[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 10, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO GENERAL WILLIAM E. ODOM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 2008

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
General William E. Odom, a man of unquestionable character and 
undeniable devotion to our Nation. He served with distinction, provided 
experienced insight about our Nation's foreign policy decisions, and 
expressed a rare candor that made him an invaluable resource to 
everyone that worked with him, including the United States Congress.
  On Friday, May 30, 2008, General Odom passed away at the age of 75. 
The course of his career traces the evolution of our military and 
intelligence communities over the past 25 years. He served as a senior 
military intelligence official for President Jimmy Carter, and then 
joined President Ronald Reagan as the director of the National Security 
Agency during the administration's second term. Following his 
retirement from the Army in 1988, after 34 years of active duty, 
General Odom continued his service by teaching at Yale University, 
working for the Hudson Institute, and writing scholarly works.
  Chief among his laudable qualities, it was General Odom's candor that 
proved most refreshing and invaluable. A self-described military hawk, 
he was among the first military persons to speak out against the 
invasion of Iraq and he openly advocated a withdrawal. General Odom 
warned that military action in Iraq would be foolhardy and futile well 
before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. In hindsight, his concerns were 
well founded and have since been validated, but before the invasion he 
was among the few willing to speak out loudly in opposition to the 
drumbeat to war. His background and depth gave intellectual credence to 
the growing opposition to the war, and he demonstrated that there were 
differences of opinion within our military and intelligence communities 
on the merits of the invasion.
  To me and other members of the Defense Appropriations Committee, 
General Odom was a great source of experience and a wealth of 
knowledge. I came to rely upon his judgment and took counsel with him 
privately on issues related to our national defense. He was a 
thoughtful, steady guide on the most complex matters that face us 
today, and we are at a loss without him. More importantly, the Nation 
has lost a true and valued patriot.
  Madam Speaker, we are saddened by General Odom's passing, and we 
extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. May others learn from 
his example and may his memory stay with us forever.

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