USUHS Graduates are Appreciated

Floor Speech

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, January's tragedy of the shooting of Congresswoman GABRIELLE GIFFORDS highlighted the military medical education and training of three extraordinary physicians. I would like to recognize these doctors not only for their extraordinary abilities and service during the events in Tucson, but also for the fact they are all alumni of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences at Bethesda, Maryland.

Retired Navy Captain Peter Rhee, serves as chief of trauma at the University Medical Center in Tucson. Dr. Rhee was trained by the USUHS to manage complex wounds under strenuous conditions. Dr. Rhee relied on more than 20 years of military medical experience to perform life-saving procedures in the hours following the tragedy in Tucson. Dr. Rhee's unique abilities helped to save the life of the Congresswoman.

Dr. Rhee was assisted by interim chief of Neurology, Army Colonel Geoffrey Ling. Following the incident in Tuscon, Dr. Ling traveled to Afghanistan as part of a brain injury assessment team convened by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dr. Ling was accompanied by Dr. Jim Ecklund. Dr. Ecklund is a highly regarded neurosurgeon who has had much experience caring for bullet injuries to the brain and a classmate of Dr. Rhee's at USUHS.

The training provided by the military medical education allowed for these doctors to save the life of Congresswoman GIFFORDS. I am grateful for their service to this country. I know first-hand of the world-class professionalism of USUHS because my second son is a proud graduate after attending the Naval Academy.

In conclusion, God Bless our Troops, and we will never forget September 11th in the Global War on Terrorism.

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