[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20662]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO COMMISSIONER ISRAEL L. GAITHER

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 27, 2006

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great 
African-American, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, National Commander of 
the United States Salvation Army. Commissioner Gaither is the first 
African-American to hold the position in the Salvation Army's 126-year 
history.
  In his position, Commissioner Gaither heads a vast Army of 3,661 
officers, 112,513 soldiers, 422,543 members, 60,642 employees and 
nearly 3.5 million volunteers, who serve more than 31 million people 
annually. He is the Salvation Army's chief spokesperson in the U.S. and 
coordinates matters of national concern to its mission. He acts as the 
chairman of the national board of trustees and is responsible for 
presiding over tri-annual commissioners' conferences, which bring 
together key executive leaders of the Salvation Army's four territories 
in the United States.
  The General of the Salvation Army describes Commissioner Gaither as a 
``model of spiritual leadership . . . [whose] experience in South 
Africa and London give him a world-view of the challenges facing the 
Army today, while retaining the historical mission of the Army rooted 
in biblical truth and values.''
  Israel Gaither is a man who leads with total dependence on God and in 
partnership with territorial leaders to effectively impact those on the 
margins of American society. He loves the Salvation Army and is deeply 
committed to its mission.
  Commissioner Gaither officially arrived at national headquarters in 
Alexandria, Virginia, on May 1, 2006. Prior to joining national 
headquarters, he worked for 4 years in London, England, where he was 
second-in-command of the worldwide organization and his wife Eva 
Gaither served as world secretary for women's ministries. The Gaithers 
have served individually and jointly in numerous leadership positions 
throughout the Army, including roles as pastors of Salvation Army 
corps, congregations, in Aliquippa, Erie, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
as well as in Brooklyn, New York's Bedford-Stuyvesant. In addition, 
they have held various regional, national, and international leadership 
positions in business administration. The Gaithers met at the Salvation 
Army's School for Officer Training in Suffern, NY, and were 
commissioned as officers in 1964. They married in 1967 and have two 
children and two grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither is the highest ranking 
African-American in the Salvation Army. He is an inspiration for young 
men and women, and I stand here to honor him today for his years of 
service to this Nation's and the world's needy.

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