[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 92 (Wednesday, July 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING COLONEL JACK V. SCHERER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARION BERRY

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 6, 2004

  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding 
citizen and an admirable leader, COL Jack Scherer of the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Memphis District.
  On July 12th, COL Scherer will step down as Memphis District 
Commander after finishing his 3-year term. He leaves behind a legacy of 
infrastructure and development all along the Mississippi River from 
Cairo, Illinois, to Rosedale, Mississippi.
  COL Scherer has served his country with distinction as a member of 
several troop assignments including as Platoon Leader, Company XO and 
Battalion Logistics Officer for the 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st 
Airborne Division (Air Assault). He also commanded Company E (Mobile 
Assault Brigade), 1st Engineer Battalion, and 82nd Engineer Battalion, 
1st Infantry Division (Mechanized).
  His wide-ranging experience in the field and with the Defense 
Logistics Agency in Ft. Belvoir, VA, has led to a vision and knowledge 
of water-borne infrastructure far exceeding the norm. The rivers and 
levees, especially the Mississippi River and tributaries, of our area 
have not known a greater advocate than COL Scherer; his absence from 
our future efforts will be terribly apparent.
  In addition to his infrastructure development, COL Scherer has been 
involved in many humanitarian relief operations. Deployed to Bosnia-
Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Guard, he was the Multi-
National Division (North) Engineer. While there, he coordinated the 
work of eight national engineer units supervising land mine-removal 
operations.
  COL Jack Scherer is a hero not only for his courage and leadership as 
Army colonel, but for his commitment to the infrastructure our region 
is so reliant upon. On behalf of the Congress, I extend deep 
appreciation to COL Scherer for his leadership and his dedication to 
making the area's waterways efficient and practical.

                          ____________________