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“TRIBUTE TO NORMA C. NOTTINGHAM” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1923-E1924 on Oct. 2, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO NORMA C. NOTTINGHAM
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HON. BOB CLEMENT
of tennessee
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, October 1, 1997
Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, Emerson wrote that ``To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.''
Today, I rise to honor an outstanding American citizen who far surpassed Emerson's definition. I come to the floor to recognize the retirement of a woman who has touched the lives of thousands of our Nation's youth. Mrs. Norma C. Nottingham has reached into each of our districts--transcending partisan politics--to help shape America's air and space forces through the admissions process at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Mrs. Nottingham retires this week from a key Pentagon post in the Air Force Academy Activities Group where her contributions have been both monumental and long lasting. I rise to not only recognize this retirement, but to honor the woman whose nearly 44-year career in Government service has been marked by a deep commitment, a high level of caring, and an inspiring sense of humor.
Mrs. Nottingham is a native of the Washington, DC area and has performed brilliantly in a variety of positions throughout her career. She served two U.S. Senators, Ken Keating of New York and Pete Williams of New Jersey, as a staff assistant during the 1970's. Prior to that involvement, she was employed by the Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Army. Since June 1981, Mrs. Nottingham has been the key point of contact for Congress in the nomination and admissions process for the Air Force Academy.
While serving in her latest position, Mrs. Nottingham's exemplary dedication to the Academy and its mission was a key factor in ensuring the brightest and best young men and women were nominated and appointed to the Academy. Her exhaustive knowledge of Academy policies and programs earned her the respect and trust of virtually every congressional office on Capitol Hill. Additionally, her skills in the political arena were of immeasurable benefit to the Academy and the Air Force on numerous occasions: her experience on Capitol Hill proved invaluable as she assisted in the preparation of legislation, counseled congressional staffers on the Academy's admission procedures, orchestrated staffer visits to the Academy as well as regional instructional workshops for the staffers, and played a key role in the success of hundreds of congressional-sponsored Academy Day events across the Nation.
Mrs. Nottingham personally traveled to my district 9 years ago to assist me with my first Academy Day and has been instrumental in the planning and development of each annual program, providing hands-on service and expert advice to my staff and constituents.
Mrs. Nottingham also contributed significantly to the Foreign Cadet Program through her contact with American Embassies throughout the world, State Department representatives in the Washington, DC area, and key admission officials from other service academies.
Perhaps Mrs. Nottingham's greatest legacy is not what she has personally done, but what she has done to educate, empower and guide hundreds of staffers who will continue to bring her dedication, zeal and compassion to the academy admissions process. Norma has personally aided hundreds of young men and women, but the staffers she has inspired and taught have touched the lives of thousands more. There can be no doubt that her work will continue for generations because she took the time to do more than her job--she took the time to teach all she knew to hundreds, if not thousands, of other willing men and women dedicated to helping the thousands who yearly seek admission to a U.S. Service Academy.
Not only have lives breathed easier because of Norma Nottingham's direct involvement, but for many, many years to come, her legacy will continue through us to inspire bright, honest, and hardworking young men and women to seek a career in service to our great Nation.
Truly, this is to have succeeded.
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