[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6785-6786]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 170--HONORING ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN OF THE UNITED STATES 
    COAST GUARD (RET.) FOR HIS LIFETIME OF SELFLESS COMMITMENT AND 
                 EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. COCHRAN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

                              S. Res. 170

       Whereas Admiral Thad Allen, the 23rd Commandant of the 
     United States Coast Guard, retired from the Coast Guard on 
     June 30, 2010, after 39 distinguished years of service;
       Whereas Admiral Allen graduated from the United States 
     Coast Guard Academy in 1971 and served in a number of 
     capacities, including serving as the Principal Federal 
     Official for response and recovery operation for Hurricanes 
     Katrina and Rita, Coast Guard Chief of Staff, and most 
     recently as National Incident Commander for the Deepwater 
     Horizon Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico;
       Whereas Admiral Allen commanded with distinction the 
     foremost Coast Guard in the world from 2006 to 2010 and has 
     embodied the Coast Guard's enduring values of honor, respect, 
     and devotion to duty;
       Whereas Admiral Allen, during his tenure as Commandant, 
     focused the Coast Guard on modernization and improved 
     readiness in responding to natural disasters;
       Whereas Admiral Allen, during his tenure as Commandant, 
     worked to ensure the safety of professional mariners and 
     millions of recreational and commercial vessels, facilitate 
     commerce, protect the ports and maritime infrastructure of 
     the United States from terrorism, conduct humanitarian 
     operations, protect our marine environment, secure United 
     States borders, combat drug trafficking, support anti-piracy 
     efforts, and support Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 
     Enduring Freedom;
       Whereas Admiral Allen demonstrated the vision and 
     transformational leadership that will provide the United 
     States with a Coast Guard that is not only capable of meeting 
     and exceeding the ever-changing maritime challenges of the 
     United States, but also able to better anticipate future 
     challenges and missions;
       Whereas Admiral Allen provided steady leadership in times 
     of crisis;
       Whereas as Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the 
     United States once said, ``The qualities of a great man are 
     vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of 
     articulation, and profundity of character''; and
       Whereas as we bid fair winds and following seas to Admiral 
     Allen, it is appropriate that he be remembered as 
     exemplifying such trademark characteristics exhibited by 
     great leaders: Now therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
        (a) recognizes and honors Admiral Thad Allen of the United 
     States Coast Guard (retired), on behalf of a grateful Nation, 
     for his lifetime of selfless commitment and exemplary 
     service; and
       (b) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an 
     enrolled copy of this resolution to Admiral Thad Allen.

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to submit a resolution today 
to honor the distinguished 39-year career of ADM Thad Allen, retired 
Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
  Our Nation's first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, 
observed that ``a few armed vessels, judiciously stationed at the 
entrance of our ports, might at a small expense be made useful 
sentinels of the laws.'' These words inspired the creation of the 
modern day U.S. Coast Guard. More than 200 years later, the Coast Guard 
is today dutifully executing its diverse and challenging missions, 
demonstrating their dual functionality as both a military service and a 
law enforcement authority.
  Despite limited resources and a broadened scope of responsibility, 
the Coast Guard has risen to the increased challenges it faces. Time 
and time again, the men and women of the Coast Guard prove the value of 
their presence and their important role in protecting the public, as 
well as the environmental, economic, and security interests of the 
United States.
  For almost four decades, Admiral Allen dedicated himself to these 
missions and capped his career by providing meritorious leadership to 
our Nation's oldest continuous seagoing service.
  Thad Allen was born and raised in Tucson, AZ. His parents were chief 
damage controlman Clyde Allen and Wilma Allen. After graduating from 
the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1971, he served in a variety of 
assignments, eventually becoming Commandant. He often refers to himself 
as the ``unlikely admiral.''
  It has been said before, and I think it is worth repeating: ``When 
times are at

[[Page 6786]]

their worst, the Coast Guard is at its best.'' Admiral Allen deserves 
credit for providing the leadership skills that allowed that statement 
to remain true during some of the most difficult times for our Nation 
in recent years.
  I came to know Thad Allen in a time of hardship. My home State of 
Mississippi and other Gulf Coast States had just experienced two of the 
deadliest hurricanes in our Nation's history in Katrina and Rita. He 
was the principal Federal official for response and recovery from those 
natural disasters. I will never forget the destruction we witnessed--
homes, schools, and big oak trees that had stood for decades were 
completely leveled. But through his efforts and those of the brave men 
and women throughout the Coast Guard, over 33,500 gulf coast residents 
were rescued from rooftops and flooded homes.
  Admiral Allen proved himself to be a man of not just sterling 
courage, with compassion to match, but also a man of great integrity 
and an enormous capacity for hard work. He is a direct reflection of 
the guardian ethos and an inspiration of those who have had the good 
fortune to work with him.
  Admiral Allen will, of course, be the first to say that the brave men 
and women throughout the ranks of the Coast Guard are the ones who 
deserve the credit for success. He has made a habit of openly praising 
their sacrifice and often thankless service.
  Today, I am proud to say that my State, due in part to his leadership 
and those Coast Guard men and women who have served under him, has made 
a great deal of progress in recovering from the most severe natural 
disasters in our Nation's history.
  As the Coast Guard's motto is ``Semper Paratus''--always ready--
Admiral Allen is an embodiment of that motto. We do not need to look 
back too far to find an example, most recently, when the President 
selected him to serve as national incident commander in the wake of the 
Deepwater Horizon oilspill in the Gulf of Mexico. Admiral Allen stood 
ready and provided resolute leadership, overseeing the Federal 
Government's response efforts and remaining on Active Duty for an 
additional 3 months past his slated retirement.
  In Mississippi, we are grateful for the service and leadership of ADM 
Thad Allen, which will be long remembered and appreciated. I know the 
admiral and his family will enjoy the new opportunities that come with 
retirement, in addition to a well-earned respite from the demands and 
challenges of his exemplary career in the U.S. Coast Guard.

                          ____________________