[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 116 (Thursday, July 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4803-S4804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL MICHELLE HEATH

 Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
service of an Oklahoma native and proud Marine officer upon completing 
22 years of dedicated service to our great Nation. Lt. Col. Michelle 
Heath was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps in 
April 1997 and has dedicated her career to the selfless service of our 
country.
  Throughout the course of her career, Lieutenant Colonel Heath 
supported numerous operations both stateside and overseas. During her 
first tour at Camp Lejeune with 8th Motor Transport Battalion, 
Lieutenant Colonel Heath deployed as the motor transport detachment 
commander. After completion of this deployment, in May 2000, she was 
assigned as the assistant logistics officer to Marine Aircraft Group-
14, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
  Follow-on assignments included duty as the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing 
Antiterrorism Officer, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point followed 
by time with Mobilization Plans and Policy, Manpower and Reserve 
Affairs, Marine Corps Base Quantico. During this time she was directly 
involved with the mobilization of Marine Corps Reserve units in support 
of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In June 2006,

[[Page S4804]]

Lieutenant Colonel Heath deployed to Iraq to serve with Marine Wing 
Support Squadron-473 as a logistics officer.
  In 2013, Lieutenant Colonel Heath attended the Naval Command and 
Staff course at the Naval War College. Upon graduation, she served as 
the operational sponsor for Marine for Life, Manpower and Reserve 
Affairs in Quantico, VA. In this capacity, she sought to ensure that 
all Marines maintained a connection to the Corps, regardless of their 
stage in life. Lieutenant Colonel Heath continued her service to the 
Nation when she joined the operational sponsor for the Readiness 
Support Program, Marine Corps Individual Reserve Support Activity, 
Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans, LA.
  Since 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Heath has served in the Office of 
Legislative Affairs, Headquarters, Marine Corps, Pentagon. In this 
capacity, she has worked tirelessly while balancing military, 
political, and budgetary priorities for the Congress.
  Upon retirement, Lieutenant Colonel Heath will return to the great 
State of Oklahoma and will reside in Norman, OK. On behalf of my 
colleagues and the entire U.S. Senate, I want to personally thank 
Lieutenant Colonel Heath for her more than two decades of service to 
the Marine Corps and our Nation, and I wish her well in her future 
endeavors.

                          ____________________