[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 27, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO DAVE OWEN

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                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 27, 2006

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
patriotic public service and self sacrifice of Colorado Senator Dave 
Owen.
  For more than five decades, Dave Owen has used his God-given 
abilities to serve his country as an Army officer, as a small business 
owner, and State Representative and Senator in Colorado. His tenacity, 
his sense of humor, and his integrity endear him to many people. He is 
worthy of our respect and admiration.
  Mr. Owen comes from a family with a history of public service. His 
stepfather served as an Army officer and the chairman of the Colorado 
Republican Party. Following in his footsteps, Owen joined the Air Force 
Reserves while studying at Denver University and then volunteered to 
fight the communists in Korea in 1951. As an armorer, he worked for 12 
months arming and cleaning the weapons on F-51 Mustang fighter planes. 
After returning home to Colorado he used the GI Bill to get a 
Bachelor's Degree in English at Colorado College, in Colorado Springs, 
while simultaneously becoming the Cadet Commander in his ROTC unit. As 
a 2nd Lieutenant, he again entered full time military service and was 
sent to Europe and his wife, Marilyn, was able to accompany him. For 
several years, he served as a platoon leader in German to help defend 
against a possible invasion from the Soviet Union.
  After returning to the United States, Mr. Owen decided to pursue the 
remaining part of his military career as an Army personnel officer. 
This new career gave Mr. Owen the opportunity to travel the world. 
After working at Fort Bragg in North Carolina for three years, he 
received training in the Persian language of Farsi in California before 
being sent to Iran as an advisor for the Shah. After two and a half 
years in the Middle East, he returned to work at Fort Campbell, 
Kentucky before being sent to Vietnam in 1967 to work as the Deputy 
Adjutant General of the 101st Airborne Division. After Vietnam, Owen's 
military service continued when he joined the U.S. Strike Command in 
Florida. As a Lt. Colonel, he traveled to various countries in Africa 
and the Middle East as an advisor on the use of military equipment 
supplied by the United States. In the mid-70s, Owen finished his 
military career working for the Army and Air Force Postal Service in 
Washington, D.C., supervising the delivery of mail and postal services 
to Army and Air Force personnel worldwide. He also oversaw military 
personnel charged with transporting top secret documents to U.S. 
Embassies around the world.
  In 1979, Mr. Owen retired from the Army and came to Greeley, 
Colorado, for a business opportunity. For the next 10 years, he owned 
and operated a wholesale snack food company. Owen sold the business 
after he decided to devote his energy full-time into public policy. He 
was appointed to his first elected office in 1987 to replace Tom 
Norton, who resigned from office, as State Representative in the 48th 
House District. In 1988, Owen ran and won reelection for the same House 
seat. He served his district faithfully until 1998 when he ran and won 
as Senator for Colorado's 13th District.
  As a State Senator, Owen consistently receives high rating from the 
Colorado Union of Taxpayers for fighting government waste, and the 
National Federation of Independent Business for being a ``Guardian of 
Small Business.'' He currently serves on the state's prestigious Joint 
Budget Committee and is the past president of the National Republican 
Legislative Association. He has received the Statesman of the Year 
award from the National Right to Work Committee and was recognized as 
the National Legislator of the Year by the American Legislative 
Exchange Council. Owen has gained a reputation for his work to improve 
children's health care and for creating the nation's first Foreign 
Capitol Depository, which acts as a Swiss bank and encourages foreign 
investment in Colorado.
  Owen continues to live in Greeley with his remarkable wife Marilyn. 
After 41 years of marriage, they have two sons and two teenage 
grandchildren. Dave is currently running for State House District 50.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent a decorated veteran and 
extraordinary public servant Dave Owen. We are indebted to men like 
Dave, who view public service not as a career but as a way of life. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in expressing my heartfelt gratitude and 
sincere appreciation to Dave Owen; he is a true American hero.




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