Madame Speaker, as co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Serbian Caucus, I rise tonight to honor an outstanding Serbian-American, Captain (Ret.) George M. Vujnovich, who was recently awarded the Bronze Star Medal, for his heroic actions during World War II.

The Bronze Star is awarded to military service personnel for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service.  When awarded for bravery, it is the fourth-highest combat award of the United States Armed Forces.  Captain Vujnovich’s participation in the planning and execution of Operation Halyard – one of the most successful air force rescue missions in history; and an operation so secret that the records were only declassified in 1997 – certainly exemplifies the heroism required to receive this prestigious military honor.

Captain Vujnovich served with the Office of Strategic Services; the predecessor of the modern Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the wartime organization charged with coordinating activities behind enemy lines for the branches of the United States military.   Operation Halyard evolved in wake of the Allied bombing campaign to destroy Nazi Germany's vast network of petroleum resources in occupied Eastern Europe.   The most vital target of bombing was the facilities located in Ploesti, Romania, which supplied 35 percent of Germany's wartime petroleum.  Beginning in April 1944, bombers of the Fifteenth Allied Air Force began a relentless campaign to blast the heavily guarded facilities in Ploesti in an attempt to halt petroleum production altogether. By August, Ploesti was virtually destroyed — but at the cost of 350 bombers lost, with their crews either killed, captured, or missing in action.

The assault on Ploesti forced hundreds of Allied airmen to bail out over Nazi-occupied eastern Serbia, an area patrolled by the Allied-friendly Chetnik guerrilla army. When the Chetnik commander, General Draza Mihailovich, realized that Allied airmen were parachuting into his territory, he ordered his troops, as well as the local peasantry, to aid the aviators by taking them to Chetnik headquarters in Pranjani, Serbia for evacuation.

General Mihailovich's first attempts to alert American authorities to the situation regrettably failed to produce action. Fortunately, fate would have it that when Mirjana Vujnovich, a Serb employee of the Yugoslav embassy in Washington, D.C., heard of the trapped airmen.  She immediately wrote to her husband, Captain Vujnovich, stationed in Bari, Italy.  As an American, descending from Serb parents, Vujnovich knew the region intimately and also knew how to escape from Nazi-occupied territory: he had been a medical student in Belgrade when Yugoslavia fell to the Axis powers in 1941, and he and his wife spent months sneaking through minefields and begging for visas before they finally escaped from Nazi-occupied Europe.

Captain Vujnovich made it his personally crusade to get the airmen home.  From the outset though, Operation Halyard encountered opposition from Allied leaders — from the U.S. State Department, from communist sympathizers in the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), even from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill himself.   It was an operation that seemed condemned from the start, but Captain Vujanovich’s persevered rather than let the mission die. His persistence not to be in vain; he eventually won out.

Even though the operation endured from August 9, 1944 through December 27, 1944, within only the first two days, Operation Halyard successfully retrieved 241 American and Allied airmen.  By the time the Operation was officially ended, Vujnovich's team had airlifted 512 downed Allied airmen to safety without the loss of a single life or aircraft — a truly impressive accomplishment.

Captain George Vujnovich’s recognition as a hero and valued asset to this country and the United States Air Force is long over due. Frankly, had the records of the operation not remained sealed until 1997, I feel certain Captain Vujanovich would have received this honor years ago. Nevertheless, the decades do not and cannot diminish the valor and patriotism of this extraordinary man.  I ask all my colleagues to join me now to honor this Serbian-American hero, to thank him for his dedicated service to our country and to congratulate him for winning the Bronze Star. Captain Vujanovich, I salute you.

Madam Speaker,

Today I rise to celebrate and honor the service of Army Master Sergeant Jeffrey Mittman for receiving the Osborne A. “Oz” Day AbilityOne Awareness Award.  The prestigious “Oz” Award is presented by the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled to an employee at a federal agency who demonstrates exceptional service promoting the AbilityOne Program throughout the federal, state and local communities.

Now, the National Account Manager for the National Industries for the Blind’s Midwest Region, Master Sergeant Mittman supports a mission of employment for others with disabilities by promoting the AbilityOne Program through the federal procurement process in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. This patriot’s story is a remarkable one, for his story does not start nor finish here with this award.

Master Sergeant Mittman’s indefatigable commitment to serve his fellow Americans began as a soldier in the United States Army in 1989. Having fought in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Enduring Freedom, and in 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Master Sergeant Mittman was the All-American hero who never turned down defending his country. It wasn’t till his return to Iraq in 2005 as a special advisor to the Iraqi Department of the Interior, that he came face-to-face with death; changing his life forever.

Tragically, an improvised explosive device that exploded near his vehicle in Iraq, leaving Master Sergeant Mittman without a nose, lips, most of his teeth, and the majority of his vision. Since that time, he has endured more than 40 operations and spent over four years recovering physically and emotionally. To his great credit, he has traveled the country sharing the lessons he learned from these experiences with the world.

He is noted for saying it is the veteran who has to take that very first step to recovering and that he realized this after attending the Blinded Veterans Association Conference in 2006, where he met people who were blinded years ago who are now attorneys, teachers and business executives. After realizing life can be good in spite of having a disability, he decided to help others who also have disabilities find jobs and lead meaningful lives.

Master Sergeant Mittman, a 40-year old decorated warrior, husband of 17 years, father of two and outspoken military veteran was and forever will be an All-American hero whose determination and selflessness continue to serve our country and inspire our hearts. Today, we salute you.

MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                        CONTACT: John Donnelly
June 8, 2010                                                                                          (317) 848-0201

Congressmen Burton and Donnelly Mark Opening Of Peru Veterans' Clinic

Peru, IN – Today, Congressmen Dan Burton (R-IN-05) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN-02) marked the opening of the Peru/Miami County Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) for area veterans.  The new clinic will provide primary care and mental health services to area veterans starting Thursday. 

“One of our chief responsibilities as a nation is to take care of our veterans and do everything we can to make their lives a little easier,” said Burton.  “This new clinic in Peru answers that call by providing more accessible and convenient health care for veterans in the surrounding counties.  Our heroes requiring primary care or mental health care will benefit from having a facility much closer to home.  If a veteran is in a tough spot, they can have some peace of mind knowing that help is nearby, and not hours away.  Along with Congressman Donnelly, I thank the Department of Veterans Affairs and the employees and doctors of the VA health care system in Northern Indiana for working to make this opening possible.  To our veterans, thank you all for serving our country—I hope you find this clinic to be helpful in the coming months and years.”

“I’m pleased that veterans from Miami County and the surrounding counties of Fulton, Cass, and Howard will now have quality VA care nearby,” said Donnelly. “Our Hoosier veterans deserve superior medical care that is accessible, and this clinic will provide veterans with a new, convenient facility. Congressman Burton and I fought to get this clinic approved, and I am glad to hear that today the doors will be opened.  I thank the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System for providing additional care for our veterans.”

Congressmen Burton and Donnelly have long advocated for additional, locally accessible resources for Hoosier veterans and supported the announcement in July 2008 from the Northern Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs that the VA selected Peru for a new CBOC. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              CONTACT: John Donnelly
December 23, 2009                                                                                 (202) 225-2276 

Burton-Kennedy Letter On Condolence Policy Sent To White House

46 Members of Congress Ask Obama To Change Presidential Condolence Policy 

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, Reps. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) and Patrick Kennedy (D-RI-01), along with 44 other Members of Congress, sent a letter to President Obama asking him to change the presidential condolence policy in order to equally honor the families of military suicide victims.  Currently, President Obama does not send a letter of condolence to the families of servicemen or women who commit suicide.  Since August, the White House has said the policy is under review.  The Burton-Kennedy letter is as follows:

December 23, 2009

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We understand that your Administration has undertaken a review of the long-standing policy of not sending Presidential letters of condolence to the families of service members who have committed suicide.  We respectfully ask you to complete that review and take all necessary steps to overturn this policy as soon as possible.

Our Armed Forces are in the midst of a suicide epidemic.  In 2008, 140 active duty personnel committed suicide; by all accounts, the statistics for 2009 will likely exceed last year’s grim record.  We recognize that some voices may argue that a service member who commits suicide does not deserve the same action as one who dies fighting the enemy and that extending such action to those who commit suicide could undermine troop morale.  In response to this, we understand that the Department of Defense has launched a campaign to reduce suicide by increasing the number of mental health professionals and eliminating the stigma that surrounds mental illness and prevents many troops from seeking help.  By overturning this policy on letters of condolence to the families of suicide victims, you can send a strong signal that you will not tolerate a culture in our Armed Forces that discriminates against those with a mental illness .

Furthermore, we believe the policy on condolence letters contradicts current military policy on funerals.  The Department of Defense already provides service members who commit suicide a full military burial, complete with a flag-draped coffin and a 21 gun salute.  We have not heard of any reports that military morale and discipline have waned as a result.

Finally, a Presidential letter of condolence is as much about respect for the personal loss that a family experiences as it is about an acknowledgment by our nation that we have lost a soldier.  Whether a soldier died in combat, in a car accident, or because of suicide, nothing diminishes the personal sacrifices each family endured on our country’s behalf, while their son or daughter, husband or wife, served in uniform.  But, the lack of acknowledgment and condolence from the President, the Commander-in-Chief, can leave these families with an emotional vacuum and a feeling that somehow their sacrifices may not have been as great or may not have been seen as equal.

Mr. President, we respectfully request that you complete your review quickly and overturn this policy immediately thereafter.  We thank you in advance for your personal time and attention to this request.

Sincerely,

Reps. Burton 

Kennedy 

Berkley         

Blumenauer     

Boswell

Calvert     

Capps     

Carson         

David, Price         

Delahunt             

Doyle     

Edwards, Donna F.     

Ellison     

Fattah         

Frank, Barney      

Gonzalez         

Hare     

Hill         

Hinchey             

Inglis         

Kilroy         

Langevin         

Loebsack     

Lujan 

McCollum                 

McGovern         

Michaud         

Miller, George         

Moore, Gwen     

Murphy, Patrick J.

Napolitano      

Pence     

Richardson             

Rogers, Harold      

Rohrabacher     

Rothman     

Rush     

Schakowsky     

Shea-Porter     

Smith, Chris     

Snyder     

Tonko         

Towns         

Visclosky             

Wolf         

Young, Don

BACKGROUND:

Rep. Burton began looking into this policy during August 2009, approximately two months after a constituent, Army Specialist Chancellor Keesling, committed suicide while serving in his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was buried with full military honors, but his parents, Gregg and Jannett Keesling, soon learned that the president would not send them a letter of condolence specifically because their son was a suicide victim.

The bipartisan Burton-Kennedy initiative is seeking a reversal of the current policy so that the sacrifices of the families of servicemen and women who suffer from mental wounds or illnesses are equally honored.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              CONTACT: John Donnelly
December 17, 2009                                                                                 (202) 225-2276 

CNN Covers Presidential Condolence Letter Policy

Burton-Kennedy Initiative Seeks To Honor All Military Families For Their Sacrifices

Last night, CNN's Situation Room covered the latest news surrounding the presidential condolence policy for suicide victims in the military.  Currently, President Obama does not send a letter of condolence to the families of servicemen or women who commit suicide. 

Congressmen Dan Burton (R-IN-05) and Patrick Kennedy (D-RI-01) are working to gather a large Congressional delegation to send a letter to President Obama and ask him to reverse the current policy, and equally honor the sacrifices of the families of servicemen and women who suffer from mental wounds or illnesses.  For months, the White House has said the policy is under review.

See CNN's full report:

Excerpt -

CNN's Elaine Quijano: Indiana Republican, Congressman Dan Burton, who has taken up the Keesling's cause, insists the absence of a presidential condolence letter does diminish the sacrifice and service of military suicide victims.

Rep. Dan Burton: Are they any less of an American who was fighting for us than the others? No.  And so, I think it's extremely important that they and their families are recognized for their service to the country.

Background:

Rep. Burton began looking into this policy in August 2009, approximately two months after a constituent, Army Specialist Chancellor Keesling, committed suicide while serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.  He was buried with full military honors, but his parents, Gregg and Jannett Keesling, soon learned that the president would not send them a letter of condolence specifically because their son was a suicide victim.

More coverage: Indianapolis Star editorial from 12/1/09: "No Condolences? It's Time To Fix That" 

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