[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 33 (Thursday, March 7, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE SERVICE OF COLONEL RODNEY WILLIAMS OF THE MICHIGAN AIR 
            NATIONAL GUARD ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 7, 2013

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute Colonel 
Rodney Williams of the Michigan Air National Guard as he retires after 
twenty-eight years of service to our Nation in the Armed Forces.
  Colonel Williams' service began in 1984 when he joined the Army 
Reserve and later, in 1988, the Michigan Army National Guard. Over the 
next decade he would go on to obtain a Juris Doctorate from Cooley Law 
School and would hold the positions of Assistant Staff Judge Advocate 
for the 177th Military Police Brigade and aide-be-camp to Michigan's 
Adjutant General, Major General Gordon Stump. In 1994, Colonel Williams 
transferred to the Michigan Air National Guard and was assigned to the 
127th Wing as Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at Selfridge Air National 
Guard Base. While serving the 127th, Colonel Williams was committed to 
developing the unit's joint operational capabilities and was recognized 
by the North American Aerospace Defense Command for his work.
  While posted at Selfridge, Colonel Williams was assigned as Director 
of the 127th Wing Mission Support Group where he continued his focus on 
developing his unit's readiness and coordination. Under his leadership, 
the 127th Mission Support Group achieved a ninety-four percent 
readiness rating while it was supporting missions for the Air Mobility 
Command's KC-135 operation mission and its F-16 flying mission. As part 
of his responsibilities, Colonel Williams oversaw support for more than 
400 Airmen of his support group that were deployed in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Air Expeditionary Forces and 
Operation Noble Eagle. In 2008, Colonel William's Mission Support Group 
received a ninety-eight percent rating from a Unit Compliance 
Inspection.
  In 2010, Colonel Williams was chosen to serve as Director of the 
Michigan National Guard Human Resource Office, HRO, overseeing over 
twenty-two hundred full time employees. While in this capacity, he led 
efforts to streamline and increase efficiency within HRO, which created 
savings for taxpayers. Colonel Williams also fostered increased 
collaboration between first responders and the Michigan National Guard 
in disaster planning which earned the State outstanding evaluations for 
its Vigilant Guard Exercise.
  Throughout his career, Colonel Williams has focused not only on 
professional excellence, but on supporting efforts that have helped his 
countrymen as well. In 2005, while with the 127th Wing, Colonel 
Williams coordinated Michigan's assistance for two-hundred and fifty 
victims of Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, he has worked with the 
Detroit based Veterans Task Force on veterans employment issues. He has 
received numerous medals including the Meritorious Service Medal, the 
National Defense Service Medal and the Air Force Outstanding Unit 
Award.
  Mr. Speaker, Colonel Rodney Williams' twenty-eight years of dedicated 
service to our men and women of the Armed Forces and to our Country are 
a testament to his character and I know that his leadership will be 
missed by the personnel with whom he served.

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