He became 
active in helping veterans when he began working with the Disabled 
American Veterans (DAV) organization serving as the 1976-1977 Colorado 
State Commander, the 1977-1978 National Senior Vice Commander and the 
1978-1979 National Commander. During his tenure at the DAV, Billy 
worked on an outreach program for veterans called Project Forgotten 
Warrior that was adopted by the Veterans Affairs Department all across 
the country.
  In 1979, Billy became a Health Systems Specialist with the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. Throughout his eighteen years with the Veterans 
Affairs Department his extraordinary talent and dedication led him to 
work with the Salt Lake City Regional Director, the Virginia Regional 
Office Director, and the Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health. 
He also served as a Grand Junction Organizational Development 
Specialist, and Patient Advocate before taking his current position as 
the Mesa County Veterans Service Officer.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Billy Hightower has been an invaluable 
resource to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is my honor to 
recognize his service and dedication before this body of Congress and 
this nation. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with devoted 
public servants like Billy. On behalf of the citizens that have 
benefited from the hard work and commitment he has given to the 
Department of Veterans Affairs and the constituents it serves, I extend 
my appreciation for his years of enthusiastic service.

                          ____________________