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Tribute To Major General Michael Dubie

Volume
Volume 158 , Number 12
Pages
Pages S121-S122
Legislative Body
Senate
Date
Thu, Jan. 26, 2012

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy

legislator photo
Party
D
State
VT

Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to Major General Michael Dubie, the Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard. Throughout his career, General Dubie has demonstrated selfless dedication and service to our State and our country. I was very pleased to learn that Vermont's largest newspaper, the Burlington Free Press, recently named General Dubie the Vermonter of the Year. He certainly deserves the honor.

Earlier this year, when Tropical Storm Irene devastated much of Vermont, General Dubie led the Vermont National Guard in confronting one of the most serious crises our State has ever faced. The Guard acted immediately to deliver emergency supplies to victims cut off by the storm's destruction. Helicopters airdropped food and water. When it became apparent that Vermont needed more airlift because some of the Vermont Guard's helicopters were in Iraq, General Dubie coordinated with other State Guards to get the help Vermont needed.

The Guard's intensive rescue and aid mission eventually evolved into a longer-term recovery and rebuilding mission. Skillfully and tirelessly, Vermont citizen-soldiers set to work removing debris and rebuilding roads and infrastructure.

General Dubie commanded some 500 activated Guard members in the wake of Irene. But that does not account for other ongoing missions in 2011, or the substantial contribution the Vermont Guard has made to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq--including a major activation to Afghanistan in 2010. In honoring General Dubie as Vermonter of the Year, we pay tribute to the tremendous sacrifice made both in State and overseas by Vermont National Guard members and their families.

True to form, General Dubie, despite his extensive experience with dangerous overseas missions, has called the Irene deployment the proudest mission of his career because he was able to directly help so many of his fellow Vermonters.

MG Michael Dubie is a proven leader and he embodies the best of Vermont. I am proud to recognize his hard work and I wish him continued success in his career.

I ask unanimous consent that the Burlington Free Press article entitled ``Maj. Gen. Dubie is Vermonter of the Year'' be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

As the Vermonter of the Year, we select Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, adjutant general of the Vermont National Guard, as the representative of the team of men and women of the Guard and the many civilians who worked together to help Vermont recover from Tropical Storm Irene. In our lifetime, Tropical Storm Irene is arguably the biggest and most dominant local news story. Three people lost their lives during the storm. Vermont National Guard 1st Sgt. Shawn Stocker lost his life working to respond. Thousands lost their homes, their businesses and many of their possessions. Thousands more suffered property damage. Irene washed away some roads, damaged many others and rendered useless the state office complex in Waterbury. Who would have thought that our state could recover so well in less than 90 days! Vermonters owe this recovery to so many. State and local government leaders have done their jobs well. In every community impacted by the storm, there were at least a few civilians who devoted most of their time and energy for many weeks helping their community respond and recover. Hundreds of volunteers from all over our state and beyond stepped up to do extraordinary things. They collectively demonstrated both the indomitable spirit of Vermonters and our love for community. Approximately 500 Vermont National Guard members were activated as well. We are especially mindful that this activation is in addition to Air Guard deployments to Norway and Korea, ongoing Vermont National Guard missions in Djibouti, Kosovo, Macedonia and Senegal, helicopter rescues in Iraq--all in 2011--and following the major activation to Afghanistan in 2010. Let us also remember, as the Iraq War officially comes to its end, the tremendous sacrifice made by Vermont National Guard members and their families while serving our country during these past nine years. As Dubie said in nominating the men and women of the Vermont National Guard, ``As you know, we are a team. It is what makes us so strong.'' In responding to Tropical Storm Irene, the Vermont ``team'' also included many civilians. Together, the Vermont National Guard and the community members searched and rescued and then delivered supplies to people in otherwise unreachable locations. Then they began reconstruction. In addition to the National Guard, all of these volunteers should be commended and thanked for their efforts. We can choose only one person, however, as Vermonter of the Year. Because so many people did so much, the selection committee found it hard to identify a single individual to recognize. So we choose Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie to honor them all.