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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1384-E1385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF DR. VIVIANNE CISNEROS WERSEL
______
HON. BILLY LONG
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Mr. LONG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of
Dr. Vivianne Cisneros Wersel.
Dr. Wersel has a long and storied career caring for our nation's
veterans, and she knows what it means to pay the ultimate sacrifice.
She is the widow of Lieutenant Colonel Richard Wersel, Jr. of the
United States Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Wersel served two tours
of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom and unfortunately died just one week
after returning home from Iraq. Dr. Wersel grew from this tragedy and
not only continued to help veterans through her role at Walter Reed
Medical Center, but also as an advocate for Gold Star Families.
Dr. Wersel holds a Doctorate of Audiology from the School of
Audiology-Salus University. She is also a graduate of the Defense
Language Institute (DLI), Monterey, CA and holds a language certificate
in Spanish. She earned a Masters and a Bachelor's Degree in
Communicative Disorders (Audiology) from San Diego State University.
Dr. Wersel currently works full time as an audiologist at Walter Reed
National Military Medical Center and is designated as a prestigious
Master Clinician. In addition to caring for the active-duty military,
retirees, and their families, she provides hearing health care for
members of Congress, including myself.
Over the past 30 years as an audiologist she provided hearing care
support to service members, retirees and their families at Camp
Pendleton, CA; Twentynine Palms, CA, Nellis Air Force Base, Fort Brag
NC, Camp Lejeune NC, Fort Dietrick MD, Fort Belvoir VA, Walter Reed
National Military Medical Center Bethesda. But her service to our
nation's veterans goes beyond her role as an audiologist.
Shortly after her husband's passing in 2005, Dr. Wersel discovered
she was not eligible for the newly enhanced survivor benefits. She
subsequently became instrumental in changing the Servicemembers' Group
Life Insurance and Death Gratuity so that all active duty widows are
now eligible for enhanced benefits. Today, she is considered a subject
matter expert on Military Survivor Benefits and has testified before
this body twenty times on the subject.
In addition to her work on survivor benefits, she is a member of the
Gold Star Wives of America (GSW) Public Relations; past chair of the
GSW Government Relations Committee, President and founder of Arlington
Gold Star Wives; military survivor advisor for the ``Got Your Back
Network''; is an active participant in the VA/DoD Survivor Forum, and
founder of, and advisor to the Surviving Spouses Support Group II MEF,
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. She was a local representative for the
National Military Family Association and was a volunteer for the
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and Military Officers
Association of America.
Dr. Wersel has devoted her career and her life to caring for our
nation's veterans and advocating for Gold Star Families. In recognition
of her work and her much-deserved retirement, I will be flying a flag
over the United States Capitol in her honor. Madam Speaker, I ask that
you and the rest of this chamber join me in congratulating Dr. Wersel
on a job well done.
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