[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S4937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM A. RICHARDS

 Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I would like to recognize the 
accomplishments of William A. Richards--a friend, a colleague, and a 
dedicated public servant. Bill is retiring this month after nearly half 
a century of service to the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense. I 
had the privilege of working with Bill as an instructor at West Point. 
His lengthy career, as a soldier and as a civilian, truly exemplifies 
the motto of the Academy--``Duty, Honor, Country.''
  Bill graduated from West Point in 1967 and served as an infantry 
officer in Vietnam and Germany. He continued his education at the 
Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton, receiving a master's degree in 
public policy. He then returned to West Point to supervise the core 
curriculum in American Government.
  Following his return to West Point, Bill was selected for the 
prestigious position of speechwriter and executive assistant to NATO's 
Supreme Allied Commander--Europe. His exceptional work in this position 
resulted in his next assignment as speechwriter to Defense Secretary 
Caspar Weinberger. Bill held this position until his retirement in 
1989, after serving for 22 years in uniform.
  Bill then started a second career as a budget analyst in the office 
of the Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller, at the Pentagon. His 
military experience and speechwriting skills enabled him to analyze and 
translate the complexity of the annual defense budget. After 20 years 
of serving our Nation in this role, Bill retires as someone who is 
highly respected for his knowledge, experience, and dedication.
  I congratulate him on a job well done. He leaves a proud and enduring 
legacy of public service. I wish Bill and his wife Donna the very best 
in the years to come.

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