[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 195 (Tuesday, December 11, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR BENJAMIN C. PALACIOS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 11, 2018

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of an outstanding 
Soldier and a very dear friend, retired Command Sergeant Major Benjamin 
C. Palacios who passed away on November 9, 2018.
  Affectionately known as Ben, Command Sergeant Major Palacios was born 
on November 11, 1950 on the island of Saipan in the Northern Marianas. 
He later moved to Guam where he graduated from George Washington High 
School and was drafted into the United States Army in 1969.
  Ben spent the next thirty-four years in exemplary service in the Army 
as an armor Soldier. His duties have included diverse assignments 
ranging from Tank Commander to Command Sergeant Major of some of the 
premier organizations in the United States military. He served as the 
Operations Sergeant in several Armor Battalions including an assignment 
as a Senior Enlisted Advisor for the 50th Armored Division, New Jersey 
Army National Guard in 1988. In 1991, Ben deployed to Saudi Arabia in 
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm as the 3-69 Armor Battalion 
Command Sergeant Major. In 1994, Ben served as the Brigade Command 
Sergeant Major for the 2nd Vanguard Brigade in the 24th Infantry 
Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and in 1996 he was selected to be 
the 24th Infantry Division Command Sergeant Major. Following this 
assignment Ben served as the Command Sergeant Major for the Third 
Mobile Armored Corps at Fort Hood in Texas and was subsequently 
selected to serve as the United States Army Forces Command's Command 
Sergeant Major in July 1998. Ben's illustrious Army career culminated 
in one of the most prestigious assignments as the command sergeant 
major of the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, United 
States Forces Korea and 8th United States Army in the Republic of South 
Korea.
  On his retirement in 2003, the Republic of South Korea awarded 
Command Sergeant Major Palacios the Order of National Security Merit 
Gwanbok Medal on behalf of the President of South Korea. Ben was the 
first enlisted soldier to receive this prestigious medal since the end 
of the Korean War.
  Ben's most prestigious awards include the Distinguished Service 
Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Republic of 
Korea Order of National Security (Gwangbok) Medal, Bronze Star Medal, 
and Meritorious Service Medal. Some of these he was awarded more than 
once.
  Since 2003 Ben has remained engaged in Guam and the Pacific region 
working for companies associated with improving the United States 
security posture and contributing to the local community. One of his 
most devoted efforts was as a member of my Veterans Advisory Council 
which I founded to assist my advocacy on behalf of veterans residing in 
Guam. His dedication and personal efforts at improving services, 
support, and benefits for the U.S. military veterans living on Guam was 
greatly appreciated and a welcome improvement to the quality of life of 
all veterans.
  I appreciated his warm, welcoming and inclusive approach to serving 
our veterans and everyone he engages.
  I will miss Ben and his ever-optimistic attitude. I extend my deepest 
condolences to his wife of 45 years Estella Kosaka Palacios, and his 
sons; Benjamin, Bryan, Bradley, Brent, and their families.
  Rest in peace my friend.

                          ____________________