[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2874-S2875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO COLONEL PAUL J. TAYLOR

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to COL Paul J. Taylor 
for his inspiring and honorable dedication to the U.S. Army and service 
to our Nation. Paul spent a year on Capitol Hill as an Army 
Congressional Fellow in the U.S. Senate where he learned valuable 
skills that prepared him for his service the last 3 years as a 
Congressional Budget Liaison for the Secretary of the Army. In this 
capacity, I have found Paul to be a critical resource and trusted 
confidant on all matters related to supporting our Army.
  Colonel Taylor was nominated to attend the U.S. Military Academy from 
his home State of Connecticut and was commissioned an armor officer in 
1993.
  Colonel Taylor has served in a broad range of armor and cavalry 
assignments during his 23 years of service. As a junior officer, he 
served as a tank platoon leader, executive officer, and battalion 
maintenance officer in the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, in my 
own State of Kansas. During his time with the Big Red One, he met the 
former Amy S. Boydston, from Centerville, KS. The two were married at 
Fort Riley and have experienced more than 20 years of Army life 
together, along with their three daughters: Lauren, Abigail, and Ella 
Kate.
  Following his time at Fort Riley, Colonel Taylor attended advanced 
training at Fort Knox, KY, and stayed to command two armor companies in 
the 1st Armored Training Brigade. Upon completion of command, Colonel 
Taylor was stationed in Doha, Qatar, as the operations officer 
responsible for one of the Army's forward positioned headquarters in 
the Middle East.
  After returning from Qatar, Colonel Taylor was assigned to the 
National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA, the Army's premier training 
center, where he helped train units for deployment for 4 years. Colonel 
Taylor was next assigned to Fort Hood, TX, where he served as a brigade 
and battalion operations officer and executive officer in 4th Infantry 
Division, including a deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.
  Following his assignment at Fort Hood, Colonel Taylor was selected 
through a highly competitive process to serve as an Army Congressional 
Fellow on the personal staff of my colleague Senator John Cornyn of 
Texas. Following his fellowship, he was assigned to the Army's Office 
of the Chief of Legislative Liaison, where he served for 2 years as the 
Army's primary liaison for personnel issues to the U.S. Congress and 
the Armed Services Committees.
  During this assignment, Colonel Taylor was selected for command of 
1st Squadron, 32d Cavalry, in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort 
Campbell, KY. Following command, he returned to the Pentagon, where he 
served for 3 years as a congressional budget liaison officer in the 
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management 
and Comptroller. He expertly managed the Army's procurement and 
research, development, test, and evaluation portfolios, liaising with 
the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to provide critical 
resources for Army warfighters. His most recent assignment was the 
office's senior budget liaison, providing day-to-day leadership to 15 
other budget liaisons who greatly benefited from his guidance and 
mentorship.
  Over the last several years, Colonel Taylor has developed a close 
working relationship with my office. As much as his Kansas ties mean to 
me and my staff, equally valued is Paul's strength of character and 
humble approach in serving others. He represents the best in our Army, 
and he will always be welcome in my office and as part of our Kansas 
community. I wish Paul, his wife Amy, and his daughters Lauren, 
Abigail, and Ella Kate the very best as they transition from Army life 
and move home to Kansas.
  On behalf of a grateful nation, I join my colleagues today in 
recognizing and commending COL Paul Taylor for more than 23 years of 
service to his country. Paul's leadership throughout his career has 
positively impacted his soldiers, peers, and superiors. We wish Paul, 
his wife Amy, and their children all the best as they continue their 
journey of service.

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