[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2347-E2348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  LT. GEN. JOHN M. PICKLER, U.S. ARMY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOEL HEFLEY

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2001

  Mr. HEFLEY. Mr. Speaker, I attended the retirement parade for 
Lieutenant General John Pickler. It was a sad day for the Army as they 
were losing one of their best to the retired roles. It was also a sad 
day for me personally as over the years John and his wife Karen have 
become close friends. I rise today not; however, to remark on the 
retirement of a great soldier but to thank him for a lifetime of 
service to our country.
  General Pickler leaves the Army after over 36 years of dedicated 
service to our Nation and the soldiers that he loves. His biography is 
distinguished.
  Lieutenant General John M. Pickler assumed the duties of the Director 
of the Army Staff on 17 August 1999.
  A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, General Pickler was graduated 
from the United States Military Academy, West Point, and commissioned 
in the Field Artillery on 9 June 1965. He was awarded a Master of 
Science in Physics from the University of Virginia in 1971.
  Prior to assuming duties as the Director of the Army Staff, he served 
as Chief of Staff, United States Army Forces Command, Fort McPherson, 
Georgia; Commander, Fort Carson, Colorado and Deputy Commanding 
General, III Corps; Deputy Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps and 
Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commanding General of Joint Task Force Six, 
Fort Bliss, Texas; and Assistant Division Commander (Support), 4th 
Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Carson, Colorado.
  General Pickler has held a wide variety of Field Artillery positions 
from battery through corps, culminating as the Chief of Staff, III 
Corps Artillery and the Director of Plans, Training and Mobilization, 
Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

[[Page E2348]]

Other key assignments include Instructor and Assistant Professor in the 
Department of Physics at West Point; Executive Officer to the Director, 
Defense Nuclear Agency; Commander of 2d Battalion, 81st Field 
Artillery, 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) with concurrent duty as 
Commander of the Idar-Oberstein (Germany) Military Sub-community. 
Following command, he was assigned as the 8th Infantry Division 
Inspector General. In 1987, he returned to Germany as Commander, 8th 
Infantry Division Artillery in Baumholder, and then became the 
Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, DC, in 
1989. In addition to Germany, his overseas assignments include Vietnam 
and Turkey.
  General Pickler is a graduate of both the Command and General Staff 
College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and also the Army War College with 
duty as an Advanced Operational Studies Fellow at the Combined Arms 
Center, Fort Leavenworth. His awards and decorations include the 
Distinguished Service Medal; the Defense Superior Service Medal with 
Oak Leaf Clusters; the Legion of Merit with Three Oak Leaf Clusters; 
the Distinguished Flying Cross; the Bronze Star with ``V'' Device; and 
the Meritorious Service Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters.
  General Pickler and his wife, Karen, have one daughter, Nevelyn, and 
two sons, Andy and Jeff.
  General Pickler attended his last parade as a soldier on Monday, 29 
October 2001. I am proud to have had the opportunity to attend it and 
witness the retirement of a friend.

                          ____________________