TRIBUTE TO CHRISTINE RAHLF

On 2024-12-20, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) delivered a floor speech titled "TRIBUTE TO CHRISTINE RAHLF" in the Senate. The speech addressed veterans affairs. It referenced legislation including S7319, S7320.

TRIBUTE TO CHRISTINE RAHLF

Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 190 (Friday, December 20, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 190 (Friday, December 20, 2024)] [Senate] [Pages S7319-S7320] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO CHRISTINE RAHLF Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate and honor the service of Christine ``Chris'' Rahlf, my veterans services representative. Soon, Chris will retire from the U.S. Senate after a lengthy career serving the people of Wisconsin and our Nation. Chris began her career as an officer in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. Equipped with a BS in Civil Engineering from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Chris began her Federal service managing construction projects at the Naval Training Center in Newport, RI. She later moved to California, where she directed the quality assurance program and supervised more than 100 evaluators at Diego Garcia. She finished her Active service in the Navy as the course director for the Naval Facilities Contracts Training Center, improving both course pass rates and test scores, as well as developing models for future course curricula. Following her time in the Navy, Chris received an MBA at San Diego State University and worked in project management at several large corporations based in California. Upon her return to Wisconsin, she joined Faith Technologies located in Menasha and held a variety of leadership positions during her time on their team. She developed strong relationships in her local community, later running for a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly to serve Northern Ozaukee County and Washington County. In early 2019, we were fortunate to have Chris join our staff. Her tireless work ethic and commitment to public service were evident from the moment we met. Chris fully dedicated herself to supporting, uplifting, and communicating with veterans across Wisconsin something you could say she has spent her entire life doing. As the daughter of a 100 percent disabled veteran, wife of a veteran, mother of two servicemembers, and as a veteran herself, Chris brought the perspective and [[Page S7320]] candor of all these different facets of her life experience together to address the specific needs of veterans and their families. Chris immediately continued to build strong relationships with veterans and veteran's organizations across the State, demonstrating time and time again to Wisconsin's veteran community that our team works hard and gets results. She was recognized as being tough but fair in her work, holding Agencies accountable and garnering respect and trust throughout the State by her approach. She has helped veterans and their families establish closure through obtaining missing service records and medals, fought for pay and services owed to them, and tackled systemic problems in the VA medical system to address incorrect diagnoses and quality of care issues. Her efforts have made a lasting and positive impact on both individual veterans and the wider veterans community in Wisconsin. When news spread about Chris's upcoming retirement, I heard from many Wisconsin veterans about the quality of her work, her compassion, and her dedication to service. To have earned that kind of respect says all that needs to be said for what Chris means to our office and the work she has done. We will miss her leadership, enthusiasm, and steadfast commitment to service. Chris, thank you for your service to our nation. And thank you for your service to the veterans of Wisconsin. ____________________