[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7884]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO ARTHUR H. WILSON

 Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I rise to ask that this body pay 
high tribute to an outstanding leader and trusted advocate for our 
nation's injured and ill veterans, their families, and survivors. I am 
referring to Arthur H. Wilson, the chief executive officer and national 
adjutant of the Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Wilson, after 
dedicating 47 years of service to our nation's veterans, is retiring as 
leader of that august group of 1.2 million veterans. His steadfast 
devotion and dedication in leading DAV has made the organization the 
Nation's premier veterans service organization offering assistance, 
compassion, and support to our injured heroes.
  DAV is a service organization representing the brave men and women 
who have suffered and survived wartime military service. Founded in 
1920 by those wounded in World War I, DAV has been a devoted advocate 
for 92 years on behalf of those who have sacrificed for our freedom.
  Mr. Wilson served with distinction in the U.S. Air Force as a runway 
construction specialist from 1962 to 1966, including service in 
Southeast Asia. He joined DAV as a national service officer trainee in 
Atlanta following his honorable discharge in 1966. He was subsequently 
assigned as a national service officer in Buffalo, NY, and 
Philadelphia, PA, and later held supervisory positions in DAV's 
national appeals office at the Department of Veterans Affairs' Board of 
Veterans Appeals in Washington, DC, in 1974.
  In 1976, Mr. Wilson was promoted to management duties at DAV's 
National Service and Legislative Headquarters in Washington, DC, 
serving for 12 years as national service director before being 
appointed Executive Director of the Washington headquarters in 1993.
  For the past 19 years, Mr. Wilson has served as national adjutant and 
chief executive Officer of DAV.
  He is retiring from his distinguished career as only the sixth 
national adjutant in the history of the organization. He also serves as 
president of the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation working to 
build the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, 
DC, and is a member of the board of trustees of the USS Intrepid Museum 
Foundation.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our nation's thanks to 
Arthur Wilson for his dedication and commitment to our nation's 
veterans and his leadership of DAV. His devotion to America's wartime 
heroes serves as a brilliant example to all citizens of our 
nation.

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