[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 95 (Thursday, June 21, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING COL. GREGORY DRAGOO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2012

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and acknowledge Colonel 
Gregory F. Dragoo upon his retirement after having served this great 
Nation for 29 years. Colonel Dragoo most recently served in the Office 
of the Secretary of Defense, Special Access Program Central Office, 
responsible for the DOD coordination of programs assigned to the Air 
Force.
  In 1983, Colonel Dragoo received his Second Lieutenant commission 
from the Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, TX. He completed his 
undergraduate navigator training and was assigned to B-52Gs at the 46th 
Bomb Squadron in North Dakota in 1985.
  After being selected a part of the initial cadre of aircrew selected 
to fly the B-1, Colonel Dragoo was selected in 1989, as the first B-1 
Weapon Systems Officer to attend the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards 
AFB, CA.
  Following his first flight test tour in the 419th Test Squadron, 
Colonel Dragoo returned in 1993, to the Test Pilot School as an 
instructor. From there, he spent the next two years in the B-1 and Tri-
Service Standoff Attack Missile Program Offices at Wright-Patterson, OH 
followed by a year at Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell 
AFB, AL.
  In 1996, Colonel Dragoo returned to Edwards AFB as Operations Officer 
of the 419th Flight Test Squadron. There, he was dual-qualified in the 
B-52 and B-1 and responsible for all B-52, B-1, and B-2 Flight Test 
operations.
  Colonel Dragoo was next assigned in 2000 to the Pentagon as the 
Headquarters Air Force Plans and Programs bomber programmer responsible 
for programming the budget and force structure of the B-52, B-1, B-2, 
and Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles. In 2003, Colonel Dragoo attended the 
Air War College at Maxwell AFB, AL, and upon graduation was assigned as 
the Deputy Director and then Director of the Weapons Division of the 
Secretariat of the Air Force Capability Directorate responsible for 
coordinating the programmatic issues of all Air Force weapons 
acquisition programs.
  In 2006, Colonel Dragoo was selected to command the Air Combat 
Command's Electronic Warfare Group at Eglin AFB, FL. This 450-person 
group was responsible for delivering and evaluating electronic warfare 
software for the entire Combat Air Force.
  Following his command assignment, Colonel Dragoo was assigned to the 
Pentagon as Deputy Director of the Secretariat of the Air Force Special 
Programs Directorate where he served until assuming his current 
position in the Office of the Secretary of Defense Special Programs 
office. In conjunction with his permanent assignments, Colonel Dragoo 
deployed in 2001 as Chief of Staff, Combined Air Operations Center, J-
3, Prince Sultan Air Base Saudi Arabia; in 2004 as Air Liaison Officer, 
C3 Plans, Multi-National Force-Iraq, Baghdad; and in 2007 as Deputy 
Director and Chief of Staff, Combined Air Power Transition Force, 
Kabul, Afghanistan.
  Colonel Dragoo is married to the former Teresa K. Wisner. They have 
two happily married children, three incredibly adorable grandchildren, 
and will celebrate 31 years of marriage this year.
  Mr. Speaker, for the last 29 years, Colonel Dragoo has faithfully 
served our nation as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. As he enters 
the next phase of his life with his beloved wife Teresa, their two 
children Melissa and husband Shawn, and Matthew and wife Lauren, and 
their three wonderful grandchildren, Mackenzie, Carson, and Daisy, he 
leaves behind a legacy of dedication, integrity, excellence.
  Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Colonel 
Gregory F. Dragoo upon his retirement and recognizing his years of 
loyal service to our community and country.

                          ____________________