[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 140 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
TRIBUTE TO COL. THOMAS F. ELLZEY, JR., COMMANDING OFFICER, FORT ORD, CA

                                 ______


                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 30, 1994

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Col. Thomas F. Ellzey, Jr., one of the finest officers serving the U.S. 
Army, and our Nation, on his extraordinary achievement of receiving the 
Distinguished Service Medal.
  His additional military awards and decorations include the Legion of 
Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service 
Medal, Air Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman's Badge, and Senior 
Aviator Badge.
  Colonel Ellzey began his Army career as a draftee inducted into the 
Army during the Vietnam conflict in 1967, and was commissioned an 
infantry officer upon graduating from Officer Candidate School in 
February 1969. As a lieutenant, he served as a platoon leader and 
executive officer of a training company at Fort Jackson, SC. Upon 
arrival in Vietnam in June 1970, he served with the 101st Airborne 
Division as a UH-1 section leader and later as an infantry platoon 
leader. Subsequently he moved up to become a company commander and a 
battalion executive officer of various training units at Fort Jackson. 
While with the 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC his service 
included time as a flight standardization officer, division aviation 
officer and battalion executive officer. While with the 269th Combat 
Aviation Regiment, he commanded the battalion's 18th Aviation Company. 
In addition to his tour of Vietnam, Colonel Ellzey's overseas duty 
include time serving as the liaison officer to the Japanese Military 
Academy while stationed at Camp Zama, Japan, and as the Army Forces 
Commander for Operation Sea Angel in Bangladesh.
  In August 1993, Colonel Ellzey became the U.S. Army garrison 
commander at Fort Ord, and later that year was designated as the 
commanding officer of the base, upon the inactivation of the legendary 
7th Light Infantry Division, whose battalions relocated to Fort Lewis, 
WA.
  Perhaps one of the most diverse assignments of his career. Commander 
Ellzey quickly demonstrated his strong and innovative Army leadership 
by providing stability to the soldiers and their families, along with 
the civilian workers of Fort Ord during the base closure process. At 
the same time he provided support and assistance to the fragmented 
local community which was devastated by the closure of the largest 
military installation in the country. His open communication policy 
with community officials contributed significantly to the success of a 
new era at Fort Ord for civilian reuse. His extraordinary leadership 
enabled both the Army and the Fort Ord community to overcome some of 
the most difficult obstacles which threatened the initial phases of 
civilian reuse, which resulted among other things as the historic 
transfer of Army property to the State of California for the purposes 
of developing a California State university at the site of Fort Ord and 
a University of California Science, Technology, Research and Policy 
Center which will be the centerpiece to the economic revitalization to 
the California central coast economy.
  Colonel Ellzey's commitment to excellence is exemplified through his 
innovative leadership and work to enrich the quality of life in the 
Fort Ord community during a turbulent transition from military to 
civilian use of a historic institution. His dedicated service to our 
country, the soldiers under his command and their families, as well as 
to the civilian employees of Fort Ord, have earned him tremendous 
respect and admiration by the community, and reflect great credit on 
him and the U.S. Army.
  I commend him on his extraordinary career, and on behalf of the 
Monterey-Fort Ord community I convey our deepest appreciation for a job 
well done on the historic occasion of the closing of Fort Ord.

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