[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 27, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S1538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       REMEMBERING PARKER GREENE

 Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize a great 
loss suffered in my home State of Georgia and more specifically in the 
city of Valdosta. For more than 40 years, Parker Greene spent every day 
of his life thinking about how he could make a difference in his 
community by supporting the various missions at Moody Air Force Base, 
which is located just on the outskirts of Valdosta in South Georgia. 
Parker passed away on December 18, 2018, at the age of 86. He leaves 
behind a lasting legacy that will be remembered throughout my home 
State for decades to come.
  Parker moved to Valdosta in 1970 and immediately became involved with 
the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. He was named to the 
military affairs committee and quickly developed a fondness for the 
airmen stationed at Moody, as well as the multiple missions housed at 
the base. Through the years, his level of advocacy for Moody continued 
to increase. The local community recognized this and created the Moody 
Support Committee and named Parker as its chairman. As chairman, Parker 
took countless trips every year to Washington, DC, to impress upon 
congressional and Department of Defense leaders the importance of 
maintaining a robust Air Force presence at Moody due to its strategic 
location in the southeastern U.S. and unmatched community support.
  In the 1990s, when the Base Realignment and Closure Commission 
recommended closing Moody and moving its missions to other bases, 
Parker and the Moody Support Committee tirelessly walked the halls of 
Congress and the Pentagon to advocate for the removal of Moody from the 
BRAC list and to increase its mission presence. Parker's efforts proved 
successful. His determination allowed Moody to continue its mission, 
while sparing the Valdosta community from certain economic loss due to 
the closure of the base.
  Following his successful efforts in the 1990s, Parker continued his 
work on Moody's behalf to relocate new missions to the base in order to 
diversify Moody's mission presence and further prove its strategic 
importance. In fact, in 2007, the newly constructed consolidated base 
support center at Moody was named after Parker because of his efforts 
on behalf of the base and its airmen. Former Air Force Chief of Staff 
Michael Moseley was at the renaming and presented Parker with the 
first-ever Chief of Staff Exceptional Service Award.
  Several years later, Parker was awarded the highest honor the Air 
Force can bestow on a civilian: the Air Force Distinguished Public 
Service Award. The award stated that Parker ``distinguished himself by 
service as an Air Force advocate, with both an intimate knowledge of 
Air Force operations and a deep grasp of social and economic issues 
vital to Moody Air Force Base. He has expertly advised the Secretary of 
the Air Force, the Chief of Staff, and senior Air Force leaders on 
these matters while serving as an Air Force civic leader to the 
community surrounding the installation.''
  Of course, Parker could not have accomplished his many feats without 
the loyal and steadfast support from his lovely wife Dr. Lucy Greene. 
Together, they made an unstoppable duo, and Lucy proved to be as 
tireless an advocate for Moody as Parker. I know I speak for the entire 
State when I offer my heartfelt condolences to Lucy and their two 
children, Buck and Sharon.
  While we mourn Parker and the loss to Moody AFB and south Georgia, I 
know that everyone can look at Parker's record of achievement and see 
an unparalleled legacy of selflessness, kindness, and service to 
others. I have no doubt that Moody will continue to be a leading 
example of Air Force excellence because of Parker's impact on the base 
and his advocacy for the region in Atlanta and Washington.

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