[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 61 (Thursday, April 8, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E353]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORNG LIEUTENANT COLONEL ANTHONY HEISLER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 8, 2021

  Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to extend my sincerest 
gratitude to U.S. Army Officer Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Anthony Heisler 
of U.S. Special Operations Command Legislative Affairs office (SOLA). 
He is truly a great American and has been a tremendous help to Congress 
in developing increased transparency and understanding into what 
Special Operations Forces brings to the fight regarding the National 
Defense Strategy.
  LTC Heisler earned his commission through Georgetown University Army 
ROTC as a Field Artillery Officer in 2004 and was assigned 4th Infantry 
Division (Mechanized) from 2005 to 2007 before he volunteered to attend 
Special Forces Assessment and Selection.
  After completing the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2009, LTC 
Heisler was assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group 
(Airborne) in Germany, where he served as a Special Forces detachment 
commander, headquarters and support company commander, and the Aide-de-
Camp to the Commanding General of Special Operations Command-Europe. He 
was later assigned to 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort 
Carson, Colorado, where served as a Special Forces company commander, 
battalion executive officer, and Group operations officer. He has been 
serving at SOLA since May 2018.
  LTC Heisler's operational deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom 
(2005 to 2006), Operation Enduring Freedom (2009, 2010), Operation 
Juniper Shield (Niger, 2015), and Operation Atlantic Resolve (Germany, 
2017). LTC Heisler has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with 2 Oak 
Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and 
others.
  U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) develops and employs fully 
capable Special Operations Forces to conduct global special operations 
and activities as part of the joint force to support persistent, 
networked and distributed combatant command operations and campaigns 
against state and non-state actors to protect and advance U.S. policies 
and objectives. SOCOM trains, organizes and equips U.S. Special 
Operations Forces and provide those forces to the geographic combatant 
commanders on the Global Campaign Plan for Countering Violent Extremist 
Organizations, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and Web-Based 
Military Information Support Operations.
  While in the job at SOLA, LTC Heisler guided a Congressional 
Delegation to West Africa. His personal knowledge and experiences were 
priceless in making the visits to Niger, Nigeria and Mali a tremendous 
success in August 2019. We are very grateful for him escorting us 
around the continent.
  He departs the SOLA office this spring after three years working with 
Congress and takes command of 3rd Battalion, 10th SFG. We wish Anthony 
and his family safe travels as they move to Colorado Springs, CO. There 
is a high likelihood that Congress will see LTC Heisler again as he 
progresses through the Army ranks. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues 
to join me in extending our gratitude to LTC Heisler for his service to 
our country and the House of Representatives.

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