[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15504-15505]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                 TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN CATHERINE A. WILSON

 Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I would like to recognize a great 
American and true military heroine who has honorably served our country 
for over 29 years in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps: CAPT Catherine A. 
Wilson.
  In May, 2006, Captain Wilson assumed command of Naval Hospital 
Bremerton. Prior to reporting, she completed a successful tour as the 
commanding officer of Expeditionary Medical Facility, Kuwait. Her 
command included the U.S. military hospital and nine troop medical 
clinics located throughout the country. Prior to deploying, she served 
as the executive officer, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton where she also 
commanded the fleet hospital.
  Captain Wilson's past assignments included the Naval Medical Center 
Portsmouth where she was the Director of Fleet and Family Medicine. 
This Directorate was staffed by over 2,600

[[Page 15505]]

personnel and covered six service lines--family care, women and 
children's health, adult medical care, preventive care and wellness, 
emergent and urgent care, and behavioral care, plus nine branch medical 
clinics.
  Captain Wilson served as the Deputy Director of the TRICARE Mid-
Atlantic Region Lead Agent Office where she had direct impact on all 
military and civilian health care for over a million beneficiaries in 
Virginia and North Carolina. Her responsibilities included the 
administration of a $3.1 billion managed care support contract.
  In 1999, she was selected as a congressional detailee to my office, 
where she advised me on all health-related issues. Captain Wilson was a 
staff assistant for the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee 
for Defense, as well as the Labor, Health, and Human Services and 
Education Committee. Prior to working on Capitol Hill, she served as 
the Director of Regional Operations for TRICARE Mid-Atlantic.
  Captain Wilson also worked at the Pentagon as the staff of the 
Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs. During this tour, she 
was the Deputy Director for Force Management, Senior Policy Analyst for 
TRICARE Operations Policy, and ultimately served as the chief of staff 
for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, health affairs, for 
Health Services Operations and Readiness. At that time, the MHS was a 
$15.5 billion system, the Nation's second largest, and included the 
integrated delivery of health care to more than 8.2 million DOD 
beneficiaries worldwide. Captain Wilson's other executive management 
positions include a 4-year tour at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery 
as the Deputy of Enlisted Force Management and the Navy Surgeon 
General's representative for HIV and AIDS prevention education. Her 
duty assignments include the Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Naval 
Hospital Philadelphia; and the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, 
MD.
  Captain Wilson's military awards include the Defense Meritorious 
Service Medal, third award, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, fourth 
award, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Military Unit Commendation, second 
award, Overseas Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, 
second award, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. She 
is entitled to wear the Office of the Secretary of Defense 
identification badge and is the recipient of the Uniformed Services 
University of the Health Sciences, USUHS, Meritorious Service Award.
  Captain Wilson's educational background includes a bachelor of 
science degree in nursing, a master of science degree in trauma/
critical care nursing with a minor in education, and a master of 
science degree in human resources management and health policy. She is 
also certified in managed care by the Academy of Healthcare Management 
and earned a certificate in legislative studies from Georgetown 
University. She is married to Don D. Wilson, CAPT, MSC, USN (Ret.) and 
has two children and two grandchildren.
  Captain Wilson is a meritorious leader, administrator, clinician, 
educator, and mentor. Throughout her career she has served with valor 
and profoundly impacted the entire Navy Medical Department. Her 
performance reflects exceptionally on herself, the U.S. Navy, the 
Department of Defense, and the United States of America. I extend my 
deepest appreciation to CAPT Catherine A. Wilson on behalf of a 
grateful nation for her more than 29 years of dedicated military 
service.

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