[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 50 (Friday, April 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E749]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE OF COLONEL JOHN R. BATES, USMC

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                          HON. DARRELL E. ISSA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 21, 2005

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 33 years of 
dedicated service of Colonel John R. Bates to our Nation and the United 
States Marine Corps.
  Colonel Bates dropped out of college in 1966 to enlist in the United 
States Marine Corps, then Private Bates was trained as both an 
infantryman and a machine gunner, and deployed to Vietnam where he was 
assigned to Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. In Vietnam, he 
participated in eight major combat operations and many more unnamed 
battalion and smaller hostile-fire operations. He was wounded in combat 
three times, the most serious of which resulted in the loss of much of 
his right lung by an enemy machinegun round. Bates was promoted to the 
rank of Sergeant while serving in Southeast Asia. While in Vietnam, he 
held the billets of Fire Team Leader, Squad Leader, and acting Infantry 
Platoon Commander. After thirteen months in Vietnam, then-Sergeant 
Bates was ordered to Camp Pendleton, California, and assigned as a 
Troop Handler for the 2d Infantry Training Regiment and was 
subsequently discharged due to medical disabilities attributed to his 
earlier wounds.
  Re-entering college using the GI Bill, state rehabilitation funding, 
and a disability pension, Bates completed his Bachelor of Science and 
Education degree, followed by a Master of Science degree from the 
University of Central Arkansas. In 1975, seven and a half years after 
his medical discharge, his repeated requests to compete for a 
commission were granted and in November of that year he was 
commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Marines at Quantico, Virginia. Upon 
completion of the Basic School, he was awarded an infantry MOS and 
assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Bn, 7th Marines at Camp Pendleton as 
an infantry platoon commander. Lt. Bates' next assignment was as 
Service Company Commander at Camp Courtney, Okinawa. Returning to the 
United States and promoted to Captain, he assumed duty with the 12th 
Marine Corps District Recruiting Command at Treasure Island, 
California. His following duty assignment was that of Inspector 
Instructor for Echo Co, 2nd Bn, 23rd Marines, at San Bruno, California. 
Promoted to Major, Bates was next assigned to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii as 
the ``Group Grunt'' for Marine Air Group Two-Four. There he flew 
numerous hours in both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. After two 
years at the MAG, he was assigned Executive Officer for 1st Bn, 3rd 
Marines, and later as the acting commander of that battalion during 
Desert Shield and Desert Storm hostilities in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. 
Returning from the Persian Gulf in the spring of 1991, Major Bates was 
assigned as the S-3, Operations Officer, of The Basic School, Quantico, 
Virginia, and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 
Colonel. Following that assignment, in 1994 LtCol Bates was ordered 
back to Hawaii and assumed the duties as the G-3 Ground Operations 
Officer for Marine Forces Pacific, spending much of the time in Korea, 
Japan and other areas of the Far East.
  In 1996, LtCol Bates assumed command of 2nd Bn, 3rd Marines, and 
deployed the battalion to Okinawa, mainland Japan, Korea, and Hong 
Kong. Promoted to Colonel in 1998, Bates was transferred to become the 
Fleet Marine Officer, Second Fleet, in Norfolk, Virginia. In 2000, Col 
Bates was next assigned to Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Yokosuka, 
Japan, where he commanded Task Group 71.34, as the Fleet Anti-Terrorism 
Officer, requiring duty in much of Asia, Australia, New Caledonia and 
Micronesia.
  His present assignment is as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations 
and Training, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. In February of 2003, 
Col Bates assumed the duties as the Liaison Officer for I Marine 
Expeditionary Force to Marine Forces Central Command in Kuwait, Bahrain 
and Iraq and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has completed 
the resident courses of Amphibious Warfare School and the U.S. Marine 
Corps Command and Staff College. Bates holds life membership in the 
Disabled American Veterans. He is an avid ultra-distance runner, having 
completed more than 50 marathons and in 1986 was co-holder of the 
American Record for the 146-mile run from Badwater, California, (Death 
Valley) to the summit of Mt. Whitney. He is an experienced and current 
Military Free-Fall parachutist and civilian USPA ``D'' licensed 
skydiver. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Purple Heart 
with two gold stars, the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, 
the Combat Action ribbon with one gold star, and the Navy/Marine Corps 
Achievement Medal with one gold star. He is married to the former 
Stephanie Tucker of St. Louis, Missouri. They have one son, 1st Lt. 
Joshua Rustin Bates, currently the S-3 Alpha for 1st Bn, 7th Marines.

  On behalf of the American people whom Colonel Bates spent a career 
serving, I thank him for his service, honor and commitment to our 
country.




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