[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11143]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF COLONEL THOMAS KUNKEL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Carter) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colonel 
Thomas Kunkel, who retired on July 10, 2017, as the commander of the 
23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, near Valdosta, Georgia.
  Colonel Kunkel has served in the United States Air Force for over 20 
years, and he has logged nearly 3,000 hours of flight. As commander of 
the 23rd Wing, he led over 5,000 airmen spread over four bases 
throughout the country.
  An example of his extraordinary leadership and bravery occurred when 
one of his fellow airmen was shot down behind enemy lines during the 
Kosovo conflict in 1999. Colonel Kunkel bravely led a successful 
mission to rescue the missing pilot that was shot down by a missile.
  Colonel Kunkel was also a part of the Air and Joint Staffs in 
Washington, D.C., that serve as advisers to the President of the United 
States.
  He was stationed all over America, in addition to his time abroad in 
Iceland and Qatar, defending the freedoms we all greatly enjoy.
  I am proud to rise today to honor Colonel Kunkel for his leadership, 
his commitment to our country, and his commitment to our airmen. 
Colonel Kunkel will now begin service in the Secretary of the Air Force 
Legislative Liaison Office here in Washington, D.C. I wish him all the 
best.


        Honoring Ernie Lee, State of Georgia Teacher of the Year

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. 
Ernie Lee, who was named the 2016 Teacher of the Year for the State of 
Georgia.
  Mr. Lee is a dedicated U.S. Government, civics, and history teacher 
to his students at Windsor Forest High School on Savannah's south side.
  After being named as Georgia's Teacher of the Year, Mr. Lee was a 
finalist for National Teacher of the Year.
  Before becoming a teacher in 2008, Mr. Lee practiced law for over 20 
years. You can clearly tell through his demeanor and passion that he 
discovered his true calling when he began teaching.
  Mr. Lee is currently working as a fellow at the Smithsonian Institute 
in Washington, D.C., studying the State of Georgia's historical 
relationship with Indian Nations, specifically the Supreme Court case, 
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia.
  His research during the fellowship is centered around writing and 
publishing lesson plans on the topic. I can't thank Mr. Lee enough for 
his dedication to Georgia's students and his ability to inspire them to 
learn about history and government.


                 Recognizing the Life of James P. Burns

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
life of Mr. James P. Burns of Warner Robins, Georgia, who passed away 
on April 31, 2017, shortly after celebrating his 100th birthday.
  Mr. Burns used his 100 years to make his country and his community a 
better place to live. Mr. Burns served in the Army Air Corps and the 
United States Air Force from 1940 to 1960, fighting for his country 
during World War II and the Korean war.
  After being honorably discharged from the Air Force, Mr. Burns worked 
another 16 years for the Department of Defense before retiring at 
Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.
  Upon his retirement from the DOD, Mr. Burns and his wife, Lucille, 
dedicated their lives to helping fellow members of the south Georgia 
community. In his 20 years, Mr. Burns volunteered over 14,500 hours at 
the Houston Medical Hospital. When he wasn't volunteering for the 
hospital, Mr. Burns could be found helping seniors do their taxes or 
transporting food for the local food bank.
  I am proud to recognize Mr. Burns' life today and his dedication to 
the community. He will certainly be missed.

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