[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 19, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF COLONEL WILLIAM DAVID BARTON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TRENT KELLY

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 19, 2017

  Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of 
Colonel (COL) William David Barton's thirty-one years of service in the 
Mississippi Army National Guard (MSARNG). COL Barton began his military 
career on August 13, 1986, when he enlisted as a Cannon Crewman in 
Service Battery, 2nd Battalion, 114th Field Artillery in his hometown 
of Kosciusko, Mississippi. He later received his commission through the 
ROTC program at the University of Mississippi, where he graduated with 
a degree in marketing in 1990.
  COL Barton has served the MSARNG in staff positions at the battalion, 
brigade and state staff levels, and held command positions at the 
platoon, company and battalion levels. In 2005, he was deployed to Iraq 
with the 155th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) where he first served as 
Brigade Personnel Officer for the 155th BCT, and then served as the 
Battalion Operations Officer for 2nd Battalion, 114th Field Artillery. 
He has held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel since 
February 1, 2015.
  His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze 
Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (with four Bronze Oak Leaf 
Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with one Bronze Oak Leaf 
Cluster), the Army Achievement Medal (with two Bronze Oak Leaf 
Clusters), the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with one 
Silver and three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the National Defense 
Service Medal (with one Star), the Iraq Campaign Medal (with two 
Campaign Stars), the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed 
Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hourglass, M Device, and Numeral 2), 
the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Action 
Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the National Guard Basic Recruiter Badge 
, the Mississippi Magnolia Cross (with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), 
the Mississippi Magnolia Medal (with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), the 
Mississippi Commendation Medal, the Mississippi War Medal (with one 
Star), the Mississippi Emergency Service Medal, the Mississippi Service 
School Ribbon (with one Silver and one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), the 
Mississippi Longevity Medal (with one Silver and one Bronze Oak Leaf 
Cluster), and the Mississippi Recruiting Medal.
  When asked about his years in the MSARNG, COL Barton said, ``I have 
been blessed to serve with some of the finest people in the world over 
the last 31 years. It has been an amazing experience and I am glad to 
have been able to serve my country and my state in both peacetime and 
during war. The service members I have served with truly embody the 
National Guard motto of `Always Ready, Always There' and I could not be 
more proud of my service alongside them.''
  Throughout his career and in preparation for his upcoming retirement, 
Colonel Barton has been supported by his loving family, including his 
parents, Gerald and Peggy Barton; his three sisters; his wife, Jennifer 
Barton; and his four daughters, Brittany Burnham, Ashley Smith, Kelly 
Barton and Hannah Kelly.
  I am thankful for Colonel Barton's many years of military service, 
and I am proud to call him my friend. I wish him the best in his future 
endeavors.

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