[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 5 (Thursday, January 9, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E18]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL (LTC) RYAN NENANBER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DUSTY JOHNSON

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 9, 2020

  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
and honor Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Ryan Nenanber for his retirement 
from the United States Army after over 20 years of service.
   LTC Nenanber's record of service with the U.S. Army is truly 
outstanding. He began his career in 2000 when he was stationed in Ft. 
Wainwright, Alaska and served as an Anti-Tank Platoon Leader, Rifle 
Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Battalion Assistant 
Operations Officer. LTC Nenanber then served as a Special Forces 
Operational Detachment ALPHA Commander and an Advanced Operational Base 
Executive Officer in Fort Lewis, Washington. He spent time teaching our 
next generation of servicemembers at the U.S. Military Academy, and 
then was assigned to the U.S. Army North as a Strategic Intelligence 
Officer. LTC Nenanber has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and 
multiple locations in Asia. Currently, LTC Nenanber is the Chief of the 
Functional Training Branch at the United States Army Intelligence 
Center of Excellence.
   I want to specifically recognize LTC Nenanber's leadership when he 
commanded an Operational Detachment ALPHA team that captured the 
leaders of an Al-Qaeda affiliated cell north of Baghdad, Iraq that used 
young boys as suicide bombers. Through their brave actions, LTC 
Nenanber and his team saved countless young boys--many thought to be 
orphans--from certain death, and prevented the execution of many 
disastrous suicide bombings.
   Originally from Belle Fourche, LTC Nenanber is a native South 
Dakotan and I am proud to have such an exceptional servicemember call 
South Dakota home. Our state and country are better because of citizens 
like him. I thank LTC Nenanber and his family for their tremendous 
sacrifice, and I extend my deepest congratulations for his retirement.

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