[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 112 (Tuesday, July 12, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1092-E1093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMENDING NOEL ``CHRISTY'' NOLTA FOR HER SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN GRAHAM

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 12, 2016

  Ms. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Noel 
``Christy'' Nolta on the occasion of her recent selection as Deputy 
Director of Staff for the Chief of Staff of the Air

[[Page E1093]]

Force. Ms. Nolta has excelled in both civilian service and as a colonel 
in the Air Force Reserve. Most recently, Ms. Nolta served as Deputy 
Director of Legislative Liaison for the Office of the Secretary of the 
Air Force. She also excelled in her reserve duty as Mobilization 
Assistant to the Chief of Public Affairs for the Secretary of the Air 
Force.
  Ms. Nolta has given much to this Nation through her dedicated and 
selfless service. After graduation from her dream school--Virginia 
Tech--she answered the calling to join the Air Force and departed for 
Hahn Air Base in Germany. She started her career as an adjutant in a 
fighter squadron, was quickly recognized for her talent, and selected 
to serve as the 50th Tactical Wing Executive Officer. Her dedication 
and skills landed her in the 513th Airborne Command and Control Wing at 
Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England as a Command Post Controller and 
then Tactical Deception Plans Officer.
  Identified as an excellent officer, Christy was handpicked to train 
new accessions as an instructor at the Officer Training School at 
Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. It was during this assignment that 
Christy decided to continue to serve her country by transitioning into 
the Air Force Reserve. Her husband, Mike, was serving on active duty 
and Christy accompanied him on his assignments, continuing to balance 
motherhood, home, civilian, and reserve careers. After completing a 
five year extended active duty tour working for the Secretary of the 
Air Force, she decided to serve as an Air Force civilian as well as in 
the Air Force Reserve. She moved up the ranks within the Air Force 
Office of Communication, then later in Public Affairs.
  In 2014, her incredible communications skills were put to good use 
when Christy became the Deputy Director in the Legislative Liaison 
Office and we all got to benefit from her hard work. Happily, on the 
military side, she kept one foot in the Public Affairs Office as a 
colonel serving as the mobilization assistant to the director. That 
combination served her brilliantly.
  As Deputy Director of Legislative Liaison for the Office of the 
Secretary of the Air Force, Christy supported Air Force leadership by 
engaging Congress on programs and weapon systems authorizations, 
constituent inquiries, and other congressional interests. Among some of 
her more notable accomplishments during her tenure as Deputy Director, 
Christy prepared the Air Force team for confirmation hearing for the 
Air Force Under Secretary and currently is working the confirmation 
hearing for the proposed next Chief of Staff of the Air Force. She also 
supported more than 1,000 Air Force senior leader visits to the Hill as 
well as over 400 wing commander Hill visits, more than 253 
congressional delegation and congressional staff trips, over 200 
congressional hearings, answering 7,474 constituent inquiries, and 
countless other Air Force Hill engagements.
  Not only is Christy admired and respected within the Air Force, she 
is a role model to young women of all ages. Recently the Girl Scouts 
honored her with these sentiments, ``For caring, guiding, and helping 
Girls Scouts through the years and for being a good role model for 
girls around the world--May 2015.''
  Christy's family service runs deep. Her father was career Army, her 
husband is retired Air Force, and two of their three children have 
graduated from the United States Air Force Academy. Their third child 
became a Hokie like her mother and father, graduating from Virginia 
Tech.
  In July, Colonel Nolta will retire from the Air Force Reserve with 30 
years of faithful service in uniform. She will continue serving the Air 
Force in her civilian capacity. Today, I would like to wish Ms. Noel 
``Christy'' Nolta good luck and Godspeed in her next assignment as the 
Deputy Director of Staff for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Congress and the United States of 
America, I thank Christy and her family for their unwavering service to 
the nation, and look forward to their continued success.

                          ____________________