{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-2002-11-22-pt1-PgE2130-2", "2002-11-22", 107, 2, null, null, "TRIBUTE TO JACK STEWART", "HOUSE", "EXTENSIONS", "TRIBUTETO", "E2130", "E2130", "[{\"name\": \"Sam Farr\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", null, "148 Cong. Rec. E2130", "Congressional Record, Volume 148 Issue 152 (Friday, November 22, 2002)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 152 (Friday, November 22, 2002)]\n[Extensions of Remarks]\n[Page E2130]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\n                        TRIBUTE TO JACK STEWART\n\n                                 ______\n\n                             HON. SAM FARR\n\n                             of california\n\n                    in the house of representatives\n\n                       Friday, November 22, 2002\n\n  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career\nof a true public servant, a man who has touched literally thousands of\nlives. Jack Stewart, who is currently the Monterey County Military and\nVeterans Affairs Officer and a long-time constituent of mine, will be\nretiring from the post he created in 1983 after a career that has been\nmarked by excellence and dedication.\n  Jack first served in the U.S. Army in 1954, eventually serving 20\nyears and receiving several decorations and awards including he Combat\nInfantryman Badge, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service\nMedal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Good Conduct\nMedal. Mr. Speaker, these commendations obviously show the level of\ncommitment he had to defending and protecting the democratic ideals our\ncountry cherishes, but it is only the beginning of what would become a\ncareer dedicated to those who, like himself, served their country with\nhonor.\n  As a county supervisor, I got to know Jack and understand the\nworkings of his office, which helped us both when I became a California\nState Assemblyman. When the California Association of County Veterans\nService Officers (which Jack served three terms as president) came to\nSacramento I was always there for Jack, as he was for me. Jack was\nalways a welcome sight in my office, and I know other counties were\nenvious of the relationship and understanding that we had.\n  One of the highlights of my work with Jack during those years was\nhelping him bring a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall to\nMonterey County, a deeply moving experience. This project was one of\nthe best instances of veterans coming together with the community,\nincluding anti-war leaders, in an outpouring of love and respect for\nthose who didn't come home. This was the first listing of all Monterey\nCounty MIA's and those killed in action, which led to the creation of a\nseparate Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Salinas. It also provided for\nlisting those names on the state memorial in Capitol Park in\nSacramento, including my cousin John Geisen and Carmel High School\nclassmate Andrew Elliot, who is MIA. For Jack's work on these projects,\nI am personally grateful.\n  Mr. Speaker, many people will undoubtedly sing Jack Stewart's many\npraises as his retirement nears, but I must mention a few things that\nhe has done while I have been a member of the U.S. House of\nRepresentatives. Perhaps the single most influential role he had was\nduring the closure of Fort Ord in Monterey County, the largest base\nclosure in US history. The economic and social implications on the\nlocal communities were astounding, but Jack made sure that the\ninterests of the veterans in the area were attended to. He had the\nworld pulled out from him, as we lost a four hundred-bed hospital that\nserved both active duty members and retirees; the CHAMPUS provider was\nto be switched so no one knew who to go to for health care; disabled\nvets wee stranded without transportation; and all military personnel\nwho could help handle such a crisis were gone. The only person left was\nJack, who, with his staff had to do the work of an entire division.\n  Out of this chaos, he will be leaving behind a new clinic run by the\nDepartment of Veterans Affairs, serving a broader community than ever;\na new Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Counseling Program; a Veterans\nTransition Center for homeless veterans and a transportation network\nthat provides van rides to disabled veterans. Jack was also able to get\nthe federal government to put up land and money to open a state-run\nveterans' cemetery at Fort Ord, and has been instrumental in starting\nand running the local process for making this a reality. Of course,\nthis is a project that will continue without Jack, but he should be\nhonored for his role in moving this from an idea to where it is today.\n  Mr. Speaker, I would like to close today by saying that Jack Stewart\nhas handled more challenges than any county veterans officer I know of,\nand produced a more lasting legacy of services than anyone. This alone\nspeaks volumes, but I hope I have been able to show how much he will be\nmissed, not only by me, but also by the community at large. I wish Jack\nand his family all of the best in retirement, even though I know that\nhe will remain an active part of the veteran's community.\n\n                          ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-2002-11-22-pt1-PgE2130-2"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 56.962252128869295, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}