[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO COL. JIMMY JACOBS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN M. SPRATT, JR.

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 22, 1998

  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to an 
outstanding American, an outstanding soldier, and an outstanding 
officer of the U.S. Army on the occasion of his retirement from active 
service. Col. Jimmy O. Jacobs retires after more than 28 years of 
dedicated service to this great Nation. Throughout his service Colonel 
Jacobs has provided tremendous leadership, guidance and counsel at all 
levels, from unit to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He has 
consistently provided frank, thoughtful and deliberate advice to the 
high ranking Presidential appointees whom he has served both for the 
Office of the Secretary of the Army and the Office of the Secretary of 
Defense. Colonel Jacobs has over the years become recognized inside the 
Pentagon as the expert when an issue had to be worked quickly and 
correctly. His first and foremost concerns have always been what is 
best for soldiers, the U.S. Army, and our Nation. His brand of selfless 
service will stand for years to come as the standard for others to 
emulate.
  Colonel Jacobs' illustrious career that began in 1970 culminates as 
the Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, 
Headquarters, Department of the Army. It is in this position that he 
has been able to directly influence the lives of our young soldiers and 
their families. For it is in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff 
for Personnel (DCSPER) where decisions are made affecting a soldier's 
wallet, housing assignment, points for promotion, and next assignment, 
among many others. Colonel Jacobs has been on hand to ensure that, when 
others might lose sight of that soldier on the ground, the correct 
decisions are made. He is the one who has ensured that the DCSPER hears 
those honest, frank opinions that he needs to hear before making life 
altering decisions. And on many occasions it was Colonel Jacobs himself 
providing those opinions.
  Colonel Jimmy Jacobs was born in Bennettsville, South Carolina and 
graduated from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Colonel 
Jacobs was commissioned a second lieutenant through the Reserve 
Officers' Training Corps program in 1969. The unfortunate and untimely 
loss of both parents while attending college prompted his request for a 
one-year deferment from active duty to ensure his two younger brothers 
graduated from high school. For that year he taught high school biology 
and coached football, reporting in 1970 to his first duty station in 
Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam. After Vietnam, then Lieutenant Jacobs spent the 
following 10 years overseas serving selflessly in a wide variety of 
personnel positions at Headquarters, 6th U.S. Army, Europe, the Berlin 
Brigade, and the European Military Personnel Center. In 1981, the newly 
promoted Major Jacobs was assigned to Headquarters, 6th U.S. Army at 
the Presidio at San Francisco, to serve for three years in his 
functional area of public affairs. Following his assignment as Chief, 
Media Operations and Public Information, Major Jacobs was selected to 
attend Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 
Upon graduation he found himself being assigned once again to another 
overseas tour with the Military Personnel Center, Europe, in 
Schwetzingen, Germany.
  After serving as Chief Officer Assignments and the Assistant Chief of 
Staff for Operations, the newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel Jacobs was 
reassigned to the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., in May 1988. For the next 
ten years, Lieutenant Colonel Jacobs served in alternating assignments 
between the Office, Secretary of Defense and the Office, Under 
Secretary of the Army as a Senior Military Assistant, Executive 
Officer, and Senior Military Deputy. During this period he was 
deservedly promoted to Colonel and subsequently assigned to his current 
position as the Executive Officer to the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff 
for personnel. In all these assignments, Colonel Jacobs has served with 
distinction and has earned our respect and gratitude for his many years 
of unselfish service to our Nation's defense.
  It is with great pride that I congratulate Colonel Jacobs upon his 
retirement and wish him and his wife, Deborah, all the best as they 
move on to face new challenges and rewards in the next exciting chapter 
of their lives. I ask my colleagues to join me in heartfelt 
appreciation to a soldier whose selfless service has truly made a 
difference.

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