[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 30 (Monday, February 27, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING COLONEL DAVID CHESSER FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE AT FORT 
                            McCOY, WISCONSIN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 27, 2012

  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished 
service of Colonel David E. Chesser, whose tenure as Garrison Commander 
at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, concludes February 29, 2012. Colonel Chesser 
assumed his duties as Garrison Commander on April 3, 2008.
   Colonel Chesser's 30 years of dedicated service in the U.S. Army is 
noteworthy in every respect. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer 
Basic Course, U.S. Army Airborne School, Engineer Officer Advanced 
Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General 
Staff Officer Course, the Army Management Staff College Sustaining Base 
Leadership & Management Course, and the Army War College.
   Colonel Chesser has committed his life to serving our country and 
has received many deserving awards and decorations, including the 
Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, 
Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement 
Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal, 
the Presidents Hundred Tab, the Distinguished Rifleman Badge, the 
Combat Action Badge, and the Meritorious Unit Citation, as well as 
various campaign and service medals.
   Under Colonel Chesser's outstanding leadership, Fort McCoy became 
one of the most capable and desirable Reserve Component training 
installations in the Army, providing stellar base operations support to 
over 120,000 Soldiers annually. During his tenure, Colonel Chesser 
launched and led one of the most dramatic community transformations in 
the installation's history, propelling Fort McCoy to win the FY09 Army 
Communities of Excellence competition and again in FY10; a direct 
reflection of his leadership, strategic planning and thinking. He took 
an installation that had one of the most difficult records for food 
service and within one year improved it through sound management and 
leadership technique which led to the Garrison's Connelly Food Service 
Awards in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Fort McCoy was also recognized as one of 
the Army's best in maintenance of military equipment, having won the 
Army Maintenance of Excellence Award in 2009 and achieving first 
runner-up in 2010. Colonel Chesser transformed an underperforming 
mobilization training center into one recognized as one of the Army's 
best and most effective of the seven active Army Power Projection 
Platforms.
   It has been an honor for me to serve as U.S. Representative for 
Wisconsin's Third Congressional District during Colonel Chesser's 
tenure at Fort McCoy. I know Colonel Chesser's leadership will be 
greatly missed at the base and surrounding communities, but I am 
thankful for his leadership and contributions to ensuring that Fort 
McCoy remains a shining star in the nation's military training 
infrastructure.
   On behalf of my constituents in Wisconsin and a grateful nation, I 
would like to thank and commend Colonel David Chesser for his years of 
dedicated service in the U.S. Army and in particular as Garrison 
Commander at Fort McCoy.

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