General Peter Pace

Floor Speech

GENERAL PETER PACE -- (House of Representatives - June 18, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Congressman Kline, thank you for your leadership tonight. And particularly I want to thank you for your family service, your service in the Marine Corps, your son's service, who is in the central front himself, having served in Iraq. We are very grateful for your family's service.

I am here tonight really indeed to point out the extraordinary service, 40 years of service, of General Peter Pace. I think it's extraordinary, and I hope the American people indeed look at this record of service.

The perspective that I am here is that I served 31 years myself in the Army National Guard, the Army Reserves. Really, the reason I served so long is because I have such great appreciation for the confidence and capabilities and the patriotism of the military of our country.

Additionally, I have the perspective of being a parent. I have four sons who are currently serving in the military of the United States. In particular, I am very grateful my oldest son served for 1 year in Iraq. I know firsthand of the bravery of our troops, the success of our troops in protecting America by keeping the terrorists and stopping them overseas. I am also grateful, I have a son who is a doctor in the Navy. We are very proud of his service, and his wife, and what they mean to our country.

Additionally, I've got a third son who is a signal officer who has served in Egypt with the Army National Guard, and a fourth son who has just joined the Army ROTC. He will be participating in the simultaneous drill program of the National Guard.

I give all my credit to my wife, Roxanne, for training these four guys. But I will point out that a reason that we have such faith in their service is because I have such faith in people like General Pace. I have entrusted my four sons to the leadership of the American military, which by every poll, every time it is done, I am afraid lawyers don't come out too well, politicians don't come out too well by standards, even the media suffers when it comes time to judge the level of perception of a profession, even ahead of the clergy is the military of the United States, and I believe they deserve it.

The final perspective I have as a Member of Congress. I have been here 5 years. I serve on the Armed Services Committee. The communities I represent, Fort Jackson, Paris Island, the Marine Air Station in Beaufort, the Beaufort Naval Hospital, but the greatest highlight that I've had is to visit with our troops overseas.

I have been to Iraq seven times. I have been to Afghanistan three times. I've visited probably 30 different countries. When we visit, we visit with the generals; we visit with the diplomats; we visit with the top American and foreign officials. But one of the real highlights is that we have the opportunity to go into a dining facility. And of course, they make it pretty simple for Members of Congress; they have a little flag identifying our home State. And we will go and we will find junior officers and enlisted personnel. And that's where you find out the extraordinary quality of the young people serving our country. Indeed, I believe it is the new Greatest Generation, people who don't whine, who understand that our Nation has been attacked. On 9/11, it was attacked. Beginning back in 1979, with the seizure of our embassy in Tehran, we have had multiple attacks until we came to 9/11/01. And we've learned a lesson. And these young people are protecting our country.

Indeed, it was just three weeks ago today that I was in Baghdad and had the great opportunity to meet again with General David Petraeus. I have great faith in his leadership and what he's doing, protecting American families by creating a level of stability in Iraq.

Additionally, I had the privilege of visiting with the 218th Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Kabul, Afghanistan. This is the Army National Guard of South Carolina being very ably led by General Bob Livingston.

I was in that unit, Congressman, for 25 years, so I know firsthand of the capabilities of the person serving that unit as they are training the Afghan police and training the Afghan Army. A sad reminder today with the heinous homicide attack on the Afghan police; 35 policemen were killed yesterday. It is a chilling but a sad reminder that, indeed, the police that are being trained in Afghanistan and being trained in Iraq, the armies being trained in both of those countries, they have been the primary focus of attack of the terrorists because we are making progress in training people to provide stability in their own country.

Now, when I think of General Pace, it's really incredible that he has had a 40-year record of service. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1967. He was sworn in as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on September 30, 2005. And what is particularly meaningful is that he is the first Marine to serve in this position and also the first Marine to serve as Vice Chairman----

Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Will the gentleman yield? Could you say that again?

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. And I knew this would get your interest, being the Marine, Congressman Kline, that you are, and indeed, I want to commend you. If anyone ever doubts, I want to point out that you wear a U.S. and Marine flag everywhere you go, without fail, with your congressional pin. And if anyone mistakes the pin as the People's Republic of China, I want them to know that indeed it is the Marine Corps of the United States of America.

Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. General Pace was born in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey. He holds masters degrees in business administration from George Washington University, attended Harvard University for the Senior Executives Course in International Security. He also is a graduate of the Infantry Officer's Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Georgia; the Marine Corps Command and General Staff College at Quantico, Virginia; and the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington.

In 1968, upon completion of The Basic School at Quantico, General Pace was assigned to the Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam, serving first as a rifle platoon leader, and subsequently as assistant operations officer. He was later assigned to the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., where he served a number of billets, to include Security Detachment Commander at Camp David, White House Aide, platoon leader and Special Ceremonial Platoon.

General Pace has held command at virtually every level and served in overseas billets in Nam Phong, Thailand; Seoul, Korea; and Yokota, Japan.

While serving as president of the Marine Corps University, then Brigadier General Pace also served as Deputy Commander of Marine Forces, Somalia, from December 1992 to February 1993, and as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force, Somalia, from October 1993 to March 1994.

After his assignment as the Director of Operations, (J-3) Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., then Lieutenant General Pace served as the Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Atlantic/Europe/South. He was promoted to General and assumed duties as the Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command in September 2000.

As the Vice Chairman from October 2001 to August 2005, General Pace served as the Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, Vice Chairman of the Defense Acquisition Board, and as a member of the National Security Council Deputies Committee and the Nuclear Weapons Council.

General Pace's personal decorations include: Defense Distinguished Service Medal, with two oak leaf clusters, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, Navy Achievement Medal with gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

General Pace and his wife, Lynne, have a son, Peter; a daughter, Tiffany Marie; and a daughter-in-law, Lynsey Olczak Pace.

Colonel Congressman Kline, again, I want to thank you for bringing many of us together tonight to pay tribute to a great hero, an American hero who has served our country for 40 years, who has served the last 2 years as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, a person that I know and respect; I know that the military respects. I just want to thank you again for your efforts this evening.

I yield the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source