[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 69 (Tuesday, May 15, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING COLONEL PETER B. TRAINER AFTER 30 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE 
                        UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2012

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
pay tribute to Colonel Peter B. Trainer on the occasion of his 
retirement from the United States Air Force.
  Colonel Trainer's professional achievements are numerous and I know 
he would be the first to acknowledge that none of them would have been 
possible without the support of his wife and family. Colonel Trainer's 
parents set the example of service as his father, Lt. Colonel Thomas R. 
Trainer, retired after a distinguished career in the Air Force.
  He began his distinguished career in 1982 when he received his 
commission through ROTC at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. 
From there, he proceeded on to numerous important assignments. After 
completing the Space Operations Officer Course at Lowry AFB, Colorado, 
he was assigned as a Satellite System Controller and later Assistant 
Chief, Satellite Mission Planning Branch, Defense Meteorological 
Satellite Program (DMSP), Offutt AFB, Nebraska. In 1986, he was 
assigned as the Chief of Satellite Operations, Space Systems Division 
Los Angeles AFB, California where Colonel Trainer was responsible for 
all command and control activities of the launch and early orbit 
checkout for two DMSP satellites. Colonel Trainer was then selected for 
special duty as an Air Force Recruiter and served as the Chief of 
Operations for the 3514th Recruiting Squadron, McGuire AFB, New Jersey, 
where he was responsible for Air Force accessions in an area that 
included New York City, New Jersey and Europe. In 1993, Colonel Trainer 
was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Space Command where he qualified as 
a Space Surveillance Center Commander in the Cheyenne Mountain 
Operations Center. He was subsequently selected to become Chief of the 
Space Surveillance Section where he was a key player in the command's 
Space Control Mission.
  In 1995, Colonel Trainer transitioned to his present status as a USAF 
Reserve Officer where he was chosen by U.S. Space Command Director for 
Operations to be the first Space Command Intern to the National Signals 
Intelligence Committee. Col. Trainer helped to shepherd in a new era of 
cooperation between Space Command and the National Reconnaissance 
Office. His successes continued as he later served as Chief, Space 
Exploitation and Integration Branch at U.S. Strategic Command, where he 
played an integral role in bringing tactical space capabilities, 
including ``Blue Force Tracking'' to our combatant forces. Following 
the attacks of September 11, 2001, Colonel Trainer served as one of the 
watch commanders that stood up the nation's Blue Force Tracking 
Missions Management Center during Operation Enduring Freedom. This 
experience and background led to his selection as Individual 
Mobilization Augmentee to the Chief, Space and Missile Programs, Air 
Force Legislative Liaison, advocating for space and missile programs to 
Congress. Col. Trainer worked extensively with our colleagues on the 
House Armed Services Committee Strategic Forces Sub-Committee, 
developing great rapport with former members, Rep. Terry Everett and 
Rep. Ellen Tauscher. His dedication and success in supporting numerous 
projects, including the unveiling of the Operational Responsive Space 
Concept to Congress, led to his selection as the Legislative Liaison 
Reservist of the Year in 2006.
  Perhaps the most challenging assignment was his final one as 
Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director, National 
Reconnaissance Office, where he serves as the senior reserve officer 
supporting the NRO and all associated Space activities. In this 
position, he leads 60 total force professionals and aids the Director 
in the NRO's interaction with significant mission partners including 
the Director for National Intelligence, National Security Agency, 
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Air Force Space Command, 
Strategic Command and other Combatant Commanders. In 2010, the Air 
Force Reserve recognized Col. Trainer's performance by selecting him to 
its Reserve Brigadier General Qualification List.
  Colonel Trainer has excelled throughout his distinguished career and 
I am honored to pay tribute to this Airman. Mr. Speaker, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in thanking Colonel Pete Trainer, his wife, 
Melanie, and their son, Nick, for their service to our country. I wish 
them Godspeed, and continued happiness as they start a new chapter in 
their lives.

                          ____________________