[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 16, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND MRS. JUDDSON FLORIS ON THEIR RETIREMENT 
                             FROM THE ARMY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DEAN PHILLIPS

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 16, 2019

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I'm honored today to recognize two of 
America's best, Lieutenant Colonel Juddson Floris, United States Army, 
and his wife, Rebecca, for their extraordinary selfless service to our 
Nation. Lieutenant Colonel Floris will soon retire from the Army after 
a long and distinguished career.
  A native of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Judd has distinguished 
himself as a true leader of character both at work and at home. 
Lieutenant Colonel Floris began his Army career as a plebe at the 
United States Military Academy at West Point in 1995, and, upon 
graduation from West Point, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant 
in the Infantry Branch in 1999.
  Upon graduating from the Infantry Officers Basic Course, Lieutenant 
Colonel Floris was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry 
Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he 
served as an Airborne Rifle Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, 
and Battalion Air Operations Officer. However, Judd always dreamed of 
something different, and he decided to apply for and attend Special 
Forces Assessment and Selection to begin the long journey of becoming a 
Green Beret.
  After completing the Special Forces Qualification Course and earning 
his ``long tab,'' Lieutenant Colonel Floris was assigned to the 1st 
Special Forces Group (Airborne) Commander's In-Extremis Force in 
Okinawa, Japan as a Special Forces Operational Detachment--Alpha 
Commander, Assault Force Commander, Company Executive Officer, and 
Company Commander. Lieutenant Colonel Floris was then assigned to the 
Pentagon as an Operations Officer in the joint Staff J-3 and the Army 
G-3 Special Operations Division. He then returned to 1st Special Forces 
Group (Airborne) where he commanded a Special Forces Company and Task 
Force, and subsequently served as an Operations Officer at the 
Battalion, joint Special Operations Task Force, and Group levels. 
Lieutenant Colonel Floris most recently served as a Special Operations 
and Counter-Terrorism Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict in the 
Pentagon.
  Lieutenant Colonel Floris has deployed fifteen times in support of 
named operations and Theater Campaign Plan events in the Middle East 
and Pacific areas of operations.
  His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze 
Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service 
Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two 
Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak 
Leaf Cluster, the Combat and Expert Infantryman's Badges, the Special 
Forces and Ranger Tabs, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Free Fall 
Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Staff 
Identification Badges from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the 
Joint Staff, and the Army Staff. Lieutenant Colonel Floris also holds 
parachutist's badges from seven countries.
  Judd earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Systems Engineering 
(Distinguished Graduate) from West Point and a Master of Arts Degree in 
Policy Management from Georgetown University.
  But the accolades, awards, degrees, and badges don't tell the full 
story. They don't tell you how superiors, peers, and subordinates alike 
respect and revere Judd, not just for his military prowess, but for the 
care, compassion and empathy which he brought to every situation. They 
don't give insight into the selflessness shown by Judd and Rebecca to 
the soldiers and families under Judd's command. And they certainly 
don't tell the full story of twenty years of sacrifice, which the 
Floris family has endured as a result of fifteen deployments away from 
home.
  So, on this day and on behalf of a grateful Nation, it is my honor to 
recognize the selfless service and sacrifice of Lieutenant Colonel 
Juddson Floris, his wife, Rebecca, and sons, Callum and Max. I wish 
them the very best as they begin this new chapter of their lives.

                          ____________________