[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E955-E956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN HONOR OF COLONEL STEVEN J. OWENS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 11, 2017

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
congratulate Colonel Steven J. Owens on his retirement from the United 
States Army after 30 years of service to our country. An esteemed and 
respected member of the Army Medical Service Corps, Colonel Owens most 
recently served as the Deputy Director for Reserve Affairs at the 
Office of the Surgeon General. In this capacity, he was instrumental in 
driving policy to improve the capability of the Army to recruit and 
retain high quality providers to care for our Nations

[[Page E956]]

Daughters and Sons. He also played an integral role in strengthening 
the relationship between Army National Guard and the Army Reserve 
medical communities.
  Colonel Owens distinguished career began with the Virginia Army 
National Guard in 1987, and included time at Ft. Belvoir, VA; Camp 
Robinson, VA; Ft. Pickett, VA; Ft. A.P. Hill, VA; Joint Force 
Headquarters, VA; the National Guard Bureau; Fort Sam Houston, TX; and 
the Office of the Surgeon General. During this time, he deployed to 
Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his time in Iraq, he 
served as the I Corps MNCI and USFI liaison to the Iraqi Army Surgeon. 
In that role, he performed the medical portion of counterinsurgency 
training for hundreds of America's service members and advised the 
Iraqi Army Surgeon on methods to increase capabilities to provide care 
to the Iraqi Soldiers, and to improve recruitment and retention of 
providers in the Iraqi Army.
  As Colonel Owens embarks on a new chapter in life, it is my hope that 
he may recall, with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment, the 
outstanding contributions he has made to the Office of the Surgeon 
General, the Virginia Army National Guard and to the United States 
Army. I would like to send him my best wishes for continued success in 
his future endeavors.

                          ____________________