[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 51 (Monday, March 25, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S1932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL LUKE REINER

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the service of the 
adjutant general of the Wyoming National Guard, MG Luke Reiner, to the 
State of Wyoming and our Nation.
  In 1982, Major General Reiner enlisted in the Army National Guard. As 
a born leader, Luke was commissioned as an officer in 1986 and 
subsequently joined the Wyoming Army National Guard in 1987. Coming to 
Wyoming was the best decision of his career.
  Major General Reiner wore many hats and served at every level of the 
Wyoming Army National Guard. From his first job as the counter fire 
officer of the 115th Field Artillery Brigade to the executive officer 
of the 2-300 Field Artillery Battalion, he rose to take command of the 
115th Fires Brigade. Luke's operational experience included a 
deployment to Kuwait where he commanded Camp New York in support of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Governor Matt Mead appointed Luke Reiner as adjutant general, and he 
took command on April 1, 2011. Luke and I got to know each other very 
well over years as we worked together to secure funding to modernize 
the C-130H fleet. Major General Reiner was the Wyoming Guard's advocate 
in Washington at the National Guard Bureau and the Pentagon. He 
frequently traveled back to Washington and served on various National 
Guard committees and counsels.
  Every Thanksgiving, I travel overseas to visit with Wyoming 
servicemen and women deployed around the world. Governor Mead, Major 
General Reiner, and I spent Thanksgiving with the 133rd Engineering 
Company stationed in Bahrain in 2013. It was an honor to eat 
Thanksgiving dinner with these young men and women alongside Major 
General Reiner.
  On March 28, 2019, Luke will officially retire as Wyoming's adjutant 
general and hand the colors over to BG Gregory Porter. Major General 
Reiner will remain in Wyoming. I look forward to continue working 
closely with him in his role as director of the Wyoming Department of 
Transportation.
  Luke epitomizes the ``Code of the West.'' Live each day with courage. 
Take pride in your work. Do what needs to be done. We thank him for all 
he has done to keep Wyoming and our Nation safe.
  Finally, I want to thank Luke's wife Devonna and his two daughters 
Heather and Holly for allowing Luke to serve Wyoming and this great 
Nation. We are forever thankful.

                          ____________________