[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 37 (Tuesday, April 5, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3197-S3198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                  LIEUTENANT COLONEL ANTONIO R. BAINES

 Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
an exceptional officer in the United States Army, Lieutenant Colonel 
Antonio R. Baines, upon his retirement after more than 20 years of 
distinguished service. Throughout his career, Colonel Baines has 
personified the Army values of duty, integrity, and selfless service 
across the many missions the Army provides in defense of our Nation. As 
a Congressional Legislative Liaison Officer in the office of the 
Secretary of the Army, many of us on Capitol Hill have enjoyed the 
opportunity to work with Lieutenant Colonel Baines on a wide variety of 
Army issues and programs, and it is my privilege to recognize his many 
accomplishments. I commend his superb service to the United States Army 
and this great Nation.
  Lieutenant Colonel Antonio R. Baines, the son of Mr. Albert and 
Yolanda Baines of Jonesboro, GA, attended high school in Hephzibah, GA,

[[Page S3198]]

and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Signal Corps after 
graduating from North Georgia College in 1984. His first assignment was 
as the Battalion Signal Officer for the 6th Battalion, 37th Field 
Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. He has served in multiple 
assignments within the United States, including two tours at Ft. 
Gordon, GA, and notably as the Signal Officer for 1st Squadron, 9th 
U.S. Calvary Regiment at Fort Lewis, WA, and the 82nd Aviation Brigade, 
82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. Lieutenant Colonel Baines 
served two tours in Europe as the Signal Officer for the 3rd Battalion, 
34th Armor Regiment in Stuttgart, Germany, and deployed to South West 
Asia as part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Later as the 
Assistant Division Signal Officer for the 1st Infantry Division in 
Wurzburg, he again deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina. As a signaler, 
Lieutenant Colonel Baines excelled in a wide variety of leadership and 
staff assignments to include Platoon Leader, Battalion Adjutant, 
Company Commander, Brigade Adjutant and Battalion Executive Officer.
  In 1999, Lieutenant Colonel Baines was selected to be a Force 
Development Officer with assignment to the Pentagon. He served on the 
G-3 and G-8 staff as the Army's Systems Integrator for all tactical 
radios systems. He was subsequently selected as a Congressional 
Legislative Liaison Officer in the office of the Secretary of the Army, 
Congressional Legislative Liaison, Programs Division from June 2001 
through June 2005.
  Lieutenant Colonel Baines maintained constant liaison with the 
Professional Staff Members of the Senate and House Armed Services 
Committees on issues relating to Army Procurement programs focusing on 
Army Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Information 
Technology, and Ammunition Procurement. In 2003, Lieutenant Colonel 
Baines was selected to be the team chief of the hardware section of the 
Programs Division.
  Throughout these assignments, Lieutenant Colonel Baines provided 
outstanding leadership, advice, and sound professional judgment on 
numerous critical issues of enduring importance to both the Army and 
Congress. Antonio's actions and counsel were invaluable to Army leaders 
and Members of Congress as they considered the impact of important 
issues. On behalf of Congress and the United States of America, I thank 
Colonel Baines, his wife Peggy, and his entire family for the 
commitment, sacrifices, and contribution that they have made throughout 
his honorable military career. Congratulations on completing an 
exceptional and extremely successful career.

                          ____________________