[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 26, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1984-S1985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO COLONEL THOMAS VON ESCHENBACH

 Mr. JONES. Madam President, today I pay tribute to a great 
leader and an exceptional officer of the U.S. Army, COL Thomas von 
Eschenbach, now serving as the director, Capabilities Development and 
Integration Directorate at the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence 
at Fort Rucker, AL, as he prepares to retire from military service on 
May 31, 2019.
  COL Thomas von Eschenbach has served our Army and our Nation for more 
than 28 years. He has been a true professional; a dedicated soldier, 
leader, and officer. Throughout his career he has commanded our great 
soldiers at many levels; he has deployed to combat numerous times in 
defense of the Nation; and he has been assigned critical positions in 
our military. Colonel von Eschenbach has provided outstanding 
leadership, advice, and sound professional judgment on numerous issues 
of enduring importance to the Army, Congress, and this Nation.
  A native of Alabama, Colonel von Eschenbach was commissioned a second 
lieutenant of aviation upon graduating from Auburn University ROTC as a 
Distinguished Military Graduate. His first assignment after flight 
school was at Fort Bragg, NC, where he served as a platoon leader, 
company executive officer, and battalion staff officer. He next served 
in Germany as a troop commander and division staff officer.
  Upon his return from Germany, Colonel von Eschenbach served as a 
small group leader and later company commander in the Aviation Branch 
Captains' Career Course and Warrant Officer Advanced Courses at Fort 
Rucker, AL. As a field-grade officer he returned to Fort Bragg and 
served as the battalion executive officer and operations officer for an 
attack battalion, and later brigade operation officer in the 82nd 
Combat Aviation Brigade to include a deployment to Operation Iraqi 
Freedom.
  After an assignment in Army Human Resources Command, Colonel von 
Eschenbach commanded an Air Cavalry Squadron Task Force during a 
deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. 
After this command, he served on the Army staff as the Deputy Director 
for Army Aviation.
  For the past 4 years, Colonel von Eschenbach has served as the 
director of the Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate at 
the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. In this role he was 
responsible to the development of future doctrine and concepts, force 
structure, and capability requirements for Army aviation to ensure our 
aviation forces and soldiers

[[Page S1985]]

have the right concepts and equipment to prevail in future conflicts.
  On behalf of the State of Alabama, the 116th Congress, and the United 
States of America, I thank COL Thomas von Eschenbach, U.S. Army, and 
his entire family for their commitment, sacrifice, and contributions to 
this great Nation. I join my colleagues in wishing Colonel von 
Eschenbach future success as he transitions to other opportunities to 
serve the Army and our country.

                          ____________________