December 9, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2345 

In September of 1988, then-Captain Celeste 

transferred to the Marine Corps Reserves. In 

January of the following year, he joined 3rd Air 

Naval Gunfire Liaison Company where he deployed and participated in numerous bi-lateral 

exercises in Korea and Japan. During the first 

Gulf War, Captain Celeste was a commander 

in charge of training more than 200 Marines 

for deployment to the Middle East and received an award for his meritorious service. In 

January of 1992, Captain Celeste transferred 

to Hotel Battery (155 mm Howitzers), 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines where he acted as Platoon Commander and Forward Observer. In 

June of that same year, he was selected to be 

the Executive Officer of Delta Company, 4th 

Light Armored Infantry Company. In 1993, he 

became the Commanding Officer of Delta 

Company and served in that capacity for over 

two years. Concurrent to his assignment as 

Delta Company’s Commanding officer, Captain Celeste served as the Headquarters Marine Corps counterdrug officer where he monitored Marine Corps counterdrug operations. 

In 1995, then-Major Celeste was assigned 

as the Officer-in-Charge of the Department of 

the Navy Gulf War Declassification Project 

where he was responsible for the declassification of tens of thousands of pages of Gulf War 

I operational records. He subsequently received an award for meeting the mandated 

declassification deadline as established by the 

Deputy Secretary of Defense. Due to his expertise in the area, in May of 1997, Major Celeste was assigned as an investigator to the 

Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses. At this assignment, he assisted in the 

investigation of the causal factors for Gulf War 

Illnesses using the documents that he and his 

team helped to previously declassify. In order 

to widely disseminate the findings of the investigation, they were published on the World 

Wide Web which, at the time, was a novel medium for this purpose. 

In August of 1999, then-Lieutenant Colonel 

Celeste was assigned to Headquarters Marine 

Corps (Office of Legislative Affairs) where he 

served as a Congressional Affairs Officer. In 

this capacity, he assisted in the answering of 

high level congressional inquires, led the Marine Corps Congressional Fellowship Program, 

and assisted in the organizing of congressional outreach programs to include the following: The Congressional Marines Group, 

The Capitol Hill Running Club, Congressional 

Marine Day, and programs for Veterans Service Organizations and Defense Industry representatives. 

Colonel Celeste served in Iraq from February to August of 2007 as the Marine liaison 

between the Commanding General, Multi-National Forces West and the Commanding General Civilian Police Assistance Training Team. 

During this period, Colonel Celeste was a 

member of the Green Zone Council, which 

supports the Boys and Girls Scouting programs in Iraq. He was also involved in supporting a local orphanage in Baghdad by coordinating and soliciting donations from family 

and friends. 

For more than 26 years, Colonel Celeste’s 

great sense of duty and exceptional work ethic 

have benefitted his fellow Marines and his nation. We thank him for his steadfast dedication 

and wish him fair winds and following seas as 

he starts the next chapter of his life. 

TRIBUTE TO THE DECLARATION 

OF PRINCIPLES FOR A PRESIDENTIAL ORDER ON PRISONER 

TREATMENT, TORTURE, AND 

CRUELTY 

HON. ANNA G. ESHOO OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

in support of the Declaration of Principles for 

a Presidential Executive Order on Prisoner 

Treatment, Torture and Cruelty which is supported by a number of organizations and individuals, including the Council of Churches of 

Santa Clara County, California, in my Congressional District. I believe these principles 

will protect our country and the U.S. servicemen abroad by banning the use of cruel and 

inhumane interrogation methods. 

I fully support the core goals of this Declaration of Principles which include implementing a 

national standard for all U.S. personnel and 

agencies for the interrogation and treatment of 

prisoners and banning the use of any methods 

of interrogation that we would not find acceptable if used against Americans. Many of these 

issues were addressed in a bill I introduced 

this year to ban waterboarding as an interrogation technique. 

Waterboarding is torture and is recognized 

as such by the Geneva Convention. Its continued use by representatives of our nation contradicts what so many of our soldiers are fighting for overseas. The United States of America has long accepted that water torture is beneath the standards of a civil nation. In 1947, 

the United States prosecuted a Japanese military officer for carrying out a form of water torture on a U.S. civilian during the Second 

World War, securing a conviction and a sentence of 15 years of hard labor. The military 

has frequently prosecuted American military 

personnel for subjecting prisoners to water torture, including sentencing a U.S. Army major 

to 10 years of hard labor for subjecting an insurgent to water torture in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. 

Our nation was able to win two world wars 

and defeat a rising tide of communism with 

this prohibition in place. I’m confident we can 

defeat our current enemies without undermining our moral dignity. 

As we move forward with a new Congress 

and a new Administration, we have the opportunity to change course and restore the rule of 

law. The Bush Administration has relied heavily on illegal and inhumane interrogation techniques, and by doing so has damaged our 

country’s reputation in the process. We can 

restore the moral standards that guided us 

successfully for so many generations and the 

Declaration of Principles provides a framework 

for the United States to do just that. Congress 

and the Obama Administration must work to 

ensure that torture has no place in the battle 

against terrorism. 

f 

HONORING GRANT GATES 

HON. SAM GRAVES OF MISSOURI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I proudly 

pause to recognize the outstanding achievement of Grant Gates of Kansas City, Missouri. 

Grant has earned a perfect 36 ACT composite 

score. Grant is one of only three students from 

the state of Missouri and one of only fifty-two 

in the country to earn the perfect score. 

Madam Speaker, Grant has dedicated himself to his studies and extracurricular activities. 

As a junior at North Kansas City High School, 

Grant has participated in the Missouri Scholars Academy at the University of Missouri, the 

Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee, 

member of the high school swim team, member of the choir and Harmonaires show choir, 

and is a part of the school’s state championship Scholar Bowl. Grant is currently working 

toward an International Baccalaureate diploma, Gold Medallion Honors diploma, and 

A+ Schools eligibility. Grant is also active in 

Boy Scout Troop 9 in North Kansas City. 

Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me, 

Gary and Elinor Gates, the North Kansas City 

Schools, and North Kansas City High School 

in applauding Grant Gates’ outstanding 

achievement. We wish Grant many more 

years of success. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF EUGENE 

PERRIN ELEBASH, JR. 

HON. JEFF MILLER 

OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 

Mr. MILLER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I 

rise today to recognize Eugene Elebash, Jr., a 

veritable northwest Florida community leader 

who passed away on November 24, 2008. Mr. 

Elebash spent his entire life serving others, 

and I am proud to honor his life of dedication 

and service. 

Mr. Elebash was born in Pensacola, FL, in 

May of 1920 and made his home there. He 

graduated from Pensacola High School in 

1938 and from the University of Florida in 

1942. Upon graduating college, Mr. Elebash 

immediately joined the United States Army Air 

Forces where he served honorably until the 

end of World War II, achieving the rank of 

major. He then returned to Pensacola to take 

over the family business and remained ever 

since. Mr. Elebash married his high school 

sweetheart, Jane, his wife of 66 years. 

After returning to Pensacola, Mr. Elebash 

began a life of dedicated service to the community. Over the years. he was active in innumerable organizations including the Saint 

Christopher’s Episcopal Church, the City Civil 

Service Board, the YMCA, and the West Florida Children’s Home Society. He was a member of the Downtown Rotary Board for 61 

years. Mr. Elebash was elected to three terms 

as a Pensacola city councilman and served as 

the mayor of Pensacola from 1971 and 1973. 

His family continues to play an active role in 

the community. 

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the U.S. Congress, I am privileged to honor Mr. Eugene 

Elebash, Jr. for his life of public service to his 

country and to northwest Florida. Mr. Elebash 

will be remembered by all as a loving husband 

and father, as well as a genuine community 

leader and a true friend. 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with REMARKS