[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8234-8235]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO RANDALL D. BOOKOUT

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute and offer my 
deep appreciation to Randy Bookout for his many years of dedicated 
service as a professional staff member on the Senate Select Committee 
on Intelligence, SSCI. Randy joined the committee staff in October 1999 
and served in various capacities, most recently as the committee's 
budget monitor for the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA. During his 
almost 18 years with the committee, Randy established a solid 
reputation of fairness and professionalism that was widely respected by 
members and staff, regardless of party, and officials within 
intelligence community elements over which he conducted oversight.
  Randall D. Bookout joined the committee after serving a 28-year 
career with the Army, retiring as a colonel in the infantry. His 
distinguished Army career included assignments as a company commander 
in Korea and Panama

[[Page 8235]]

and as an infantry battalion commander in Alaska. He served as a staff 
officer in the Office of the Army Chief of Staff and later as the 
senior military aide to Secretary of the Army Togo D. West, Jr. His 
last duty in the Army was as the Army's Chief of Legislative Liaison 
for the Senate from 1995-1999. Randy graduated with a bachelor of 
science degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a 
master's degree in business administration from the University of 
Northern Colorado. He attended the Army's War College at Carlisle 
Barracks, PA, as well as airborne and Ranger training.
  Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, who often traveled with Colonel 
Bookout when he served as the Army chief liaison for the Senate, was 
chairman of the SSCI in 1999 and asked Randy to interview for a 
nonpartisan staff job on the committee. Randy retired from the Army on 
a Friday and began work at SSCI the following Monday. As often was the 
case, Randy took to the challenge of this new role with a deep 
commitment, including long hours of study to learn an entire new 
encyclopedia of acronyms from the ones he knew after 28 years in the 
Army.
  Much of Randy's work for the committee must remain unspoken. I will 
simply say here that he has made significant contributions to this 
country's national security and to the operations and activities of the 
CIA and the rest of the intelligence community. He knew the Agency in 
detail, seriously challenged it at times, and fiercely defended it at 
others. He forced changes that improved its operations, while at all 
times respecting its mission and, most importantly, respecting the 
women and men who worked there.
  In fact, one of Randy's greatest traits and admirable qualities is 
that he cared not only for the organization, but genuinely cared about 
the individuals. His job was to focus on big programs, run by hundreds 
if not thousands of people, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and 
affecting the lives of countless others. He did that oversight job 
exceptionally well. He also saw and noticed each person who was a part 
of these big operations. Randy did what he could to help them perform 
their mission and to help them in their personal lives when something 
was amiss. For example, he helped a woman who served admirably for both 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CIA, who unjustly lost her 
American citizenship. Randy helped get her legal resident status back. 
He helped an intelligence official, who left government service due to 
health problems incurred in a war zone, get the retirement ceremony he 
rightly deserved and was important to him and his family. After every 
trip he took for the committee, he left a trail of handwritten thank 
you notes that traced his path. He not only never forgot the little 
guy, Randy knew their name.
  In the committee office, Randy always represents the highest standard 
of professionalism and collegiality. He always took the time to mentor 
young staffers, was willing to share his knowledge on programs or 
activities, and has never shied away from a request for assistance from 
a colleague. A fellow staff noted that Randy ``treats colleagues, 
superiors and the most junior staff member with respect and 
encouragement. He treats the intelligence officials with whom we 
interact in the same manner. So many times I've seen him engage with 
junior officers in challenging and remote settings at odd hours of the 
night, and his interest and enthusiasm for their work leaves them 
invigorated and inspired to do their work.''
  Staff have shared many interesting stories and traits about Randy. He 
is generally the first to arrive in the office, around 5 to 6 a.m. For 
his 60th birthday, he ran an Iron Man triathlon. Colleagues talked 
about his love of travel, strange penchant for weird hats, 
participation in a Tough Mudder, and the particularly interesting fact 
that he and his family were chosen to be on the ``Family Feud'' TV 
show. They won. Staff also have noted his constant positive demeanor, 
even when addressing difficult and challenging issues, but, foremost, 
they noted his commitment to and pride in his family.
  After 46 years of serving his Nation, Randy will retire next week to 
the great State of North Carolina with his wife of 44 years, Cindi 
Bookout. He talks proudly and lovingly of her and their two children. 
Their son, LTC Josh Bookout, graduated from West Point and is currently 
serving his third tour in Afghanistan as a battalion commander. Their 
daughter, Whitney Corey, achieved a master's degree in psychology and 
is currently in San Diego. Retirement will give Randy and Cindi well-
deserved time to be grandparents to their six wonderful grandchildren: 
Cade, Brock, Colt, Ali, Chloe, and Ainsley.
  Let me close by again noting that Randy's commitment to his mission, 
his colleagues, his family, and his country is unquestioned. I want to 
thank him for his energy, his intellect, his passion, and his efforts 
on my behalf and on behalf of the committee. I am certain that I can on 
the Senate floor here today also express the appreciation of the six 
chairmen and vice chairmen of the committee, all of whom Randy served, 
for his service and share our collective wish for great joy and 
happiness in the next stage of his life.

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