[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 118 (Friday, August 3, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL PETE DEROUIN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2012

  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a fellow Oregonian 
and good friend, Lieutenant Colonel Pete Derouin of the Oregon Army 
National Guard, as he departs the National Guard Bureau's Office of 
Legislative Liaison in Washington, DC to return to Oregon. While Pete 
has served around the world over the past decade, he has always kept a 
very special place for Oregon in his heart.
  Pete was born and raised in my great state and joined the Army by 
earning his commission through the University of Oregon's ROTC program. 
He served for many years as a part-time soldier in Oregon as an officer 
in the Oregon National Guard. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, 
Pete felt the call of service and decided to leave the comforts of home 
and make military service his full time career. Over the last decade, 
he has served his country in different corners of the globe, including 
Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
  For the last four years, Pete has worked here on Capitol Hill as an 
outstanding advocate for the National Guard. I've worked closely with 
him during his time as a legislative liaison for the Guard, and have 
found his dedication and effectiveness to be exceptional. We worked 
together on obtaining approval for the new Readiness Center in The 
Dalles and on allowing the Oregon National Guard to retain parts of the 
Umatilla Chemical Depot. Pete was also instrumental in efforts to make 
sure that National Guard soldiers were not unfairly denied promised 
bonus payments due to paperwork errors by the Guard.
  Now the time has come for Pete to return home to Oregon. He has been 
selected to lead the 2nd of the 641st Theatre Aviation Battalion, which 
controls all of Oregon's Army National Guard aviation assets. I have no 
doubt that he will serve our state and nation well in this new role.
  I would like to thank Pete and his wife Andrea for tolerating the 
frantic pace which comes with working here in Washington, D.C., and 
wish them happiness and success as they continue their service to our 
nation back in Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I invite our colleagues to join me 
in saying thank you to Lieutenant Colonel Pete Derouin for his 
dedication to our country.

                          ____________________