[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1623]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN HONOR OF KATHLEEN A. REILLY

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                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Aviation Electronics 
Technician First Class (AT1) Kathleen A. Reilly USN, upon her selection 
as Navy Reserve Sailor of the Year for 2007.
  In these halls, Kathleen Reilly is better known as a professional 
staff member for the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. 
Kathleen has been the professional staffer on several committee CODELS 
on which I have participated. I have come to greatly respect and rely 
on her expertise, and have come to consider her a friend. Those of us 
who know her are not surprised Kathleen was chosen for this honor.
  The Navy Reserve Sailor of the Year candidate is typified by 
sustained superior performance, proven leadership, a proven dedication 
to self improvement, outstanding professionalism and superior personal 
appearance. That sums up Kathleen pretty well.
  Petty Officer Reilly is a native of Lexington, Massachusetts, and 
enlisted in the Navy on active duty in November 1988. She attended 
advanced electronics schools and reported to her first duty station as 
part of the Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2) at Rota, 
Spain. She was one of the first three women selected for airborne 
combat operations in support of Desert Shield/Storm. Her squadron's 
mission was to conduct airborne electronic reconnaissance to obtain 
information on areas and targets of naval and national interest. This 
tour gave Petty Officer Reilly her first experience with the ways our 
intelligence community supports our National Command Structure and she 
developed a reputation as someone who always gave the extra effort.
  Following her tour in Spain, Petty Officer Reilly deployed onboard 
the USS Abraham Lincoln and later the USS Nimitz. She was the first 
female Navy Tactical Operations Instructor in her squadron. Kathleen 
was also selected as the first female Special Intelligence and Radar 
Operator in a Patrol Squadron supporting the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 
the Special Operations Command.
  These highly classified missions provided intelligence instrumental 
to maintaining our National Security. Kathleen has continued to prove 
her leadership skills during her current tour as one of the senior 
enlisted responsible for the safe load out and operations of cargo 
aircraft.
  On the Intelligence Committee, Kathleen is responsible for overseeing 
budgets, programs, legislation and preparing funding for members 
assigned to the Intelligence Committee. Kathleen has been the monitor 
of the Military Intelligence Program and other intelligence community 
programs. Her military experience allows her to understand the dual 
nature of the nation's intelligence apparatus supporting military 
operations and policy decisions. Her oversight has been instrumental in 
providing the information necessary to establish, terminate and in some 
cases preserve military intelligence community programs vital to a 
balanced portfolio of intelligence capability.
  Kathleen has earned numerous military awards, including two Air 
Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievements, Enlisted Air Warfare 
Wings and, as a result of her selection as the Navy Reserve Sailor of 
the Year, is being meritoriously advanced to Chief Petty Officer. Mr. 
Speaker, we in the Congress are fortunate to have someone with 
Kathleen's abilities and professionalism as part of our professional 
staff. I know my colleagues join me in congratulating Chief Petty 
Officer Kathleen A. Reilly on her achievements and in thanking her for 
extraordinary service to her country.

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