LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO

THIS AFTERNOON'S CEREMONIES.

MY NAME IS COMMANDER JASON BARR 

WITH OFFICE OF RESEARCH 

SERVICES.

IT'S MY HONOR TO SERVE AS THE 

MODERATOR AND ON BEHALF OF 

CAPTAIN DEBORAH WILSON I THANK 

YOU FOR SHARING IN THIS.

PLEASE RISE FOR THE ARRIVAL OF 

THE OFFICIAL PARTY.

BOS'N, POST SIDEBOYS.

SOUND FOUR BELLS.

DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF 

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 

OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES, 

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 

ARRIVING.

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF RESEARCH 

SERVICES, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF

HEALTH, ARRIVING.

>> PRESENT ARMS.

>> SOUND SIX BELLS.

DEBTY SURGEON GENERAL, UNITED 

STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, 

ARRIVING.

>> PRESENT ARMS.

>> TO OFFICIALLY OPEN THE 

PROMOTION CEREMONY, PLEASE RISE 

AS THE SURGEON GENERAL'S HONOR 

CADRE PRESENTS THE COLORS AND 

REMAIN STANDING FOR THE SINGING 

OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM BY SARAH 

THOMAS LENNERTZ, FOLLOWED BY 

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE MARCH.

ADVANCE THE COLORS.

>> FORWARD MARCH.

 

>> PLEASE JOIN US IN SINGING THE

NATIONAL ANTHEM.

 OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE 

DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT 

 WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT 

THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING

WHO'S BROUGHT LIGHTS AND 

BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE 

PERILOUS TIMES

FOR THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED 

WERE SO GALANTLY STREAMING 

AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE  

THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR GAVE

PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR

FLAG WAS STILL THERE

OH, SAY DOES THAT 

STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE

OVER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND 

THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

>> ORDER ARMS.

>> PLEASE JOIN US IN SINGING THE

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE MARCH 

FOUND IN YOUR PROGRAM.

THE MISSION OF OUR SERVICE IS 

KNOWN THE WORLD AROUND

IN RESEARCH AND IN TREATMENT 

NO EQUAL CAN BE FOUND

N THE SILENT WAR AGAINST 

DISEASE NO TRUCE IS EVER SEEN

WE SERVE ON THE LAND AND THE 

SEA FOR HUMANITY

THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE TEAM

>> HONOR CADRE, RETIRE THE 

COLORS.

>> MARCH.

FORWARD MARCH.

>> SIDE-BOYS, AT EASE.

SARAH, PLEASE BE SEATED.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE 

REMAIN STANDING FOR THE 

INVOCATION.

REVEREND ELLEN SWINFORD, WOULD 

YOU PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE 

PODIUM?

>> WE GATHER TODAY AS THE LAST 

DAYS OF AWE TOM GIVE -- AUTUMN 

GIVE BAYWAY TO THE COMING OF 

WINTER TO GIVE RANK TO THE DEAD 

KATED OFFICER OF THE P PUBLIC 

HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSION CORE.

WE COME TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR 

DR. DEBORAH WILSON FOR HER MANY 

SEASONS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

LOOKING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE 

TO HER CONTINUING LEADERSHIP IN 

THE CORE AS A FLAG OFFICER.

WE GATHER TODAY AS MEN AND WOMEN

GROUNDED IN MANY FAITH 

TRADITIONS AND NONE, PEOPLE OF 

PRACTICE, PRINCIPLE, AND PASSION

UNITED BY SHARED REVERENCE FOR 

LIFE AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE THAT

BIDS US TO INVEST OUR LIVES IN 

SOMETHING LARGER THAN OURSELVES 

AND OUR PRIVATE INTERESTS.

AND SO LET US BREATHE DEEPLY 

TOGETHER BECOMING CENTERED IN 

THE HERE AND NOW, AWARE OF THE 

EMBRACE OF THIS EARTH, OUR HOME,

OF THE LIFE SUSTAINING AIR WHICH

WE ALONG WITH ALL OF EARTH'S 

CREATURES ENJOY BY CONTINUOUS 

EXCHANGE WITH ALL THAT IS GREEN 

AND GROWING.

LET US OPEN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

TO THE WONDER AND MYSTERY THAT 

IS LIFE, AND WITH GLADNESS AND 

GRATEFULNESS, COMMEND OURSELVES 

AND OUR SERVICE TO THAT WHICH 

COMPELS US, THAT IN WHICH WE 

PLACE OUR TRUST, THAT WHICH IS 

THE SOURCE AND INSPIRATION OF 

OUR REVERENCE AND OUR PURPOSE; 

HOWEVER IT IS NAMED BY EACH OF 

US, HOWEVER IT IS KNOWN IN THE 

SECRET PLACES OF THE HEART.

AND AS WE SO OPEN AND COMMEND 

OURSELVES, MAY WE BE PROFOUNDLY 

AWARE OF THE WELCOMING AND 

AFFIRMING RESPONSE FROM THE 

[INDISCERNIBLE] LIFE FOREST 

POWER.

MAY THIS CEREMONY TODAY REFLECT 

AND PARTICIPATE IN THE 

UNFATHOMABLE OF ALL THAT MAKES 

MEANING IN GENDERS, INTEGRITY, 

AWAKENS COURAGE AND SUSTAINS 

HOME, FOR IT IS WITH THIS 

INTENTION THAT WE GATHER.

SO MAY IT BE.

AMEN.

>> THANK YOU, REVEREND SWINFORD.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BE 

SEATED.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK 

CAPTAIN WILSON'S DAUGHTER, SARAH

LENNERTZ FOR THE LEADING US IN 

SINGING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM 

AND THE PHSCHORALE FOR LEADING 

IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 

MARCH.

PLEASE BE SEATED.

AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO 

INTRODUCE TODAY'S MASTER OF 

CEREMONIES, CAPTAIN ROBERT 

OSTROWSKI, UNIT PUBLIC HEALTH 

SERVICE, RETIRED.

SIR.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

WHEN DEBBY CALLED ME AND SAID, 

BOB, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FALL 

GUY HERE, I NEED SOMEBODY TO BE 

MC AT THE CEREMONY, I SURELY 

SAID YES AS SOON AS SHE SAID 

THAT BECAUSE I'VE KNOWN DEBBY 

EVER SINCE SHE CAME TO THE NIH 

PIP KNEW HERE WHEN SHE WASN'T 

DR. WILSON, AND HER 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS WHAT HAS 

GOTTEN HER HERE, SO I WON'T SAY 

ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M 

GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AS

MASTERS OF CEREMONY TO DIVERT 

FROM THE SCRIPT FOR ABOUT 30 

SECONDS -- THAT WAS PART OF MY 

AGREEMENT TO SIGN FOR THIS, THAT

I COULD DIVERT FROM THE SCRIPT.

I WANTED TO SAY, PUBLICLY, THAT 

AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN DEBBY, 

I'VE ADMIRED HER BECAUSE SHE IS 

A GOOD HUMAN BEING.

HER LOYALTY TO HER STAFF, TO THE

NIH, AND TO THE CORE HAS ALWAYS 

BEEN UNQUESTIONED, AND I FOREVER

WILL BE GRATIFIED THAT I HAVE 

KNOWN YOU AND HAD YOU AS A 

FRIEND.

THANK YOU.

NOW BACK TO THE SCRIPT.

[LAUGHTER]

A FEW PEOPLE COULD HAVE 

PRETENDED TO HAVE A TISSUE UP 

HERE, I GUESS, UH BUT NO.

OKAY.

I'M GOING START OFF -- I'M BACK 

ON THE SCRIPT SO BEAR WITH ME.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE HAS A PROUD 

HISTORY; OUR ORIGINS CAN BE 

TRACED BACK TO THE SECOND 

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 

JOHN ADAMS WHO IN 1798 SIGNED AN

ACT THAT PROVIDED FOR THE CARE 

AND RELIEF OF SICK AND INJURED 

MERCHANT SEAMEN.

NOW, [INDISCERNIBLE] PROMISED H 

KNOW HAVE A GOOD H-SIZED SALE UP

THERE, I HOPE YOU CAN SEE IT.

YOU SEE IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH 

SERVICE SALE, A CROSSED FOULED 

ANCHOR -- THERE YOU GO 

DERRICK -- AND THE WINGED 

KADUCEUS, WHICH IS THE MARINER 

CONNECTION.

I CAN HARDLY SEE IT BECAUSE OF 

THE FLAGS.

THE CADUCEUS IS NOT, AS COME 

ONLY BELIEVED, THE TRADITIONAL 

SEVERABLE OF MEDICINE BUT RATHER

THE THE ATTRIBUTE OF MERCURY T 

THE ROMAN MESSENGER OF THE GODS 

AND THE GOD OF COMMERCE.

IT REFERS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF 

THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE'S 

MISSION TO THE CONDUCT OF 

MARITIME TRADE.

THE ANCHOR NOT ONLY REPRESENTS 

THE MARITIME NATURE OF THE 

SERVICE'S ORIGINAL MISSION, BUT 

ALSO IN BIG FOULED, IN HAVING 

THE CHAIN WRAPPED AROUND THE 

STOCK AND FLUKES, INDICATES A 

SHIP ON WHICH THERE IS A MARINER

ILL OR IN DISTRESS.

AND THE PHS FLG, CONSISTING OF A

BLUE PHS SALE ON A YELLOW 

BACKGROUND EVOLVED OUT OF THE 

YELLOW QUARANTINE FLAG USED BY 

THE SERVICE ON QUARANTINE 

VESSELS AND STATIONS.

THE BLUE AND YELLOW COLORS OF 

THE PHS REPRESENTS THE SERVICE'S

ROOTS IN MARITIME AND QUARANTINE

ACTIVITIES.

FROM THIS PROUD HISTORY, WE'VE 

CONTINUED TO E VOL AND GROW 

EXPANDING PROGRAMS IN RESEARCH 

AND APPLIED PUBLIC HEALTH, IN 

MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND

PREVENTION, AND WE HAVE GROWN 

FROM A SMALL COLLECTION OF 

HOSPITALS SUPPORTING THE 

MERCHANT MARINERS TO THE LARGEST

PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM IN THE 

WORLD.

WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE A NUMBER 

OF DISTINGUISHED NIH GUESTS IN 

ATTENDANCE TODAY INCLUDING: 

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF RESEARCH, 

TRAINING AND MINORITY HEALTH, 

NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD 

INSTITUTE, NIH, REAR ADMIRAL, 

HELENA MISHOE.

[APPLAUSE]

DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR INTRAMURAL 

RESEARCH, NIH, REAR ADMIRAL -- 

DON KNOW IF HE'S HERE YET -- 

MICHAEL, GOTTESMAN, ARE YOU 

HERE?

NOT HERE YET.

ALSO SEATED IN THE AUDIENCE ARE 

CAPTAIN WILSON'S HUSBAND, AND 

DAUGHTERS, TOM, SARAH, KATIE.

A SPECIAL WELCOME TO ALL 

COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS, FAMILY.

LET'S GIVE -- 

[APPLAUSE]

NEXT IT'S MY PLEASURE TO 

INTRODUCE DR. ALFRED JOHNSON 

WHO'S BOTH MINE AND DEBBY'S 

BOSS.

HE'S ALWAYS SMILING SO HAVE NO 

FEAR.

[LAUGHTER]

OF COURSE THAT'S OUTSIDE HIS 

DOOR, SOMETIMES INSIDE HIS 

DOOR -- NOT.

IN OCTOBER 2006, DR. JOHNSON 

BEGAN HIS TENURE AS DIRECTOR OF 

THE ORS AND ALSO AS THE MEMBER 

OF THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE.

AS THE ORS DIRECTOR, HE PLANS 

AND DIRECTS SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR

PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 

OPERATIONS, SCIENTIFIC AND 

REGULATORY SUPPORT PROGRAMS, AND

A WIDE VARIETY OF OTHER PROGRAM 

AND EMPLOYEE SERVICES.

HE ADVISES THE NIH DEPUTY 

DIRECTOR FOR MANAGEMENT AND 

OTHER NIH SENIOR STAFF ON THE 

MANAGEMENT AND DELIVERY OF 

TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE 

SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF NIH 

RESEARCH MISSION.

HE MANAGED A BUDGET OF 

APPROXIMATELY $250 MILLION.

PRIOR TO HIS APPOINTMENT, 

DR. JOHNSON WAS THE ASSISTANT 

DIRECTOR IN THE OFFICE OF 

INTRAMURAL RESEARCH.

HE ALSO SERVED AS THE ACTING 

DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF LOAN 

REPAYMENT AND SCHOLARSHIP, AND 

WAS AN INVESTIGATOR IN THE 

LABORATORY THE OF MOLECULAR 

BIOLOGY AT THE NATIONAL CANCER 

INSTITUTE.

HE WAS A RESEARCHER IN THE MOW 

LK LAR BIOLOGY CANCER ARENA FOR 

NUMEROUS YEARS AND TRAINED MANY 

STUDENTS.

HIS RESEARCH FOCUSED ON THE 

REGULATION OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH 

FACTOR RECEPTOR GENE EXPRESSION 

AND CANCER CELLS.

REALIZING I SAID ALL OF THAT AT 

THE END, HE WAS DOING ALL OF 

THAT AT THE SAME TIME WHICH 

CERTAINLY E PREPARED HIM FOR THE

ORS MANAGEMENT POSITION BECAUSE 

THE E-MAILS HE GETS AND THE 

PHONE CALLS HE GETS ARE NEVER 

ENDING.

DR. JOHNSON, YOU'RE UP.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THANKS, BO BOB, AND GOOD 

AFTERNOON.

>> THIS  -- THIS IS A WONDERFUL 

OCCASION AND IT'S A HONOR FOR ME

TO BE HERE.

TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE 

A FEW WORDS ABOUT DR. DEBORAH E.

WILSON -- FOUND OUT WHAT THAT E.

MEANT E WHEN I GOT YOUR CD BUT I

WON'T SAY THAT HERE.

I'VE SERVED AS SUPERVISOR FOR 

THE PAST SIX YEARS AND I'VE BEEN

THANKFUL NOT ONLY FOR HER 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITY 

BUT MORE SO FOR HER DEDICATION, 

HER LOYALTY AND HER LOVE FOR THE

NIH AND ITS MISSION.

DR. WILSON AS SHE HAS TOLD ME ON

SEVERAL OCCASIONS GREW UP AT THE

NIH.

HER WORK AT THE NIH BEGAN AFTER 

SHE COMPLETED HER UNDERGRADUATE 

STUDIES AT MERRI WASHINGTON 

COLLEGE WITH A GRADUATE RESEARCH

ON TUBERCULOSIS WHILE ENROLLED 

IN NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL.

AT LEAST A PORTION OF THAT WORK 

WAS CONDUCTED WITH THE FDA ON 

THE NIH CAMPUS.

AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, DR. WILSON

JOINED THE PHS IN 1984 AND HER 

INITIAL [INDISCERNIBLE] ASSIGNED

HER TO THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY 

AND HEALTH BRANCH AS A 

MICROBIOLOGIST -- STILL THERE.

SHE COMPLETED HER DOCTORATE OF 

PUBLIC HEALTH AT UNC CHAP PEL 

HILL AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

HER CAREER HAS BOTH NIH, 

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL 

IMPACTS.

SHE IS AN INTERNATIONALLY 

RENOWNED EXPERT IN MICROBIOLOGY 

CONTAINMENT, SERVED ON THE WORLD

HEALTH ORGANIZATION BUY UH YO 

STATE ADVISORY GROUP AND HAS 

ASSISTED IN INTERNATIONAL POLIO 

ERADICATION PROGRAMS.

SHE HAS CONDUCTED BIOSAFETY 

COURSES PARTICIPANT FROM 

MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, 

SINGAPORE, CAMBODIA IN AN EFFORT

TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE 

BIOSAFETY TRAINING NETWORK IN 

THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION.

DR. WILSON'S NATIONAL IMPACTS 

INCLUDE ESTABLISHING THE FIRST 

NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP TRAINING 

PROGRAM IN BIOSAFETY, 

BIOCONTAINMENT, AND SERVING AS 

THE EDITOR AND ON THE COMMITTEE 

FOR THE CDC STEERING COMMITTEE 

FOR THE REVISION OF THE 

BIOSAFETY AND MICROBIOLOGY FIFTH

EDITION.

THIS IS REFERRED TO AS THE BMBAO

WHICH IS SOME COULD SAY IT'S 

LIKE THE BIBLE FOR BIOSAFETY 

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

AT THE NIH DR. WILSON LEADS THE 

EFFORT TO ENSURE WORKERS ARE 

PROVIDED A SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN 

WHICH TO WORK.

THIS INCLUDE LABORATORIES, 

OFFICES, POWER PLANTS, GEESE, 

DEER.

[LAUGHTER]

YOU NAME IT, IT COMES UNDER HER 

ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

AND SHE DOES.

HAVE YOU SEEN ANY GEESE ON 

CAMPUS LATELY?

THINK ABOUT THAT.

SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 

SAFETY OF MORE THAN 24,000 

EMPLOYEES, TRAINEES AND 

CONTRACTORS.

DR. WILSON DEVELOPED AND 

IMPLEMENTED THE NIH BIOLOGICAL 

SURETY PROGRAM WHICH IS THE 

FIRST PERSONNEL RELIABILITY 

PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN THE 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 

SERVICES.

SHE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED 

THE NIH SELECT AGENT PROGRAM AND

SERVES AS THE RESPONSIBLE 

OFFICIAL FOR THE SELECT AGENT 

PROGRAM ON THE NIH MAIN CAMPUS.

SHE'S AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS 

PUBLICATIONS.

SOME RECENT ONES INCLUDE 

MODELLING VULNERABLE TO 

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES; 

DEVELOPING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 

SCREENING PROGRAM FOR BIOSAFETY 

LEVEL FOUR; AND PREPARING A 

COMMUNITY HOSPITAL TO MANAGE 

WORK-RELATED EXPOSURES TO 

INFECTION AGENTS IN BIOSAFETY 

LEVEL THREE AND FOUR 

LABORATORIES.

THESE PUBLICATIONS PROVIDE A 

RESOURCE FOR OTHERS TO TACKLE 

SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT 

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH 

CONTAINMENT RESEARCH.

SHE'S RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS 

FOR HER WORK; FOUR NIH 

DIRECTOR'S AWARDS, AWARDS FROM 

THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

SHE'S RECEIVED TWO DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

SECRETARIES AWARDS, ONE 

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE FOR 

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND 

SUPPORT OF THE DHHS MISSION AND 

CONTINUATION OF OPERATIONS 

DURING Y 2 K, AND OTHER FOR 

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND 

RESPONSE TO EVENTS OF 9/11 AND 

THE SUBSEQUENT ANTHRAX ATTACKS.

I KNOW SHE'S PROUD OF THIS THAT 

IN 2010 SHE RECEIVED STANLEY 

KILL SO JR. AWARD FROM THE 

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE AND ALSO 

IS VERY PROUD TO BE THE 

RECIPIENT OF THEAROUND G. WEEDOM

AWARDED BY THE AMERICAN 

BIOLOGICAL SAFETY ASSOCIATION.

ASIDE OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

AND THESE AWARDS, THE HIGHLIGHT 

THE DEDICATION THAT DR. WILSON 

HAS AS A PUBLIC SEFRT AND THAT 

SHE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE REST OF

US TO FOLLOW.

SHE'S OFTEN CALLED UPON TO 

TACKLE SOME VERY DIFFICULT 

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH 

BIOSAFETY AT THE NIH, WITHIN THE

UNITED STATES, AND AROUND THE 

WORLD.

[INDISCERNIBLE] IN BOSTON.

THERE ARE SOME DIFFICULT THINGS,

SOME BATTLES YOU GO INTO BUT 

IT'S NOTHING LIKE HAVING SOMEONE

YOU CAN DEPEND ON TO GO INTO 

THAT BATTLE WITH AND DR. WILSON 

IS ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

SHE HAS A TIRELESS EFFORT, 

UNWAVERING SPIRIT, AND THEY ARE 

THE UNDERPINNINGS OF THE SUCCESS

OF THE SAFETY PROGRAM HERE AT 

THE NIH.

VINCE LOM BARTY ONCE STATED THAT

THE PRICE OF SUCCESS IS HARD 

WORK, DEDICATION TO THE JOB AT 

HAND, AND THE DETERMINATION THAT

WHETHER WE WIN OR LOSE, WE HAVE 

APPLIED THE BEST OF OURSELVES TO

THE TASK AT HAND.

DR. WILSON, YOUR SUCCESS IS DUE 

TO HARD WORK, YOUR DEDICATION TO

YOUR JOB, YOUR DETERMINATION TO 

APPLY THE BEST YOU HAVE TO EACH 

AND EVERY TASK.

ON BEHALF OF THE NIH, THE OFFICE

OF MANAGEMENT, OFFICE OF 

RESEARCH SERVICES, WE THANK YOU 

FOR BEING A [INDISCERNIBLE] AND 

I THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND.

CONGRATULATIONS.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU, DR. JOHNSON.

AND NOW IT'S MY GREAT HONOR TO 

PRESENT TO YOU THE DEBTY SURGEON

GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, 

REAR ADMIRAL BORIS LUSHNIAK.

SHE HAS BEEN THE DEPUTY SURGEON 

GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES 

SINCE NOVEMBER 2011.

HE ASSIST THE JURY SUR JOHN 

GENERAL IN ARTICULATING THE BEST

AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

TO THE PUBLIC REGARDING WAYS TO 

IMPROVE THEIR PERSONAL HEALTH 

AND THUS THE HEALTH OF THE 

NATION.

HE ALSO ASSISTS IN OVERSEEING 

THE OPERATIONS OF THE COMMISSION

CORE WHICH IS CURRENTLY 

COMPRISES APPROXIMATELY 6,600 

UNIFORMED HEALTH OFFICERS WHO 

SERVE IN LOCATIONS AROUND THE 

WORLD TO PROMOTE, PROTECT, AND 

ADVANCE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF

OUR NATION.

ADMIRAL LUSHNIAK ENTERED THE 

USPHS IN 1988 AS PART OF THE 

EPIDEMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AT

THE CDC.

DURING HIS TIME HE ALSO SERVED 

ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS AND 

DISASTER RESPONSES ACROSS THE 

WORLD.

HE WAS PART OF THE OCCUPATIONAL 

SAFETY AND HEALTH TEAM AT GROUND

ZERO IN NEW YORK CITY AND 

INVESTIGATED THE ANTHRAX ATTACKS

IN WASHINGTON D.C.

IN 2011, HE COMPLETED HIS TOUR 

WITH THE FOOD AND DRUG 

ADMINISTRATION AS THE FDA 

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR 

COUNTERTERRORISM POLICY AND THE 

DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF 

COUNTERTERRORISM AND EMERGING 

THREATS WITHIN THE US A OF THE 

COMMISSIONER.

HE MAINTAINS BOARD 

CERTIFICATIONS IN DERMATOLOGY 

AND PREVENTTIVE MEDICINE.

HE SERVED AS A STAFF PHYSICIAN 

IN DERMATOLOGY AT THE NATIONAL 

NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER IN BETHESDA

AND IS ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF 

DERMATOLOGY AT THE UNIFORMED 

SERVICE UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH

SCIENCES.

HE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS 

INCLUDING EXEMPLARY SERVICE 

MEDAL, TWO OUTSTANDING SERVICE 

MEDALS, A COMMENDATION MEDICAL 

AND TWO ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS.

IN ADDITION HE HAS RECEIVED THE 

AMA DR. WILLIAM BEAUMONT AWARD 

IN MEDICINE AND AMSUS SUSTAINING

MEMBER LECTURE AWARD AS WELL AS 

THE DHHS SECRETARY AND FDA 

COMMISSIONER AWARDS.

DR. LUSHNIAK.

[APPLAUSE]

>> I CONTINUE LIKE THE PODIUM, 

SO THEREFORE ALLOW ME TO SPEAK 

LOUDLY.

I'LL TRY MAKE TO USE THIS ONE 

[INDISCERNIBLE].

WHAT A GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE.

WHAT A GREAT DAY TO GATHER.

[LOW AUDIO].

LOOKING OUT HERE I CAN FEEL ON 

STAGE THE PRIDE IN THIS GROUP.

THE PRIDE IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

[LOW AUDIO].

WE'VE HEARD A GOOD LITANY OF THE

ACCOMPLISHMENTS SHE HAS ALREADY 

ACCOMPLISHED, AND IN FACT PART 

OF MY TEAM AND MY REMINDER TO 

YOU IS THAT, GUESS WHAT, IT 

AIN'T OVER.

[LAUGHTER]

WE GO THROUGH A LIFE CYCLE IN 

OUR LIVES, RIGHT?

[LOW AUDIO] THERE'S ALSO A LIFE 

CYCLE OF BEING AN OFFICER IN THE

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, AND I AS 

DEPUTY SURGEON GENERAL OFTEN 

TIMES HAVE THAT ABILITY TO 

ACTUALLY SEE VARIOUS STAGES OF 

THAT LIFE CYCLE.

THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO

ACTUALLY PROBABLY ENJOY MY 

PROUDEST MOMENTS [INDISCERNIBLE]

WE HAVE OUR OFFICERS COMPLETE 

OFFICER BASIC COURSE AND AT THE 

END OF THOSE TWO WEEKS, THEY 

STAND [INDISCERNIBLE], THEY TAKE

THEIR OATHS OF OFFICE, THEY'RE 

PINNED WITH THEIR FIRST RANKS.

SENSE IN THAT GROUP THE 

JUBILATION, THE CHALLENGES THAT 

THEY ARE ABOUT TO UNDERTAKE AND 

THAT DEDICATION TO SERVICE TO 

ONE THING [LOW AUDIO].

ON THE OMEGA SIDE, JUST A FEW 

DAYS AGO WE SAID GOOD-BYE TO ONE

OF OUR FELLOW OFFICERS.

33 YEARS OF BEING HERE ATTAINING

THE RANK OF REAR ADMIRAL AND 

AFTER 33 YEARS, IT WAS TIME TO 

MOVE ON.

OMEGA [LOW AUDIO].

ALTHOUGH AS I'LL REMIND THE DEAR

CAPTAIN RETIRED AND WE NEVER 

REALLY RETIRE OFFICERS, WHAT WE 

SAY IS YOU SIR ARE OBEYING 

ORDERS.

[LAUGHTER]

ONCE A PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 

OFFICER [LOW AUDIO] -- IN THAT 

LIFE SPAN OF AN OFFICER WE ALSO 

HAVE JUBILATION AN OCCASIONS 

LIKE THIS, BE IT A PROMOTION 

FROM 01 TO 02 AND 02, 03.

TODAY WE'RE GOING FROM SIX TO 

SEVEN, FOLKS.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF 

THE CONTEXT OF ALL THAT'S GOING 

ON?

WE'VE HEARD SOME HISTORY.

IN 1889, WE BECAME A UNIFORMED 

SERVICE, ONE OF THE SEVEN IN THE

UNITED STATES.

I KNOW EVERYBODY'S COUNTING 

THROUGH -- ARMY, NAVY, AIR 

FORCE, MARINES, COAST GUARD, 

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, AIR FORCE

GUY SHEER SAYING, NOAH.

THEY HAVE A COMMISSION CORE 

THREE HUNDRED OFFICERS OR SO.

IT GETS YOU IF UH YOU USE 

[INDISCERNIBLE] IT COULD WIN YOU

MONEY, DRINKS, ETC, ETC.

THE SEVEN UNIFORMED SERVICES.

SINCE 1889, WE'VE BEEN A 

UNIFORMED SERVICE.

THERE WAS AN ACT OF CONGRESS 

THAT SAID THIS WHOLE SYSTEM OF 

PUBLIC HEALTH, THIS WHOLE SYSTEM

DEDICATED IN EXCESS OF WHAT WE 

DO NOW TO PROTECT, PROMOTE, AND 

ADVANCE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF

OUR NATION HAS EXISTED.

WE DAWNED THE UNIFORMS BACK 

THEN.

WE HAD SUPER VYING SURGEON 

ULTIMATELY TO BECOME A SURGEON 

GENERAL.

IN THAT WHOLE PROCESS OF THESE 

HUNDRED PLUS YEARS, WE'VE HAD 

CEREMONIES LIKE THIS.

WE'VE HAD CEREMONIES WHERE WE 

WELCOME YET ANOTHER INCREDIBLE 

OFFICER TO THE HIGHEST RANKS OF 

THAT NOBLE AND BOLD SERVICE.

HUNDRED PLUS YEARS OF THIS.

SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER WHO'S 

PHS RETIRED OUT HERE BESIDES THE

GOOD CAPTAIN?

ANYBODY ELSE?

IN OURER RO THIS PROBABLY WOULD 

HAVE NEVER TAKEN PLACE.

WE HAD IN THE LAST 20 OR 30 

YEARS -- AND WHEN DEBORAH AND I 

STARTED -- WE FELL OFF THE 

CHARTS A LITTLE BIT AS UNIFORMED

SERVICE.

WE PERHAPS BECAME LESS HONORABLE

IN TERMS OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE 

FACT THAT WE WERE A UNIFORMED 

SERVICE.

THE CONCEPT OF OUR TRADITIONS 

WERE A LITTLE NEGLECTED.

THE CONCEPTS OF OFFICER BASIC 

COURSE WERE NEGLECTED.

WE HAD THE SCHIZOPHRENIA THAT 

WENT ON FOR A WHILE WHICH WAS 

MAYBE WE DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT IT 

MEANT TO BE AN OFFICER, BUT IN 

THE LAST TEN PLUS YEARS, IF YOU 

ASK THE YOUNG OFFICERS HERE 

SERVING AS SIDE BUOYS, WHAT 

THEIR MISSION IS, WE HAVE GONE 

THROUGH METAPHOR FOE SIS WHICH I

THINK UH IS SO IMPORTANT AND 

CULMINATES IN CEREMONIES LIKE 

THIS.

WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE PAST 

BECAUSE THE PAST TREATED US WELL

AND THE PAST SHOWS SYMBOLICILY 

THAT DEDICATION TO SERVING OUR 

NATION.

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THERE'S 

ONLY ONE NATION THAT ACTUALLY 

HAS A UNIFORMED SERVICE 

DEDICATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND 

THAT'S OUR WONDERFUL NATION 

HERE.

UNIFORMED SERVICE THAT ON A 

MOMENT'S NOTICE SAYS TONIGHT YOU

LEAD AND TONIGHT YOU LEAD OR -- 

AND THEN FILL IN THE BLANK.

IN JUST THE LAST FEW WEEKS SH 

TONIGHT YOU LEAVE FOR NEW 

YORK/NEW JERSEY.

WE'VE BEEN HIT BY A NATURAL 

DISASTER, THERE ARE PUBLIC 

HEALTH NEEDS, MEDICAL NEEDS, AND

OUR NATION RELIES ON A MOBILE 

FORCE THAT GETS OUT THERE 

SERVING EITHER INTERNATIONALLY 

OR NATIONALLY TO RESPOND TO 

THOSE EMERGENCIES.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHE IS 

PART OF, SOMETHING OUR OFFICERS 

ARE ALL PART OF.

SO THIS TRANSITION, WHY IS IT SO

IMPORTANT?

HOW DID SHE GET HERE?

WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HER 

BACKGROUND.

HE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE 

EXCELLENT SUFRS OFFICER, BUT I 

WILL SUBMIT TO YOU, IF I ASKED 

HER WHAT HAPPENED WHY ARE YOU 

BECOMING A FLAG OFFICER -- CAN 

YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION?

>> [LOW AUDIO].

[LAUGHTER]

>> SO THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS 

ASPIRATION IN MANY OF OUR 

OFFICERS, YET NOT MANY GET THIS 

OPPORTUNITY.

WE HAVE MANY EXCELLENT OFFICERS.

CHANCES ARE, IF YOU'RE A GD 

OFFICER, YOU WILL ATTAIN SENIOR 

RANKS, BUT WHAT SHE HAS 

UNDERGONE IS THE ASSIGNMENT OF 

THE PLANETS.

BESIDES BEING EXCELLENT AS A 

PROFESSIONAL, SHE HAS SHOWN 

SEVERAL OTHER THINGS.

.

YOU GOT TO BE A LITTLE BIT 

LUCKY, LET'S ADMIT IT.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE IN AN 

IMPORTANT-ENOUGH POSITION.

IT'S CALLED A FLAG 

[INDISCERNIBLE], RIGHT.

THOSE OF YOU IN GOVERNMENT 

SERVICE REALIZE THERE'S SENIOR 

EXECUTIVE SERVICE LEVEL, WELL A 

FLAG VILLAD IS AN EQUIVALENT OF 

THAT.

OUR OFFICER HAS TO BE GOOD 

ENOUGH BUT ALSO BE LUCKY ENOUGH 

TO FALL INTO A POSITION OF 

RESPONSIBILITY.

NO ONE GETS A FLAG WITHOUT THAT.

HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT 

RESPONSIBILITY?

BY DOING EXCELLENT WORK.

AGAIN, THERE'S ONLY A FEW 

POSITIONS OUT THERE THAT MERIT 

THAT FLAG VILLAD.

POINT NUMBER TWO, WHAT ELSE DID 

SHE NEED?

THE SUPPORT AND LOVE AND 

TENDERNESS OF THE NIH, OF HER 

BOSSES, BECAUSE NO ONE GETS TO 

BE A FLAG OFFICER IN THE PUBLIC 

HEALTH SERVICE WITHOUT THE 

BOSSES SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE 

GOING TO SUPPORT HER IN THIS 

ENDEAVOR.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT HER UP FOR 

THAT FLAG.

WE'RE GOING TO PUSH HER, PULL 

HER, GET HER TO BE CONSIDERED 

FOR THAT POSITION.

SO I CONGRATULATE THE NIH FOR 

DOING THAT.

THE THIRD COMPONENT -- DOESN'T 

ALL END THERE -- THIRD COMPONENT

OF ALL THIS IS AT SOME POINT IN 

TIME, WE NOW HAVE A FLAG BOARD, 

A FLAG BOARD THAT SITS DOWN.

BY OUR RULES THESE ARE ALL 

TWO-STAR ADMIRALS, SEASONED 

VETERANS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH 

SERVICE COMMISSION CORE WITH THE

CHAIR BEING THE SURGEON GENERAL 

OF THE UNITED STATES LOOKING 

THROUGH AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT

WE LIKE ABOUT THESE CANDIDATES, 

PERHAPS THIS IS AREAS THAT NEED 

IMPROVEMENT, AND AT SOME POINT 

DECISIONS BEING MADE.

SO EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY BE AN N 

AN IMPORTANT ENOUGH JOB AND YOU 

MAY BE LOVED AND CHERISHED BY 

YOUR OPERATIONAL DIVISION AND 

AGENCY, AT THE END IT STILL 

TAKES THAT SENSE OF PEERS; WHAT 

MAKES YOU SHINE.

THE ESSENCE ALSO IS, ARE YOU 

WORTH IT?

IT SOUNDS CRUEL, BUT IN ESSENCE,

PART OF THE DECISION MAKING IS 

DR. DEBORAH WILSON, WHAT VALUE 

ADDED WILL YOU BE TO THIS 

UNIFORMED SERVICE?

TO YOUR INSTITUTE?

TO THE GOOD OF OUR NATION?

THAT'S ALL THROWN INTO THE MIX.

SO WHAT WE CELEBRATE HERE IS NOT

ONLY THE PROFESSIONAL SIDE OF 

HER CAREER, WHAT WE CELEBRATE 

HERE IS THE FACT THAT MANY 

OTHERS HAVE NOW SEEN IT.

PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW HER 

LOOKED AT HER AND SAID, YEP, 

GUESS WHAT, SHE'S READY.

NOW AS I MENTIONED TO HER 

EARLIER, IT DOESN'T ALL END 

HERE.

THE FLAG RANK ONLY COMES WITH 

MORE RESPONSIBILITY, ONLY COMES 

WITH MORE OF AN EMPHASIS, ONLY 

COMES WITH MORE PRESSURE BECAUSE

ONCE YOU PIN ON THOSE STARS 

TODAY THE WORLD DOES KIND OF 

VIEW UH YOU A LITTLE BIT 

DIFFERENTLY.

AND I ALWAYS REMEMBER, YOU KNOW,

WHEN I PUT ON MY FIRST STAR 

YEARS AGO, I THOUGHT, THIS ISN'T

GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.

I'M IN SAME OLD PERSON I WAS 

BEFORE AND YOU'RE GOING BE THE 

SAME AND YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE

THE SAME THAT YOU ARE GOING TO 

BE LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY.

THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING

TO DO IN THE FUTURE AND PART OF 

THE PRESSURE IS THAT NOW YOU ARE

AMONGST THOSE SENIOR OFFICERS 

THAT NEED TO BE THAT GREAT 

EXAMPLE, THAT NEED TO BE THAT 

PERFECT MENTOR, THAT NEEDS TO BE

CONSIDERATE OF OUR FELLOW 

OFFICERS AND YET UNDERSTAND THAT

YOU ARE IN THAT LEADERSHIP 

CADRE.

BY LEGISLATION, OUR MAXIMUM IS 

1% OF THE CORE CAN BE IN THE 

FLAG RANKS.

I NOW HAVE 6,700 OFFICER WHICH 

IS MEANS WE CAN MAX OUT AT 67, 

RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE 40s, WE 

NEVER MAX OUT, BUT THIS IS IT.

WE ALWAYS WARN OUR OFFICERS -- 

AND A FEW WEEKS AGO SHE ATTENDED

A FLAG OFFICER ORIENTATION AND 

THE MESSAGE TO BE GIVEN IS, YOU 

ARE NOW PART OF THE ELITE, 

CHERISH THAT BAA BUT IT'S 

DIFFERENT THAN BEING ELITIST.

YOU NOW HAVE AN OBLIGATION NOT 

TO STAND BOLDLY AND GO OUT AND 

SAY FLEXING THOSE MUSS LS SAYING

I'M A REAR ADMIRAL.

WHAT YOU DO IS YOU HAVE THAT 

RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING THE 

ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP, BUT AT 

THE SAME TIME BEING ABLE TO PUT 

YOUR HAND OUT TO OTHERS TO SHOW 

THEM EXAMPLES OF WHAT IT MEANS 

TO BE A GOOD OFFICER.

SO I HAVE TO REMIND YOU THAT 

BURDEN FALLS ON THOSE SHOULDERS 

AS WE CHANGE HER RANGES TODAY.

THERE'S ALSO REMINDER THAT MAKES

IT KUND OF INTERESTING TOO JUST 

BY THE TERMINOLOGY THAT MAKES 

YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE 

CENTERED.

THERE'S VARIOUS TITLES THAT 

COMES WITH A POSITION.

THE MOST SERIOUS ONE IS -- 

RIGHT, SHE BACKS AN ASSISTANT 

SURGEON GENERAL AS OF THIS 

AFTERNOON.

THAT'S WHY I'M HERE AND THAT'S 

WHY I NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'VE 

CHOSEN THE RIGHT PERSON, BECAUSE

TOMORROW I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE 

MEDIOCRITY.

I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE LIABILITY

IN THAT TITLE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE IS AN 

ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL, SHE 

HAS MADE THAT CUP.

RANK-WISE, WHAT'S HUMBLING IN 

THAT RANK?

MY FAVORITE RANK IN THE 

COMMISSION CORE 'CUZ IT SOUNDS 

TOUGH, RIGHT I STARTED AS A 

YOUNG LIEUTENANT, TWO LITTLE 

STRIPES -- MY FAVORITE IS 

COMMANDER, THAT SOUNDS TOUGH.

AFTER COMMANDER, YOU BECOME 

CAPTAIN.

WE WENT THROUGH THIS EARLIER 

WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS, AND YOU

BECOME CAPTAIN, AND IN MY MIND, 

I'VE ALWAYS HAD A MENTOR IN LIFE

AND THAT WAS CAPTAIN VON TRAP OF

THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

[LAUGHTER]

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREATEST 

THING, I BLEW MY WHISTLE AND MY 

CHILDREN MARCHED OUT IN 

UNIFORMS.

YOU GET PROMOTED.

YOU GO FROM CAPTAIN TO BEING 

CALLED WHAT?

THIS IS THE HUMBLING PART.

YOU GO FROM CAPTAIN, WHICH 

SOUNDS IMPORTANT, TO REAR 

ADMIRAL, LOWER HALF.

TWO ADJECTIVES IN THERE, REAR 

AND LOWER.

THAT IS THE HUMBLING PART OF 

THIS.

ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE THE STARS AND 

THAT PERCEPTION, REMIND YOURSELF

THAT IN THIS BIG WORLD, YOU 

KNOW, WE ALL GO BACK TO OUR BASE

AND IF IT'S REAR AND LOWER FOR A

WHILE, IT'S OKAY, BUT YOU HAVE 

MADE IT.

WE CAN'T HAVE A CELEBRATION LIKE

THIS WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE 

FAMILY AND THE FRIENDS WHO HAVE 

GOTTEN HER TO WHERE SHE'S AT.

TODAY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF 

MEETING THE SURROGATE MOM.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT 

THAT FIRST PARENTS WEREN'T HERE 

AND HOW PROUD THEY WOULD HAVE 

BEEN.

WE'RE CHANNELLING THROUGH YOU TO

SAY YOU SAID YOU'VE SEEN HER 

SINCE SHE WAS THIS TALL AND TO 

BE HERE THAT EVENT THAT, 

CONNECTIVITY WITH THE PAST IS SO

IMPORTANT BECAUSE, AGAIN, THAT'S

PART OF THE CYCLE.

TO THE HUSBAND TORQUE -- HUSBAND

TO THE KIDS.

WHAT A GREAT RENDITION OF THE 

NATIONAL ANTHEM.

TO YOU, THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL,

FOR ALLOWING YOUR WIFE, FOR 

ALLOWING YOUR MOM TO SERVE HER 

NATION IN UNIFORM.

AND BEING THERE, SUPPORTING HER 

THROUGHOUT THIS CAREER PATH, 

THAT'S WHAT GETS US TO THIS 

MOMENT IN TIME.

THINGS ARE NEVER DONE IN 

ISOLATION WHEN IT COMES TO 

IMPORTANT JOBS AND IMPORTANT 

ROLES AND THAT DEDICATION.

P SO THE FRIENDS, YOU'VE BEEN 

HER SUPPORTERS OF HER THROUGHOUT

HER CAREER PATH.

TO THE FELLOW OFFICERS YOU'VE 

BEEN MENTORS, SUBORDINATES, BUT 

ALL THAT PLAYS A ROLE IN THIS 

ROOM FROM THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF 

THE REVERENT WHO'S PROVIDED THAT

COMPACT TO OTHER ASPECTS.

WE ARE INTERTWINED AND THAT 

INTERTWINING ALLOWS US TO 

CELEBRATE UNMASKED TODAY.

SO CELEBRATE THIS IMPORTANT 

OCCASION AND THIS IMPORTANT 

ENDEAVOR.

SO THIS IS BIG HOW MANY TIMES 

HAVE WE BEEN THROUGH THISSER IS 

MOAN ANY SINCE 1889?

I DON'T KNOW WE'VE LOST COUNT, 

BUT THIS IS YET ANOTHER ONE THIS

IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.

IT ADDS TO YOUR FLAG RANGES HERE

AT NIH WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR 

THE COMMISSION CORE.

IT ADDS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF 

WHAT WE DO AND THE DIVERSITY OF 

THE TYPE OF PUBLIC HEALTH JOBS 

THAT WE HOLD.

IN CONCLUSION, I SEND ALONG 

GREET FRGS THE 18 SURGEON 

GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, 

DR. REGINA BENJAMIN WHO IS SO 

PROUD OF YOU.

THIS YEAR WE HAD FLAG 

PROMOTIONS, THIS WAS ONE OF THE 

BIGGEST CLASSES THAT WE'VE EVER 

BROUGHT IN; 12 NEW ONE-STARS AND

SEVEN NEW TWO-STARS WERE 

PROMOTED AND THAT'S AFTER A 

LAPSE OF ABOUT THREE OR FOUR 

YEARS SO WE WERE LITTLE BEHIND 

ON DOING THIS, BUT WE ARE SO 

PROUD TO HAVE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE

CADRE OF NEW FLAG OFFICERS 

BECAUSE AGAIN GOING BACK TO HOW 

I STARTED T LIFE CYCLE, LATER ON

THIS MONTH I'LL BE GOING TO 

RETIREMENT CEREMONY DOWN IN 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK AND 

ACTUALLY RETIRING OUT -- WAITING

FOR THEIR ORDERS -- A REAR 

ADMIRAL FROM NIH, REAR ADMIRAL 

BILL STOKES.

WE HAVE DEBORAH COMING IN NOW.

THE CYCLE CONTINUES.

I WALK AWAY HERE SAYING I AM 

EVEN HERE AT NIH, WHICH MAKES ME

FEEL GOOD.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS 

IMPORTANT OCCASION.

WE HAVE SO PROUD OF YOU AND 

EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED

AND LET'S CARRY ON WITH THE REST

OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT CEREMONY.

[APPLAUSE]

>> CAPTAIN WILSON, WILL YOU 

PLEASE COME FORWARD?

WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE RISE FOR 

THE READING OF THE ORDERS?

PERSONNEL ORDER NUMBER 2012244, 

EFFECTIVE DATE, AUGUST 17TH, 

2012.

BY VIRTUE AND PURSUANT TO THE 

AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY KATHLEEN 

SEBELIUS, CAPTAIN DEBORAH WILSON

IS HERE BIPROMOTED TO THE GRADE 

OF REAR ADMIRAL, LOWER HALF, AS 

AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 205 C OF 

THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, 

AS AMENDED.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, REAR 

ADMIRAL DEBORAH WILSON, 

ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL OF THE

U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE.

[APPLAUSE]

>> EVERYONE CAN BE SEATED NOW.

AND NEXT UP, REAR ADMIRAL 

LUSHNIAK WILL NOW ADMINISTER THE

OATH OF OFFICE.

I ASKED REAR ADMIRAL WILSON'S 

HUSBANDS AND DAUGHTERS TO JOIN 

HER FOR THE OATH OF OFFICE.

>> [LOW AUDIO].

[LAUGHTER]

I'VE DONE THOSE MANY TIMES -- 

[LOW AUDIO].

[LOW AUDIO].

[LAUGHTER]

-- AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN 

AND DOMESTIC.

[LOW AUDIO] 

[LAUGHTER]

THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH [LOW

AUDIO].

[APPLAUSE]

>> IT IS TRADITIONAL THAT 

RELATIVES, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, 

OR SENIOR OFFICERS ASSIST IN 

PLACING THE APPROPRIATE RANK 

MARKINGS ON THE PRO MOW TEE.

REAR ADMIRAL WILSON'S HUSBAND 

AND DAUGHTERS WILL PLACE THE 

RANKINGS OF REAR ADMIRAL, LOWER 

HALF, ON REAR ADMIRAL WILSON'S 

SHOULDERS.

[LAUGHTER]

[APPLAUSE]

>> NOW WE HAVE TO DO THE FLAG 

PART.

[LAUGHTER]

>> THE FLAG OF THE ASSISTANT 

SURGEON GENERAL COMBINES A WHITE

BACK GROUND WITH THE BLUE PUBLIC

HEALTH SERVICE CORPS DEVICE 

CENTERED ON THE FLAG AND A BLUE 

FRINGE.

THIS FLAG WILL BE PROUDLY 

DISPLAYED WHEN REAR ADMIRAL 

WILSON IS IN HER OFFICE OR AT 

OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS.

REAR ADMIRAL WILSON, WE STAND 

READY FOR YOUR ORDERS.

>> POST MY COLORS.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, REAR 

ADMIRAL DEBORAH WILSON, 

ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL OF THE

UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH 

SERVICE.

[APPLAUSE]

REAR ADMIRAL WILSON, THE PODIUM 

IS YOURS.

[APPLAUSE]

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL 

NOTICED, BUT JASON VERY SLICKLY 

SLIPPED ME SOME TISSUES WHEN I 

WALKED UP HERE.

[LAUGHTER]

THANKS, BOB.

HE WASN'T A CAPTAIN FOR NOTHING.

I AM SO VERY, VERY HONORED AND I

LOOK OUT AND I SEE ALL OF YOU, I

MEAN, TO ALMOST FILL MATURE 

AUDITORIUM IS BEYOND ANYTHING I 

COULD BELIEVE, BUT ADMIRAL 

LUSHNIAK, I WILL MISS YOU.

DR. JOHNSON, HONORED GUESTS, MY 

DEAREST FAMILY.

YOU KNOW, IT SAYS COMMONLY THESE

DAYS IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE

A CHILD.

UM, IT'S TAKEN A MEGALOPOLIS TO 

RAISE DEBBY.

[LAUGHTER]

THERE'S BEEN -- THERE'S JUST SO 

MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE 

FOR ME STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY

AND MANY OF THEM ARE IN THIS 

ROOM AND MANY OF THEM AREN'T 

ABLE TO BE WITH US ANY LONGER.

BUT IF SOMEONE WERE TO ASK ME TO

DESCRIBE MY CAREER, IT'S A LOT 

LIKE AN ACCIDENT.

IN OK PAYAL SAFETY AND HEALTH 

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH 

WE HAVE THIS VISION THIS, KIND 

OF MODEL OF SWISS CHEESE AND 

WHEN AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS, ALL 

THE HOLES IN THE SWISS CHEESE 

LINE UP.

WELL, THAT'S KIND OF HOW MY 

CAREER HAS BEEN.

ALL OF THE HOLES HAVE LINED UP, 

AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO VERY, 

HAVE MANY PEOPLE TO THANK FOR 

THAT WHEN BEBTY SURGEON GENERAL 

LUSHNIAK ASKED ME IF I COULD 

REMEMBER WHEN I FIST BECAME 

INTERESTED IN PUBLIC HEALTH, 

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, I DID.

BACK IN 1947, WELL BEFORE I WAS 

BORN -- I MIGHT ADD -- 

[LAUGHTER]

-- THERE WAS AN AUTHOR BY THE 

NAME OF HELEN WELLS.

HOW MANY OF HERE READ NANCY DREW

OR THE HARDY BOYS?

YEAH.

WELL, I READ CHERRY AIMS AND IT 

WAS CHERRY AIMS EMERGENCY ROOM 

NURSE AND CHERRY AIMS ISLAND 

NURSE AND SKI NURSE AND BOAT 

NURSE -- AND YOU GET THE IDEA.

BUT ONE OF THOSE BOOKS I READ AS

A LITTLE GIRL WAS CHERRY AIMS 

VISITING NURSE, AND CHERRY AT 

THAT TIME WAS A PUBLIC HEALTH 

NURSE AND I REMEMBER VIVIDLY -- 

AND I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH AS 

MOST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM CAN 

ATTEST -- BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT

BOOK BECAUSE SHE WENT INTO A 

TENEMENT AND PUT NEWSPAPER DOWN 

ON A TABLE SO IT WOULDN'T 

CONTAMINATE HER MEDICAL BAG AS 

SHE OPENS IT AND TOOK OUT HER 

INSTRUMENTS TO CHECK ON A 

POSTPARTUM WOMAN WO  WHO LIVED 

IN THE APARTMENT THERE.

THAT STUCK WITH ME ALL MY LIFE 

THAT THERE WAS THIS NEED TO 

SERVE POPULATIONS AND PEOPLE IN 

THIS COUNTRY WHO WERE CLEARLY 

UNDERSERVED, WHO WERE 

UNDERREPRESENTED, WHO ARE 

DISENFRANCHISED IN ONE WAY OR 

ANOTHER.

WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DIDN'T 

BECOME A NURSE AND I'M SORRY, 

BILLY, FOR ALL OF THOSE TINKER 

TOY HYPER DER MIK NEEDLES.

MY BROTHER PUT UP WITH A LOT.

WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT, MY 

PARENTS GAVE ME AN ELECTRIC MIKE

MICROSCOPE.

WE LIVED IN PANAMA, MY DAD IN 

THE ARMY, AND IT WAS PRETTY NEAT

TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT SPECIMENS 

FROM THE JUNGLE AND THE RAIN 

FOREST AND PUT THEM UNDER THAT 

MICROSCOPE AND LOOK AT THEM, AND

THAT LOVE NEVER LEFT ME.

NEVER LEFT, AND SO IT WAS A 

NATUR

NATURAL PROGRESSION THAT I 

JOINED THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

AS A MICROBIOLOGY AS OPPOSED TO 

A NURSE, BUT HAD I NOT READ THAT

BOOK, HAD I NOT GOT THAN REALLY 

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT, HAD I

NOT COME TO WORK AT THE NIH IN 

MY SECOND YEAR OF COLLEGE IN 

1976 WHEN THE DNA GUIDELINES HAD

JUST BEEN ISSUED AND WE WERE ON 

THE CUSP OF A REVOLUTION IN 

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY THAT WOULD 

BRING SO MANY WONDERFUL, 

WONDERFUL ADVANCES IN IN 

MEDICINE AND SAVE SO MANY LIVES 

AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE 

FOR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF 

PEOPLE, AND IT'S BEEN A WILD 

RIDE EVER SINCE THEN.

YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 1976 AND '84, 

OF COURSE, I FINISHED COLLEGE 

AND WENT TO MED TECH SCHOOL AND 

GRADUATE SCHOOL, BUT I CAME BACK

TO NIH BECAUSE I WAS INOCULATED,

I WAS IMMUNIZED.

FROM THAT TIME IN 1976, PART OF 

ME WAS OWNED BY THE NIH.

THERE WAS A GENTLEMEN WHO SOME 

OF YOU -- AT LEAST ONE OR TWO IN

THE AUDIENCE -- MAY REMEMBER WHO

WAS PROBABLY MY FIRST MENTOR 

HERE AT NIH AND THAT WAS 

DR. JOHN ERWIN, FIRST EXECUTIVE 

SECRETARY OF THE REKOFSH DANT 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

PROBABLY HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HIS

TODAY LAGE OR MENTOR SHIP, I 

WOULD NOT BE STANDING HERE TODAY

A HOLE IN THE SWISS CHEESE.

BEYOND THAT, I WOULD LIKE THE TO

MENTION TO YOU, AND I DON'T KNOW

IF, UM, CAPTAIN EMIT BARKLY IS 

IN THE HOUSE, BUT IF HE IS, 

EMIT, I OWE YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE 

I WENT AND ASKED EMIT FOR A JOB 

WHEN I GOT OUT OF MED THE TECH 

SCHOOL AND HE SAID, NO WAY.

AT THAT TIME, EMIT WAS THE 

DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF 

SAFETY HERE AT NIH.

THANK YOU, EMIT.

[LAUGHTER]

ANOTHER HOLE IN THE SWISS 

CHEESE.

AND HE PATTED ME ON THE BOTTOM, 

FIGURATIVELY, LAMI, NOT REALLY, 

AND SENT ME OFF TO THE 

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT 

CHAPEL HILL TO JOIN THIS 

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PROGRAM 

WHICH I HAVE SEVERAL COLLEAGUES 

HERE WHO JOINED ME -- YOLANDA, 

DEBORAH, AND CRAIG MAYBE HERE --

AND WE ALL WENT TO STUDY 

BIOHAZARD SCIENCE.

AND IT HAS EVOLVED AND I'M VERY 

PROUD THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN 

INVOLVED IN THIS, INTO A 

WONDERFUL PROFESSION THAT, 

AGAIN, SERVES THE PUBLIC HEALTH 

OF THE NATION AND THE GLOBE.

WE MAKE SURE THAT THE GOOD THAT 

GETS DONE IN THE LABORATORY 

DOESN'T NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE 

COMMUNITIES AND THE COUNTRIES IN

WHICH WE DO THAT WORK.

AND I HAVE BEEN VERY BLESSED TO 

HELP DEVELOP THAT PROFESSION TO 

WHERE IT IS TODAY.

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH 

CAROLINA, THE GENTLEMAN WHO HAD 

THE GREAT FORESIGHT AND STROIGS 

START THE BIOHAZARD SCIENCE 

PROGRAM, DR. J.J.TULIS -- 

ANOTHER HOLE IN THE SWISS 

CHEESE.

HAD HE NOT HAD THE VISION AND 

THE FORESIGHT AND THE 

UNDERSTANDING THAT AS MUCH AS 

MICROBIOLOGY DOES FOR US AND 

DOES FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH, IT 

COULD ALSO HURT US INDIVIDUALLY,

AS A COMMUNITY, AS A COUNTRY, 

AND SO HE STARTED THIS PROGRAM, 

AND I OH HIM AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT 

AND IF IT WERE NOT FOR DR.

DR. TULIS, I WOULD NOT BE 

STANDING HERE TOOT.

SOMEONE ELSE THAT I OWE SO MUCH 

TO IS DR. ROBERT MCKINNEY.

DR. MCKINNEY WAS MY BOSS FOR 

ABOUT 20 YEARS, AND SOME WOULD 

SAY, BOB MCKINNEY WAS CRUSTY.

OTHERS CALLED HIM OTHER THINGS.

[LAUGHTER]

BUT WHAT I DID LEARN FROM BOB 

MCKINNEY WAS THAT YOU ALWAYS 

SUPPORT YOUR PEOPLE AND IT'S 

OKAY TO BE SCARED BUT HAVE THE 

COURAGE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT'S 

RIGHT.

NOW THAT'S NOT TO SAY I DON'T 

HAVE THE NATURAL PROCLIVITIES 

THAT MAY BE NECESSARY TO GET 

INTO A FIGHT, BUT I THIS THINK 

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHANNEL IT FOR

GOOD, BUT BOB WAS, AND IS, AN 

OUTSTANDING, OUTSTANDING MAN AND

OUTSTANDING SCIENTIST.

HE WAS A FINE ARMY OFFICER, AND 

TO THIS DAY I OWE HIM SO MUCH 

AND IF IT WERE NOT FOR BOB 

MCKINNEY, I WOULD NOT BE 

STANDING HERE, ANOTHER HOLE IN 

THE SWISS CHEESE.

FROM DR. JOHNSON WHO NOW YOU 

WILL REMEMBER FOR HIS BIG 

ENGAGING SMILE AND HIS KIND 

VOICE AND HIS KIND DEMEANOR, 

I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT 

HUMILITY AND LEADERSHIP AND 

VISION, AND TRULY, I WOULD NOT 

BE STANDING HERE IF NOT FOR 

ALFRED, FOR DR. JOHNSON, THANK 

YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.

ONE OTHER PERSON WHO'S NOT HERE 

TODAY WHO I MUST MENTION IS REAR

ADMIRAL RICHARD WYATT, RETIRED.

DR. WYATT AT ONE TIME WHEN I WAS

A YOUNG OFFICER SAID YOU'RE IN 

CHARGE OF THIS COMMITTEE, DEBBY,

AND HERE'S HOW I WANT YOU TO DO 

IT.

I WANT YOU TO FIND OUT WHO THE 

PEOPLE ARE THAT HAVE THE MOST 

DIVERGENT VIEW AND THE PEOPLE 

WHO ARE POLARIZED ON THE ISSUE, 

AND I WANT YOU TO GET THEM INTO 

A ROOM AND YOU'RE NOT COMING OUT

UNTIL YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

AND IT WAS A TOUGH ONE, UH BUT 

CERTAINLY ADMIRAL WYATT IS A 

MASTER AT THAT BECAUSE HE IS THE

KINDEST GENTLEMAN WHO TELLS YOU 

WHAT HE WANTS AND HE'S SMILING 

AND SHAKING HIS HEAD YES THE 

WHOLE TIME WHILE YOU'RE GOING, I

DON'T THINK SO.

HE SAID, OH YES, DEBBY, IT'LL BE

FUN.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT,

ALFRED.

BUT THAT IS A SKILL, AND IN THE 

PRACTICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND IN

THE PRACTICE OF BIOSAFETY, 

NEGOTIATION AND COMPROMISE IS 

ESSENTIAL.

WHILE YOU STILL HOLD YOUR 

GROUND.

DR. WYATT TAUGHT ME THAT, AND 

HE'S A GENTLEMAN THE WHOLE WHILE

HE DOES IT, AND IF IT WEREN'T 

FOR RICHARD WYATT, I WOULD NOT 

BE STANDING HERE TODAY; ANOTHER 

HOLE IN THE SWISS CHEESE.

BUT THERE IS YET ANOTHER THING I

WOULD LIKE TO MENTION BASED ON 

MY INTERACTIONS WITH DR. TULIS 

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH 

CAROLINA.

WHEN THE CIVILIAN BIODEFENSE 

INITIATIVE TOOK OFF IN THIS 

COUNTRY AFTER 9/11 AND AFTER 

OCTOBER 2001 AND THE ANTHRAX 

ATTACKS IN THE UNITED STATES -- 

AND, YES, TOM I REALLY WAS 

SPENDING THE NIGHT ON THE COUCH 

IN MY OFFICE, I PROMISE -- UM, 

IT BECAME VERY CLEAR AS WE WERE 

EXPANDING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND 

OUR RESEARCH LABORATORY CAPACITY

ACROSS THE THE COUNTRY, UM, WE 

WERE GOING TO NEED MORE 

BIOSAFETY PROFESSIONALS TO 

ENSURE THAT WHILE WE WERE TRYING

TO DO GOOD WE DIDN'T DO BAD, 

THAT WE WOULD DO NO HARM.

AND SO TAKING DR. TULIS' VISION,

WE INSTITUTED HERE IN THE OFFICE

OF RESEARCH SERVICES THE 

NATIONAL BIOSAFETY AND 

BIOCONTAINMENT TRAINING PROGRAM.

AND WHILE I'M OFTEN CREDITED 

WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THAT 

PROGRAM, THERE WERE VERY MANY 

WHO HELPED ME WITH THAT.

DR. DEBORAH HUNT FROM DUKE 

UNIVERSITY IS HERE TODAY AND HAS

ALWAYS BEEN A TREMENDOUS 

ADVISOR.

CAPTAIN MURRAY LEE KOHEN WHO IS 

NO LONGER ACTIVE WITH THE MBBTP 

DO TO AN ACCIDENT, BUT WITHOUT 

MURRAY I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN 

ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS WONDERFUL

PROGRAM THAT HAS PROVIDED 

BIOSAFETY PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE

EMPLOYED IN THE REGIONAL 

BIOCONTAINMENT BIODEFENSE LABS 

AND THE NATIONAL BIODEFENSE LABS

ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

SO, DEBBY, THANK YOU.

MURRAY, THANK YOU.

ALSO, IN THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE 

OF ALLERGY AND INFECTION 

DISEASE, THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE 

WHO BELIEVED IN THAT PROGRAM, 

TREMENDOUSLY, AND UNDERSTOOD 

THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THE NATION

NEEDED, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT 

NIH NEEDED BECAUSE JUST AS AFTER

NECH EVERYBODY WAS INTERESTED IN

BIODEFENSE, NOW HOW MANY YEARS 

LATER, WELL MAYBE BIODEFENSE IS 

NOT SUCH A GOOD THING AND MAYBE 

MICROBIOLOGY IS NOT AS GOOD 

ANYMORE AND THERE'S THIS OTHER 

THING CALLED DUAL USE, BUT DR. 

>> >> McDOWELL AND DR. KAT LIN 

ZOON AT NIAID UNDERSTOOD THE 

VALUE OF THAT PROGRAM, AND WHILE

I'M GIVEN A LOT OF CREDIT FOR 

IT, TRULY IF IT WEREN'T FOR 

THEM, IT WOULDN'T BE HERE, AND I

PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE STANDING 

BEFORE YOU TODAY; ANOTHER HOLE 

IN THE SWISS CHEESE.

THIS'S ONE PERSON -- AND YOU'VE 

MET MY FAMILY OR SOME OF MY 

FAMILY TODAY -- BUT THERE'S ONE 

PERSON WITHOUT WHOM ABSOLUTELY, 

NO DOUBT, I WOULD NOT BE 

STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU AND 

THAT'S MY HUSBAND, TOM.

THIS WONDERFUL MAN WHO IS A 

RETIRED AIR FORCE OFFICER, HE 

WAS A LIEUTENANT COLONEL WHEN WE

RETIRED, RETIRED FROM THE AIR 

FORCE BEFORE HIS 064 AND HE DID 

SO AT -- WELL, LET'S JUST PUT IT

THIS WAY -- A GREAT SACRIFICE.

TOM WAS DUE TO TAKE COMMAND OF 

WHITE SAND MISSILE BASE AND THIS

WAS BACK DURING THE TIME YOU 

WERE TALKING ABOUT, ADMIRAL 

LUSHNIAK WHEN THE COMMISSION 

CORE DIDN'T HAVE IT SO TOGETHER,

AND I HAD ASKED FOR A TRANSFER 

FROM NIH TO THE INDIAN HEALTH 

SERVICE.

AFTER ALL, I WAS A MICROBIOLOGY 

AND SPECIALIZED IN TUBERCULOSIS,

I SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND A JOB 

ON AN INDIAN RESERVATION, BUT 

THERE WASN'T ONE TO BE HAD THAT 

I COULD QUALIFY FOR, AND SO THE 

U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE E 

WROTE A LET TORE THE AIR FORCE 

SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO 

OPPORTUNITY FOR A JOINT 

ASSIGNMENT AND SO TOM WAS 

EXTENDED IN THE WASHINGTON 

MILITARY DISTRICT FOR ANOTHER 

FOUR YEARS AT WHICH TIME AS HE 

WAS COMING UP FOR HIS 064, I WAS

EARLY IN MY CAREER AND HE WAS 

MOVING ON IN HIS.

HE DECIDED TO RETIRE SO I COULD 

DO TWO THINGS; CONTINUE MY 

CAREER IN THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH

SERVICE AND, UH, RAISE MY 

CHILDREN NEAR THEIR 

GRANDPARENTS.

THANK YOU, HONEY.

-- FOR EVERYTHING.

AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR THIS 

STRONG, SILENT, BRAVE MAN, I 

WOULD NOT BE STANDING HERE 

BEFORE YOU TODAY, FOR SURE.

BUT ONE OTHER THING, AND IT IS 

SOMETHING I AM PROUD OF AND IT'S

SOMETHING THAT AS I LOOK AROUND 

THE ROOM AND SEE ALL OF THE 

PEOPLE HERE AT NIH -- NOT ALL OF

THEM BUT A FAIR NUMBER -- WHO 

WORK IN THE SUPPORT SERVICES; IN

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT N THE POLICE

GARMENT, IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

N ENGINEERING, IN THE LIBRARY, 

IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON, AND 

ALL THAT YOU DO, ALL THAT WE DO 

TO SUPPORT THE NIH RESEARCH 

COMMISSION, THE FACT THAT I'VE 

BEEN PROMOTED TO REAR ADMIRAL 

SAYS THAT WE IN THE SUPPORT 

SERVICES ARE VALUED BY THE NIH, 

WE'RE VALUED BY THE DEPARTMENT 

OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 

BUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE.

THE WORK WE DO IS VALUED BY THE 

COMMISSION CORE, AND PEOPLE 

DON'T OFTEN SAY THANK YOU TO 

SUPPORT SERVICES, BUT WITHOUT US

WHAT GOES ON HERE WOULD NOT GO 

ON.

SO THE FACT THAT I'M STANDING 

HERE WITH MORE STRIPES AND THE 

STAR IS REALLY A TESTAMENT TO 

THE WORK THAT UH YOU ALL DO AS 

WELL.

WOULD ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK

OR HAVE WORKED OR HAVE BEEN 

ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIVISION OF 

SAFETY OR THE DIVISION OF 

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH 

STAND UP PLEASE?

COME ON, COME ON, COME ON!

I'M JUST ACCUSED OF EATING 

BABIES FOR BREAKFAST, I DON'T 

REALLY DO IT.

[LAUGHTER]

LOOK AROUND.

YOU KNOW, THEY SAY THAT A 

GENERAL IS NOTHING WITHOUT HIS 

TROOPS.

AND IT'S TRUE AND I AM 

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WITHOUT ALL 

OF YOU.

SO AT THIS POINT, I SALUTE YOU.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

I HAVE JUST ONE MORE PERSON THAT

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND HE'S 

SEEN IN THE FRONT ROW NEXT TO MY

HUSBAND IS MY DEAR BROTHER, 

BILL, WHO HAS FACED MANY 

CHALLENGES AND DELIGHTS IN HIS 

LIFE, HAS DONE SO WITH GRACE AND

COURAGE.

UH  YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT A LOVELY 

FAMILY SITTING HERE AND MY 

NEPHEW AND MY NIECE AREN'T HERE 

BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW IN LABOR -- 

NO?

SHAREECE IS HERE?

THE BABY IS HERE, ALL RIGHT!

SEE, PEOPLE TELL ME I'M 

LONG-WINDED.

[LAUGHTER]

BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS 

THERE'S AN OLD ADAGE THAT YOU'RE

BORN WITH YOUR FAMILY BUT YOU 

CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS.

WELL, BILLY, I WOULD CHOOSE YOU 

TOO.

I WISH YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS, 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH

ME TODAY.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU, REAR ADMIRAL 

WILSON FOR THOSE REALLY TRULY 

INSPIRING REMARKS, AND 

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND TO 

YOUR FAMILY, AGAIN.

WE NOW WELCOME BACK REVEREND 

SWINFORD WHO WILL PRESENT THE 

BENEDICTION.

>> HAVING WITNESSED THE 

PROMOTION OF REAR ADMIRAL 

WILSON, LET US PREPARE NOW TO 

TAKE INTO OUR HANDS AGAIN THE 

WORK OF THIS SEASON AND THE 

NEEDS OF THIS DAY.

GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFTS OF EACH 

SEASON OF THE YEAR, OF OUR 

CAREERS, AND OUR LIVES.

EVEN AS WE DRAW STRENGTH TO FACE

THE ACCOMPANYING CHALLENGES, MAY

REAR ADMIRAL WILSON FIND WITHIN 

HERSELF AND IN ALL THE 

RESERVOIRS FROM WHICH SHE DRAWS 

TO RESOURCE HER LIFE THE MEANS 

TO MEET HER UNGOING AND NEW 

DUTIES WITH INTELLIGENCE, 

COURAGE, AND RECTITUDE, AND MAY 

WE ALL LIVE AND WORK SO AS TO 

KEEP SAFE ALWAYS WITH OUR COMMON

EXPERIENCE OF REVERENCE AND 

PURPOSE IN ALL THAT WE PURSUE IN

THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY'S WELL 

BEING N ALL THAT WE ENDEAVOR TO 

LEARN, MANAGE, TO TREAT.

MAY WE REMAIN AT ROOT, MUTUALLY 

COMMITTED TO PROMOTING INTEGRITY

AND HUMILITY BEFORE THE GREAT 

ENCOMPASSING AND COMMANDING 

MYSTERY KNOWN BY MANY NAMES AND 

NAMELESS, COMPREHENDED BY NONE 

WHICH IS AS CLOSE TO US AS OUR 

OWN BREATHING AND BEYOND ALL WE 

CAN EVER KNOW.

SO MAY IT BE.

AMEN.

>> THANK YOU, REVEREND.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE 

REMAIN STANDING FOR THE 

DEPARTURE OF THE OFFICIAL PARTY.

SIDEBOYS, POST.

SOUND SIX BELLS.

DEPUTY SURGEON GENERAL, UNITED 

STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, 

DEPARTING.

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF RESEARCH 

SERVICES, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF

HEALTH, BEDEPARTING.

>> PRESENT ARMS.

>> SOUND SIX BELLS.

DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF OCCUPATION

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH, 

OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES, 

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, 

DEPARTING.

>> PRESENT ARMS.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS 

CONCLUDES TODAY'S CEREMONY.

PLEASE JOIN ADMIRAL WILSON AND 

HER FAMILY IN THE LIBRARY HERE 

IN BUILDING 10 FOR REFRESHMENTS.

YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO 

CONGRATULATE ADMIRAL WILSON AND 

HER FAMILY.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT 

FAMILIAR WITH THIS FACILITY, 

WHEN YOU EXIT OUT OF THE 

AUDITORIUM IN THE BACK, YOU WILL

TURN TO YOUR LEFT AND FOLLOW 

AROUND THE HALLWAY AND THE 

LIBRARY IS IMMEDIATELY ON YOUR 

RIGHT.

SIDEBOYS, USHERS, DISMISSED.

I'D LIKE TO ASK ALL DOHS STAFF 

TO PLEASE REMAIN IN THE 

AUDITORIUM FOR SOME QUICK 
PHOTOS.