[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 109 (Thursday, July 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL DENNIS J. HEJLIK

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                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 19, 2012

  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate 
native Iowan Lieutenant General Dennis Hejlik of the United States 
Marine Corps on his illustrious 44-year military career that will be 
coming to a close on Monday at an awards dinner at the Marine Barracks 
in Washington, DC.
  Before he was a three-star general and commander of Marine Corps 
Forces Command, Lieutenant General Hejlik, then known around town as 
Dennis, grew up on a farm near Garner, Iowa, with his nine brothers and 
sisters. He would go on to graduate from Garner-Hayfield High School in 
1965 and attend North Iowa Area Community College before beginning his 
military career when he enlisted in the Marines Corps in 1968. Four 
short years later, Lieutenant General Hejlik was commissioned through 
the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course. Since joining the Marines, 
Lieutenant General Hejlik has gone on to become an honor graduate of 
the Basic School, the Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps 
Command and Staff College, and the Naval War College.
  Lieutenant General Hejlik has earned numerous decorations for his 
service over the last four decades including the Defense Superior 
Service Medal with Gold Star, Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold 
Stars, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Leftwich Award, 
just to name a few. Since his humble beginnings in Iowa, his time with 
the Marine Corps has brought him to all corners of the globe, most 
recently culminating to his current position as the commander of Marine 
Corps Forces Command in Norlfolk, Virginia and Marine Corps Forces 
Europe in Boblingen, Germany.
  Mr. Speaker, our country owes Lieutenant General Hejlik a great debt 
of gratitude for his decades of service and sacrifice. His unwavering 
commitment to serving his country and fellow Americans embodies the 
Iowa spirit. I know all of my colleagues in the United States House of 
Representatives will join me in thanking Lieutenant General Hejlik and 
congratulating him on his truly stellar career. I wish him the best of 
luck in his future endeavors as he begins a new chapter in his life.

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