[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 112 (Friday, July 13, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9209-S9210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING COLONEL STEPHEN L. HILL

 Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I honor COL Stephen L. Hill 
and the exceptional service he has provided as commander of the 
Pittsburgh District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the period 
from July 16, 2004, to July 13, 2007. My colleague from Pennsylvania, 
Senator Specter, has joined me to honor Colonel Hill.
  On Friday, July 13 in Pittsburgh, PA, the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers Pittsburgh District military Change of Command ceremony will 
honor the services of the outgoing commander, COL Stephen L. Hill, and 
welcome the incoming commander, COL Michael P. Crall.
  Colonel Hill will leave a legacy of excellence. His leadership 
focused the district's capabilities on executing vital programs for the 
region and the Nation. His superb managerial skills and emphasis on 
building relationships and encouraging open and honest communication 
increased confidence in the

[[Page S9210]]

ability of the district to accomplish its mission.
  During his tenure as district commander, the district's workload 
expanded and its annual operating budget increased from less than $100 
million in Fiscal Year 2004 to over $184 million in Fiscal Year 2007. 
Colonel Hill skillfully managed resources and reengineered district 
processes to efficiently accomplish the planning, engineering, 
construction, operation and maintenance of Pittsburgh district's 23 
locks and dams, 16 multipurpose reservoirs, local flood protection 
projects and environmental infrastructure projects covering 26,000 
square miles and portions of five States.
  Colonel Hill knew that an important aspect of commanding the district 
was developing relationships with key leaders in the region. He took 
the time to meet with officials, visit projects, evaluate the issues, 
and work to understand the various perspectives of the experts in the 
region. He established and improved relations with local, State and 
Federal officials, culminating in changes to outdated lock and dam 
operating schedules, resulting in cost savings and efficiencies. 
Colonel Hill's partnerships resulted in the revitalization in projects 
affecting the critical waterways in the Lower Monongahela and Upper 
Ohio River. He championed efforts with the Upper Ohio River Study, 
Asset Management, Charleroi construction, the district's Strategic 
Business Initiative, SBI, and a number of other high priority projects. 
These efforts and accomplishments greatly improved the district's image 
and reputation among the public, stakeholders, congressional staff and 
the workforce.
  Colonel Hill recognized the importance of working across and beyond 
the district's boundaries. He led by example, deploying to Louisiana to 
assist in the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort, serving as part of 
Task Force Hope. More than 25 percent of the Pittsburgh District team 
members also deployed to assist in the hurricane recovery effort.
  Colonel Hill's exceptional service reflects great credit upon 
himself, the Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Army.
  Colonel Hill's next duty assignment is Commander of the gulf region 
South District at Base Camp Adder, Iraq. The South District covers more 
than 65,000 square miles, manages more than 1,500 projects that are 
valued at over $3.3 billion. Colonel Hill will oversee 107 U.S. 
military and civilian professionals, 263 contract security personnel 
and nearly 124 Iraq professionals who work side-by-side to provide the 
transitional support in order to create a viable and stable democracy 
in the country.
  Pennsylvania has been honored to experience the leadership and 
passion that COL Stephen Hill provided to the Pittsburgh District. 
Along with my colleague, Senator Specter, I thank the colonel for his 
service to our country and wish him a safe tour of duty in Iraq and 
much success throughout his entire career.
  I ask to have printed in the Record a biography of Colonel Hill.
  The material follows:

       Colonel Stephen L. Hill assumed command of the Pittsburgh 
     District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on July 17, 2004. He 
     graduated from the United States Military Academy at West 
     Point, N.Y. with a Bachelor of Science Degree and was 
     commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Engineers in 1982. He 
     holds a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from 
     Purdue University and a Masters Degree in Strategic Planning 
     and Policy from the Army War College. He is a graduate of the 
     U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Armor 
     Officer Advanced Course and the Engineer Officer Basic 
     Course.
       Since graduation from the Military Academy, Col. Hill has 
     served in command and staff positions in Germany, Haiti, 
     Japan, Kuwait, Egypt and the United States. Prior to his 
     assignment in Pittsburgh, Col. Hill served as the Senior 
     Engineer Trainer--Sidewinder 07--at the Army's National 
     Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, Calif. training soldiers 
     and leaders while assisting in the development of training 
     doctrine for contemporary operations and emerging asymmetric 
     threats. He commanded the 317th Engineer Battalion, 3rd 
     Infantry Division and led the battalion during deployments to 
     Kuwait, Egypt and the NTC. Prior to battalion command, he 
     served with Headquarters, U.S. Forces, Japan as a joint 
     engineer staff officer responsible for bilateral negotiations 
     with the Government of Japan and management of a $1 billion 
     facility improvement program. Before duties in Japan, Col. 
     Hill served as an operations officer in the 82nd Airborne 
     Division and staff engineer for the Army Special Operations 
     Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. He served as program and project 
     manager for classified special mission unit projects 
     throughout the country and deployed to Haiti with Task Force 
     Black to assist the Ambassador and country team with initial 
     efforts to restore security and democratic leadership.
       Earlier in his career, Col. Hill commanded the 58th Combat 
     Engineer Company, 11th Armored Calvary Regiment and Delta 
     Company, 54th Engineer Battalion with missions along the 
     Fulda Gap. He served as project officer and assistant 
     Resident Engineer for the Corps of Engineers' Seattle 
     District at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont. He 
     also managed several EPA superfund projects and assisted with 
     the development of the environmental project and program 
     management baseline plan for Seattle's engineering division.
       Col. Hill's next duty assignment is Commander of the Gulf 
     Region South District at Base Camp Adder, Iraq.
       Col. Hill's awards and decorations include the Defense 
     Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal 
     (five oak leaf clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, 
     Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award and 
     other unit and service awards. He is a SAME fellow, Master 
     Parachutist and wears the Air Assault Badge. He is qualified 
     as a Joint Specialty Officer.
       Col. Hill is married to his high school sweetheart, the 
     former Susan Mills from Nichols, N.Y. They have a son, Ross, 
     who recently completed his freshman year in Chemistry at 
     Boston University.

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