[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 45 (Thursday, March 31, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL WALLACE ``CHIP'' GREGSON

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 31, 2011

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute 
to Lieutenant General Wallace ``Chip'' Gregson, a retired Marine, for 
his more than forty years of public service. He most recently served as 
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security 
Affairs since 2009, and will leave this post on April 1, 2011. His 
contributions to our military's posture in the Asia-Pacific region and 
leadership on a wide variety of issues will be missed by many.
  Before he retired from active duty in 2005, General Gregson served as 
Commanding General of Marine Corps Forces Pacific and Marine Corps 
Forces Central Command, where he managed more than 70,000 Marines and 
Sailors in the Middle East, Afghanistan, East Africa, Asia, and the 
United States. Prior to his command of Marine Corps Forces in Japan, he 
was Director of Asia-Pacific Policy in the Office of the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Policy. He has also served as the Chief 
Operating Officer for the U.S. Olympics Committee.
  General Gregson graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968, and 
received his first assignment the following year as a reconnaissance 
battalion officer in the Vietnam conflict. He later earned master's 
degrees in strategic planning from the U.S. Naval War College and 
international relations from Salve Regina College. He has also served 
as a military fellow for the Council on Foreign Relations, and was 
awarded an honorary doctorate in public service from the University of 
Maryland.
  Throughout his career, the general's exemplary service earned him 
numerous awards and military decorations--including the Purple Heart. 
In his recent position with the Department of Defense, General Gregson 
recognized the strategic importance of Guam, indeed the entire region 
to our nation's economic and political security. He was a vanguard in 
leading efforts within the Department of Defense to address the needs 
of Guam so that the realignment of Marines from the III Marine 
Expeditionary Force from Okinawa, Japan is successful. He also 
immediately worked within the Department of Defense to address glaring 
issues with the realignment roadmap that could have been detrimental to 
the readiness of U.S. Marines in the Asia-Pacific region.
  Further, General Gregson was instrumental in the development of the 
``Green Guam'' concept which aims to conduct the realignment of Marines 
in an environmental responsible manner. Further it seeks to develop 
long-term economic and environmental sustainability benefits from this 
action. I also appreciated his efforts to provide a responsible 
framework in the most recent Quadrennial Defense Review to address 
broader training issues for all servicemen and women in the Pacific. I 
look forward to working with his predecessor and U.S. Pacific Command 
to continue addressing these matters.
  General Gregson distinguished himself as an exceptional leader during 
his career in the Marines and as an Assistant Secretary of Defense. His 
commitment and dedication will be remembered for many years to come. I 
trust my fellow members of the House will join me in wishing the very 
best to the good general, his wife Cindy, and their two sons, on their 
future endeavors.

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