[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13731]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO COLONEL KELLEY KASH

  Mr. KING. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and thank Col. 
Kelley Kash for his exceptional service to our Nation while serving in 
the U.S. Air Force, as well as his leadership as the CEO of Maine 
Veterans' Homes, MVH, a post he has held since 2007.
  Colonel Kash grew up in a military family. His father was a career 
Army officer and flew helicopters in Vietnam. While not a native of 
Maine, Colonel Kash first moved to the State of Maine to attend Colby 
College in Waterville, where he graduated in 1981 with a bachelor of 
arts in classics. He then went on to earn his master of science in 
hospital and health services administration from Ohio State University, 
before earning a commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1984. As deputy 
commander of an air transportable hospital, he provided medical support 
to deployed U.S. forces in support of Operation Provide Comfort, as 
well as medical care to over 5,000 indigent Haitian patients. In his 
final assignment, he served as commander of the 18th Medical Group, the 
largest U.S. Air Force medical unit in the Pacific.
  Upon his retirement from Active Duty in 2007, the veterans community 
of Maine was fortunate to gain a profound leader when Colonel Kash was 
hired as the CEO of Maine Veterans' Home. During his tenure as CEO, he 
directed a successful national effort that inspired Federal legislation 
to correct serious underfunding problems with the new VA program for 
severely disabled veterans receiving care in State veterans homes.
  While his efforts and achievements both in the Air Force and with MVH 
are notable, a few highlights that illustrate his leadership are MVH 
Scarborough became the first nursing home in Maine to achieve the rare 
Gold Excellence in Quality Award by the American Health Care 
Association and one of only 31 awarded nationally since 1997. Not only 
have all six facilities in Maine been recognized for providing quality 
customer services, but they have also achieved the elite Silver 
Achievement in Quality Award. Four MVH facilities are currently at the 
highest five-star overall rating by the Center of Medicare and Medicaid 
Services for survey results, staffing, and quality indicators.
  Colonel Kash has prepared Maine Veterans' Home for long-term success 
by completing a strategic master plan for all MVH campuses with the 
goal of better delivering resident-directed care in ``home'' 
environments using small-house model design principles. His plan 
includes over $200 million worth of funding spanning over the next 15 
years. His plan is already underway with modernizations projects 
occurring at various MVH locations in Maine, including a state-of-the-
art therapy and rehab addition at Bangor, a multipurpose room addition 
at Machias, and decentralized dining projects at Scarborough, Bangor, 
and South Paris. Colonel Kash's leadership has led Maine Veterans' 
Homes to remarkable transformations and major success in providing 
better care for Maine's veterans. On behalf of veterans communities 
across the State of Maine, I want to thank Colonel Kash for his 
commitment to providing excellent care and access to services for our 
veterans.

                          ____________________