[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 131 (Monday, December 4, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S11109]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO COLONEL THOMAS V. COLELLA

 Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize in the 
Record COL Thomas V. Colella, who officially retired from the United 
States Marine Corps last month after 30 years of honorable service to 
this Nation.
  Colonel Colella graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 
1976 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. His 
first tour took him to Okinawa, Japan, where he was assigned to E 
Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment. While assigned to that 
battalion, he served as a battery officer, forward observer and liaison 
officer. Colonel Colella then served at the Landing Force Training 
Command, Atlantic area, as an Aide-de-Camp to the commanding general of 
the 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade. In 1981 he entered the Marine Corps 
Reserve where he held several line and staff positions including a role 
as commander of the 4th Battalion, 14th Marines and Executive Officer 
of the 4th Civil Affairs Group. Most recently, Colonel Colella was 
recalled to active duty in support of coalition operations in 
Afghanistan related to Operation Enduring Freedom, where he served as 
Chief of Staff to the U.S. Defense Representative in Pakistan.
  In 1987, Tom joined Korn/Ferry in the firm's Washington, D.C. office 
conducting senior-level searches for a global client base in the 
industrial, aerospace and defense sectors. Tom was also called into 
civilian public service after accepting a position within the U.S. 
Department of Education in the former Bush administration, and most 
recently serving as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the 
Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs in the current Bush 
administration.
  I have been fortunate to have Colonel Colella serve as the chairman 
of my academy review board since my election to the U.S. House of 
Representatives in 1999. I inherited him from former House Speaker Newt 
Gingrich who also sought out Tom's expertise in the important and 
extremely difficult academy selection process. His commitment to the 
young men and women who make up the future of our Nation does not go 
unrecognized.
  I could go on for hours with Tom's biography, but his distinguished 
career can be summarized in one word: devotion. He is a devoted father; 
a devoted leader at Korn/Ferry International; a devoted public servant; 
and he has now finished his career as a devoted member of the U.S. 
Military. An important chapter in Tom's life is now finished, but I 
know there are many more chapters left to be written. I wish Tom 
Colella and his three kids, Nicholas, Andrew and Gregory, the very 
best, and convey to him my deepest gratitude on behalf of the people of 
Georgia and the United States.

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