[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 84 (Friday, May 19, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7022-S7023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         TRIBUTE TO SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY RICHARD A. KIDD

 Mr. FORD. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate Sergeant 
Major of the Army [SMA] Richard A. Kidd, who will retire on June 30, 
1995. SMA Kidd's service to our Nation spanned more than 33 years 
during which he distinguished himself as a soldier, leader, mentor, 
spokesman, and adviser to the Chief of Staff of the Army. Let me 
briefly recount to you the career of this dedicated and professional 
soldier.
  A native of Morehead, KY, and product of a military family, SMA Kidd 
enlisted in the U.S. Army in March 1962. During his more than three 
decades of loyal service to the Nation, he has held and served in every 
infantry enlisted leadership position from squad leader to command 
sergeant major. He is a combat tested leader with two tours in Vietnam 
where he served with the 1st Cavalry Division (1966-67) and returned as 
an infantry adviser with the United States Military Assistance Command-
Vietnam (1970-71). SMA Kidd has also had multiple tours in Korea and 
Europe. Before becoming the ninth Sergeant Major of the Army, he was 
command sergeant major of I Corps, America's Corps, and Fort Lewis, WA. 
He has served as command sergeant major of numerous organizations 
including the 9th Aviation Battalion, Fort Lewis, WA; 2d Battalion, 2d 
Infantry, South Korea; Commandant, 1st Armored Division NCO Academy, 
Katterbach, Germany. After his tour in Germany, he returned to Fort 
Lewis where he served consecutively as command sergeant major of the 
4th Battalion, 23d Infantry Regiment; 3d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division 
[Motorized]; and 9th Infantry Division [Motorized].
  When SMA Kidd was selected to become the Army's senior enlisted 
representative in July 1991, the cheering Americans and victory parades 
welcoming home the victors of the Persian Gulf war were but a faint 
memory. Two short years earlier, the Berlin Wall had fallen, signaling 
America's triumph in the 50-year-old cold war and the Army 
[[Page S7023]] was in the midst of a drawdown efforts to reduce its 
size by a third. The biggest challenge facing SMA Kidd was 
communicating the Army's strategy to make cuts while, at the same time, 
maintaining a quality trained and ready Army. He focused on providing 
soldiers and their families with accurate and timely information so 
that they could make educated and informed decisions about their future 
in a shrinking Army. That was achieved through regular interviews with 
both internal and external communication print and electronic mediums. 
In so doing, he established a reputation, trust, and rapport with 
soldiers and their families as a caring leader who listened and truly 
represented soldiers.
  SMA Kidd's distinguished 33-year career epitomizes the consummate 
professional soldier--one who loves being a soldier and being around 
other soldiers, is technically and tactically proficient, dedicated, 
motivated, physically fit, mentally alert, and morally straight. But 
above all, he is a loving and caring husband and father whose service 
was enhanced by his wife, Sylvia, and their two children, Shelly and 
Ryan. To them, too, the Nation owes its gratitude.
  SMA Kidd, a professional and proud infantry soldier--on behalf of the 
Congress of the United States and the people we represent, I offer our 
sincere thanks for your service.


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