2005 Keeper of the Flame Award: James Inhofe

On Wednesday October 20, 2005, the Center for Security policy paid tribute to the Heroes of the Homefront – the men and women who render invaluable service in defending our homeland and supporting our soldiers oversees. Accepting the Keeper of the Flame Award on their behalf was Senator James Inhofe.

Senator Inhofe’s address to the 350-plus attendees at this elegant black-tie dinner held at Washington’s landmark Union Station was preceded by a welcome
from former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency James Woolsey. Sen. Inhofe was introduced by Deputy National Security Advisor J.D. Crouch.

Among those in attendance for the sixteenth annual Keeper of the Flame Award were: Homeland Security Advisor to the President Fran Townsend; Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Robert Joseph; National Counterintelligence Executive Michelle Van Cleave; Assistant Secretary of State for Verification and Compliance Paula DeSutter; Senior Director of Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council William Luti; and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs Rogelio Pardo-Maurer.

Members of Congress in attendance included: Senator Conrad Burns; Congressman J.D. Hayworth; Congressman Roscoe Bartlett; Congressman Robin Hayes; Congressman Charles Taylor; and Congressman Geoff Davis.

Other distinguished guests included: Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Dick D’Amato; Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors Kenneth Tomlinson; former Chairman of the Defense Policy Board Richard Perle; and former Senator Tim Hutchinson.

Organizations and individuals specifically honored for their efforts on the Homefront were:

• •  Karen Theobald-Conlin, President of Helping our Heroes Foundation, which provides mentors, patient advocates, counseling and assists with emergency funding needs for our wounded veterans for Iraq and Afghanistan.

• •  Lt. Bob Fromme of the Iredell County North Carolina Sheriff’s Department who in working with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms uncovered at multimillion-dollar tobacco smuggling ring which was raising money for Hezbollah.

• •  Peter Gadiel of the 9/11 Families for a Secure America who have worked to hamper terrorist activity by pursuing the 9/11 Commission observation “that terrorists cannot plan and carry out attacks in the United States if they are unable to enter the country.”

• •  Jim Weiskopk the VP for Operations of the Fisher House which operates at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center and annually provides over 8,500 military families with a supportive home environment as their loved ones are recovering from injury or illness.

• •  Jim Schwartz, Chief of the Arlington County Fire Department whose members heroic actions during the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon to their recent rescue efforts in New Orleans have been marked by professionalism, courage, and caring.

• •  Mayor Ernie Currier of Enid, Oklahoma which was the first community to officially join the Defense Department’s “America Supports You” program, and has recruited over 20,000 Enid residents to join the effort in a number of ways, including sending letters, books, magazines, DVDs and other items to the service members overseas.

• •  Gen. Paul Vallely who though the Scott Vallely Soldiers Memorial Fund conducts holiday gift drives for service members and is building a Fallen Heroes statue to pay tribute to his son Scott and all those men and women who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

• • Debra Burlingame, sister of Charles F. “Chic” Burlingame, the pilot of the plane that was crashed into the Pentagon by terrorists on September 11, 2001 who though her intrepid, inspiring and courageous leadership of thousands of other 9/11 family members has ensured the hollowed ground at the site of the World Trade Center, will memorialize for future generations what happened to America on that terrible day.

In a moving presentation, Gen. Paul Vallely and his wife Muffin presented to the Center a scale model of a statue commemorating the sacrifices of our fallen heroes on behalf of the Scott Vallely Soldiers Memorial Fund.

The event concluded with remarks by 1994 Keeper of the Flame Award Recipient Senator Jon Kyl, who joined in thanking Sen. Inhofe and the men and women he represented on this occasion, and encouraged their continued support through the work of the Center for Security Policy.