October 3, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2239 

In Recognition of the Eglin-Hurlburt 

Site of the MITRE Corporation 

upon 50 Years of Service to the 

United States of America 

HON. JEFF MILLER OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. MILLER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I 

rise today to recognize the MITRE Corporation 

on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and 

upon completion of the modernization of their 

Eglin-Hurlburt Site. It is my pleasure and privilege to honor MITRE for its dedicated service 

to the Northwest Florida community and to the 

United States of America. 

The MITRE Corporation was founded in 

1958 on the premise that the government 

needed a corporate partner to provide technical expertise in systems engineering and integration. MITRE was born out of the Lincoln 

Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology. Its founding principle was to 

produce quality expertise for the government 

by drawing on the best in both the commercial 

and public sectors to solve the Nation’s most 

difficult technical problems. Its first project was 

to provide systems engineering for the SemiAutomatic Ground Environment (SAGE) program, and MITRE chose Eglin Air Force Base 

as its first site. 

Over the years, the Eglin-Hurlburt Site has 

been a vital part of the development and testing of countless critical sensor systems, data 

link systems, and command and control systems. From its development of telemetry methods in the 1960’s to its recent work on the integration and development testing of Joint 

Tactical Information Distribution Systems 

(JTIDS), MITRE has spent the last 50 years 

providing essential services to the defense 

community of the United States. 

Today, the MITRE Eglin-Hurlburt Site consists of 18 engineers, scientists, researchers, 

analysts, and support staff providing a wide 

range of development and engineering expertise to the United States Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Armament Center, and 

505th Command and Control Wing. MITRE 

has earned an international reputation for 

technical excellence and innovation. Their 

local employees devote themselves to serving 

the public interest as well as contributing incalculable hours of community service throughout 

the Florida Panhandle. 

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United 

States Congress, I am proud to honor one of 

America’s true corporate leaders, the MITRE 

Corporation and its Eglin-Hurlburt Site, for 

their 50 years of service to the defense community of Northwest Florida and across the 

United States. I wish everyone at MITRE the 

best for continued success. 

f 

HONORING DAVE WELDON 

HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 

my good friend and colleague, Congressman 

DAVE WELDON, who is retiring from the House 

of Representatives after serving the people of 

the 15th district of Florida for 14 years. He has 

always served his constituents with dignity, 

class, and integrity. 

He has been a great example of a true citizen legislator. He put aside successful careers in our Nation’s Armed Forces and in private practice as a physician to devote many 

years of his life to public service. 

DAVE has been a leading national supporter 

of NASA and other space issues. He has 

been a strong leader in Florida advocating the 

need to invest in NASA and the many benefits 

it provides our Nation. From his service on the 

Science and Appropriations Committees, he 

has kept a close eye on the space program 

and ensured Florida’s Space Coast plays an 

integral role in national space policy. 

It has been an honor serving with him, and 

it is a privilege to call him a good friend. I wish 

DAVE and his wonderful wife Nancy much happiness in the next chapter of their lives. 

f 

HONORING DR. DAVE WELDON FOR 

HIS MANY YEARS OF OUTSTANDING CONGRESSIONAL 

SERVICE 

HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE 

OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about 

one of my colleagues from the great State of 

Florida who is retiring this year. Dr. DAVE

WELDON from Indialantic has served in this 

body for many years with honor and distinction 

and will be sorely missed by his friends and 

colleagues. 

Following his arrival in Congress in 1995, 

Dr. WELDON quickly made a name for himself 

as someone who cared deeply for his constituents. As someone who had built his career 

prior to Congress as a physician, Dr. WELDON

was perfectly suited to a second career as a 

public servant. 

His legislative efforts in the House have 

brought tens of millions of federal funds back 

to Florida, restoring our infrastructure, building 

roads and bridges, preserving precious wetlands, and helping his friends and neighbors 

live a better life. 

Perhaps his signature achievement in Congress has been his continued fight for the unborn. Using his position as a senior member 

of the House Appropriations Committee, Dr. 

WELDON continually sought to protect those 

who do not have a voice. 

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart 

that I help send my good friend Dr. WELDON

off into the next stage of his career. After so 

many years of making sacrifices in his family 

life and professional career, now is the time 

when he can devote his time and energy to 

his wife Nancy and his two children. I wish 

him the best of luck and hope that he will continue to give back to his local community and 

the State of Florida. 

HONORING BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL 

BOYS VARSITY X-COUNTRY 

HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 

congratulate Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Baldwin High School Boys Varsity Cross-Country 

team for their first place finish in the McDonald’s Cross Country Festival at Maymont, Virginia. The team finished 25 seconds ahead of 

the second place team in the silver division. 

With their decisive victory the boys of Baldwin 

are now recognized among to top cross-country teams in Pennsylvania this year. 

The McDonald’s Cross Country Festival at 

Maymont draws over 3,000 of the best high 

school athletes from 15 different States. The 

Baldwin team put in long, hard hours of training to place among the elite teams in the 

State. I would like to recognize the dedication 

of T.J. Hobart, Matt Cecala, Dennis Logan, Michael Cain, Paul Degregorio, George 

Crompton and my grandson, David Wainwright. I congratulate their fine performance in 

Maymont. 

I recently spoke with Baldwin’s cross-country coach Wright and he highlighted the special comradery and commitment of everyone 

on the team. The Baldwin team has attended 

the meet for the last 3 years; however, the 

dedicated young men I have mentioned are 

the first to emerge victorious. The coach 

spoke of his pride with the boys’ accomplishment and I share his pride today. 

It is my honor to recognize the victory of the 

Balwin Boys Varsity Cross-Country team, especially my grandson David. I commend their 

hard work and commitment to teamwork as 

they head into ‘‘championship month’’ in Pennsylvania. I wish the boys the best of luck in 

the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League State Championship in Hershey 

later this month. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE 

CORPORAL KODY WILSON 

HON. NANCY E. BOYDA OF KANSAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I 

rise today to recognize CPL Kody Wilson of 

Erie, Kansas. Corporal Wilson was serving in 

our armed forces in our efforts abroad and 

was injured. Upon his injuries he was taken to 

Walter Reed Army Medical Center. 

While at Walter Reed, Corporal Wilson was 

an inspiration to others. One individual was 

truly moved by his story and wrote a poem to 

honor this soldier. I would like to share this 

poem with you: 

FROM OUT OF THE WEST

(By Bert Caswell) 

From Out of The West . . . 

As over the years, as have come from so here 

. . . all of our best . . . 

Fine Women and Men, of honor so then . . . 

sons and daughters who our nation 

have blessed . . . 

As over the years . . . 

Have been shed many a tear, for all those 

lost and injured loved ones . . . so very 

dear . . . 


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