[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 140 (Monday, September 28, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1369-E1370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE CAREER OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL MICHAEL SHELTON KEM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOHN KATKO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 28, 2015

  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of 
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Shelton Kem. Lieutenant Colonel Kem has 
served our country for 26 years with the United States Air Force and 
New York Air National Guard. Lieutenant Colonel Kem has been decorated 
with numerous medals, awards, and service distinctions and will retire 
from military service on October 1st. It is my honor to recognize such 
a distinguished citizen and airman.
   Lieutenant Colonel Kem began his military career in 1989 when he 
received his commission after graduating from the United States Air 
Force Academy where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Human 
Factors Engineering. Lieutenant Colonel Kem served active duty from May 
1989 through September 2000. Lieutenant Colonel Kem had a very 
successful active duty career; after commissioning he attended pilot 
training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas and remained there after 
graduating as a First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP) in the T-38. 
During his time at Laughlin Air Force Base, he flew as a check pilot, 
was an assistant Flight Commander, and the Runway Supervisory Unit 
Training and Standardization Officer-In-Charge.
   Lieutenant Colonel Kem then flew the C-141 at Travis Air Force Base, 
California, working as a training officer and flying missions to all 
points of the world. His final active duty assignment was at Randolph 
Air Force Base, Texas, as a Pilot Instructor Training (PIT) instructor 
in the T-1A. While stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, he 
served as the assistant Chief of the Standardization and Evaluations 
division.
   Lieutenant Colonel Kem joined the New York Air National Guard in 
2002 and served with the 152nd Air Operations Group as an Air Mobility 
Liaison officer. While in that unit he was deployed overseas for the 
start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003. After returning from 
that deployment, Lieutenant Colonel Kem joined the RC-26 program at 
Hancock Field, supporting law enforcement throughout the Northeast, 
performing airborne counter drug surveillance operations.

[[Page E1370]]

   Shortly after joining the RC-26 program, its mission expanded to 
include missions outside the United States to locations such as 
Colombia, South America, various locations within Iraq and Afghanistan, 
and more recently to Lima, Peru. Lieutenant Colonel Kem courageously 
deployed ten times with the RC-26 in support of Operations Iraqi 
Freedom, New Dawn, and Enduring Freedom. Five of those deployments were 
to Iraq and two to Afghanistan.
   Lieutenant Colonel Kem has dedicated 26 years of service to the 
United States of America. Lieutenant Colonel Kem earned his pilot wings 
at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and throughout his career he has 
earned the rating of Command Pilot, while logging 7,600 military flight 
hours, 1,115 combat hours, and 277 combat sorties. Lieutenant Colonel 
Kem worked his way through the ranks to earn the title of Lieutenant 
Colonel in September 2007. His effective dates of promotion are: Second 
Lieutenant--May 1989; First Lieutenant--May 1991; Captain--May 1993; 
Major--September 2000; Lieutenant Colonel--September 2007.
   Lieutenant Colonel Kem's major military awards and decorations 
include the Meritorious Service Medal; Air Medal with ten devices, 
Aerial Achievement Medal with two devices, Joint Service Achievement 
Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal with two devices, Meritorious Unit 
Award, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with ten devices, Combat 
Readiness Medal with two devices, National Defense Service Medal, Armed 
Forces Expeditionary Medal with one device, Afghanistan Campaign Medal 
with two devices, Iraq Campaign Medal with two devices, Global War on 
Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service 
Medal.
   Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Kem 
on his retirement and to thank him for his selfless service to our 
country.

                          ____________________