[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 30, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S7669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                    TRIBUTE TO COLONEL KIRK VAN PELT

 Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and 
congratulate Arkansas's native son, COL Kirk Van Pelt, for attaining to 
the rank of brigadier general. On November 3 of this year, Colonel Van 
Pelt will receive this well-deserved promotion at a ceremony in 
Arkansas.
  Colonel Van Pelt began his military career in 1983 and was 
commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1985. Colonel Van Pelt has 
served in a variety of positions in the 39th Infantry Brigade, 
including Company Commander, Battalion Operations Officer, Battalion 
Executive Officer, Battalion Commander, Brigade Operations Officer, 
Brigade XO, Deputy Brigade Commander, and Brigade Commander. Colonel 
Van Pelt also served as the Commandant of the Arkansas Regional 
Training Institute Officer Candidate School and the Arkansas Army 
National Guard G3.
  Colonel Van Pelt is a graduate of Excelsior College and received a 
master's degree from the U.S. Army War College in 2011. He is a veteran 
of Operation Iraqi Freedom and has received numerous awards and 
decorations for his service to our country, which include the Bronze 
Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with 
Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with five Oak Leaf 
Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Reserve Component 
Achievement Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, the Iraqi Campaign 
Medal with Bronze Service Star, the National Defense Service Medal with 
Bronze Service Star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, 
the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service 
Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the 
Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral `2', the Army Reserve Component 
Overseas Training Ribbon with Numeral `2', and the Joint Meritorious 
Unit Citation.
  In addition to his excellent military career, Colonel Van Pelt is 
also the vice president of AIC Inc., a systems integration firm in 
Sherwood, AR. He and his wife, Kelley, have raised three children: 
James, a senior at the University of Central Arkansas, Katie, a 
freshman at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and Hannah, a 
junior at North Little Rock High School.
  Colonel Van Pelt is a valued servant to the people of Arkansas and 
the United States of America. Our State and Nation have been fortunate 
to have Colonel Van Pelt's 30 years of service, and I can only hope he 
can serve another 30 years. I thank him again for his dedication and 
commitment to keeping our Nation and State safe.

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