[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 180 (Tuesday, December 13, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1715-E1716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF GREGORY D. SODERSTROM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ALAN GRAYSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 13, 2016

  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of 
an outstanding member of our Armed Forces. Lieutenant Colonel Gregory 
D. ``Vader'' Soderstrom, of the United States Air Force, is the Special 
Assistant to the Commander, 47th Operations Group, Laughlin Air Force 
Base, Texas.
  Lt. Col. Soderstrom served as Commander of the 47th Student Squadron, 
where he

[[Page E1716]]

oversaw the day-to-day activities of over 600 student pilots, 22 active 
duty permanent party members, and 80 civilians assigned to Specialized 
Undergraduate Pilot Training. Additionally, Lt. Col. Soderstrom flies 
as an instructor pilot with the 85th and 434th Flying Training 
Squadrons, instructing future Air Force pilots in the T-6A. The 47th 
Operations Group produces over 300 new pilots each year for the Combat, 
Mobility and Special Operations Air Forces.
  Lt. Col. Soderstrom was raised in Wichita, Kansas. He received his 
commission in 1996 from the United States Air Force Academy. He is a 
Command Pilot with over 3,400 hours in the F-15C/D, T-37B, and T-6A. He 
has held a variety of positions at the squadron, group, wing, and Major 
Command level. Prior to his current assignment he served as the 
Commander, Headquarters Squadron, United States Air Forces in Europe, 
Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
  Lt. Col. Soderstrom is married to the former Tephanie Weber of 
Marysville, Kansas. They have three children, Trinity, Cole, and Logan. 
I thank Lt. Col. Soderstrom, and his family, for his twenty years of 
service to a grateful nation, and wish him the best as he begins his 
new career as a pilot in Italy.

                          ____________________