[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 72 (Thursday, June 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CONGRESS SALUTES BRIGADIER GENERAL MARK H. OWEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAVE WELDON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 2006

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Brigadier 
General Mark H. Owen, Commander of the 45th Space Wing in Florida and 
Deputy Department of Defense Manager for Manned Space Flight Support to 
NASA. I congratulate him on his new assignment as Deputy Director, 
Strategic Security, Deputy Chief of Staff, Air, Space and Information 
Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters United States Air 
Force, Pentagon, Washington, DC.
  For the past 2 years, Brigadier General Owen has served as the 
Director of the Eastern Range, responsible for the safe and secure 
access to space of America's manned and unmanned space vehicles.
  During this time, he was responsible for the processing and launch of 
U.S. Government and commercial satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force 
Station.
  The Eastern Range encompasses a 15 million square mile area, that 
includes a network of radar, telemetry tracking and telecommunication 
hardware operating at sites up the East Coast and in the Atlantic Ocean 
including detachments at Antigua Air Station and Ascension Island.
  General Owen earned his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air 
Force Academy in 1979. To date, he has received seven promotions and 
served in a variety of space and missile assignments involving missile 
combat crew operations, satellite command and control, space lift and 
test range operations and major space systems acquisitions.
  During the early years of his service, his assignments included the 
Phillips Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; the Space 
and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California; 
the National Reconnaissance Office and the Office for the Assistant 
Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition in Washington, D.C.
  General Owen has also served in staff positions at Headquarters Air 
Force Space Command and in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the 
Air Force for Space, as well as the Office of Secretary of the Air 
Force.
  His command experience includes leading a squadron in Colorado and 
California, and serving as commander of the 91st Space Wing, Minot Air 
Force Base, North Dakota and the 45th Space Wing, Florida.
  Brigadier General Owen's education accomplishments include two 
undergraduate degrees, one in biology/pre-med from the U.S. Air Force 
Academy and the other in electrical engineering from the University of 
New Mexico. He earned two Master degrees, one in systems management 
from the University of Southern California and the other in national 
security strategy from the National Defense University, National War 
College. Other education accomplishments include Squadron Officer 
School, Marine Corps Command and Staff from the Marine Corps Institute, 
Defense Systems Management College, Program Management, distinguished 
graduate from Air Command and Staff College and National Security 
Management Fellow from Syracuse University.
  Brigadier General Owen's awards and decorations include the Legion of 
Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak 
clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal 
with oak leaf cluster, Combat Readiness Medal, and the Global War on 
Terrorism Service Medal.
  I am honored to rise in support of General Owen's service to our 
Nation and I am proud of his commitment to the cause of liberty and 
freedom. I wish him every success as he continues to serve this great 
Nation in the United States Air Force.

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