[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 73 (Friday, May 14, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3781-S3782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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             TRIBUTE TO GENERAL VICTOR EUGENE RENUART, JR.

 Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to a 
great American who I have had the great pleasure of knowing and working 
with for a number of years. General Victor Eugene Renuart, Jr., is 
preparing to retire from the U.S. Air Force after nearly 39 years of 
distinguished military service, and it is fitting that we should honor 
his achievements.
  Through peacetime and multiple armed conflicts and operations, 
General Renuart has embodied the core values of the Air Force: 
integrity, service, and excellence. He courageously demonstrated his 
dedication to our Nation and served us honorably as a leader, warrior, 
and teacher. I want to also express our deepest thanks to his wife 
Jill, and their sons Ryan and Andrew, for serving as the epitome of a 
dedicated military family. As you know, military families like the 
Renuarts are America's unsung heroes, and we owe them a tremendous 
debt.
  Gene Renuart enlisted in the Air Force while our Nation was still 
engaged in the Vietnam war and received his commission from the Officer 
Training School in 1972. In the four decades since that day, he has 
amassed nearly 4,000 flying hours in seven aircraft types and piloted 
69 combat missions in major operations. The call to service has led 
Gene and his family all over the world, and he has commanded units at 
every level through conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. The 
long list of awards and decorations that General Renuart has earned 
during his career are a testament to his years of exemplary leadership 
and unrelenting focus on mission accomplishment.
  As a lieutenant colonel during Operation DESERT STORM, General 
Renuart commanded the 76th Fighter Squadron ``Vanguards,'' who were 
trusted with a mission critical to the safety of the entire region. 
They hunted the Iraqi landscape in search of SCUD missile sites and 
protected Coalition troops from attack. General Renuart's squadron flew 
hundreds of combat missions and fought at the famed ``Highway of 
Death,'' leading to the liberation of Kuwait and defeat of the Iraqi 
Republican Guard.
  It was clear to everyone who knew him that Gene Renuart was a leader 
of the highest caliber, and he quickly rose through the ranks. On 
September 11, 2001, then-Major General Renuart was serving as the 
Director of Operations for United States Central Command, and his 
leadership and experience were instrumental as our nation rapidly

[[Page S3782]]

transitioned from peace to war. General Renuart was soon providing 
operational orchestration for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq as 
our armed forces quickly eliminated those repressive regimes.
  In March 2007, General Renuart was promoted to the rank of four-star 
general and appointed Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense 
Command and U.S. Northern Command. The general and his command were 
given the no-fail responsibility of protecting the United States and 
Canada against all threats in the air and on the seas, while leading 
the Department of Defense's support of civil authorities to save lives 
during both natural and manmade disasters.
  With General Renuart's leadership, NORAD and USNORTHCOM widened its 
focus to anticipate threats to the United States and respond where 
necessary. The significant improvements of the unified national 
response to Hurricane Ike were born from the lessons learned from 
Hurricane Katrina and were a direct result of General Renuart's 
emphasis on anticipating our Nation's needs in times of disaster.
  For this effort and many others, General Renuart and his team 
collaborated with over 120 mission partners representing Federal, 
State, and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and 
private industry to quickly and responsibly execute key Department of 
Defense responsibilities in the National Response Framework.
  He fostered synergy with the interagency community and collaborated 
with the militaries of Mexico and Canada to ensure North America's 
security. Whether expediting the transfer of helicopters and equipment 
to the Mexican military for counternarcotic operations or partnering 
with our northern neighbors under the Canada-United States Civil 
Assistance Plan to support the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, General 
Renuart set and achieved tremendous goals for theater security 
cooperation.
  Working together to defend the homeland, NORAD and USNORTHCOM have 
delivered unparalleled security for our Nation. Not only did NORAD 
achieve a huge milestone--surpassing 55,000 accident-free sorties flown 
defending our homeland under Operation NOBLE EAGLE--but more 
importantly, there has not been a single successful foreign terrorist 
attack on American soil. That success has been the result of the 
extraordinary diligence, cooperation, and dedication that have 
exemplified General Renuart's leadership.
  On behalf of Congress and the United States of America, I thank 
General Renuart, Jill, Ryan, and Andrew for their commitment, 
sacrifice, and contributions to this great Nation. I am also especially 
pleased to say that General Renuart and Jill will be calling Colorado 
Springs home for many years to come. We Coloradans are honored to have 
them as neighbors and friends. I congratulate him on a truly remarkable 
career and wish him nothing but the best as he transitions from decades 
of service into his truly well-earned retirement.

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