On the recordNovember 9, 2011
today I would like to celebrate the remarkable commitment demonstrated over nearly 18 years in Senate service by one of my most loyal and longest serving aides, Chris Wyman, who retired October 31. Chris Wyman eschews the limelight of politics and the media. But I know him as a close friend and a humble, self-effacing, earnest public servant, who ``walked point'' for me in Massachusetts on every issue and every case affecting military personnel, veterans, and their families. For Chris, the work was always personal. He understands the demands on the military and their families better than most, having enlisted and served on Active Duty in the Navy before he came to work for me shortly after I began my second term representing Massachusetts. The work that Chris began on my staff starting in 1993 was difficult, particularly for someone who found such common cause with anyone who had worn the uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. Their cause became Chris's concern day in and day out. The issues changed with time, from veterans' benefits and Agent Orange, to PTSD and traumatic brain injuries, but what always remained was Chris's special determination to help those who had served their country and ensure that they were always treated with dignity and respect by the government that had sent them into harm's way.…
