[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 213 (Thursday, December 9, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1353-E1354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT BRUCE A. FONG

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOHN KATKO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 9, 2021

  Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career of 
Chief Master Sergeant Bruce A. Fong who will retire from the United 
States Air Force on December 18, 2021, after more than 31 years of 
military service.
  Chief Fong is a native of Central New York and a graduate of 
Whitesboro Senior High School. He also holds a Bachelor of Science 
Degree in Computer Information Systems from Columbia College of 
Missouri, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
  Chief Fong entered the active-duty Air Force under the delayed 
enlistment program in December 1979 and attended basic military 
training in July 1980 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Following 
Basic Military Training, he went on to technical training at Sheppard 
Air Force Base, Texas to become an Air Cargo Specialist.
  In September 1980 Chief Fong, then Airman Basic, was assigned to the 
603rd Military Airlift Support Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, 
Japan. He worked in the ramp services section where he was responsible 
for the on/off-loading of cargo on military and civilian aircraft such 
as the Boeing 747, the Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy, C-141A/B Starlifter, 
C-130 Hercules, the McDonnell Douglas C-9 Nightingale, and the KC-1O 
Extender. Chief Fong became phase two qualified on the C-130 and C-141, 
which provided the ability to service the aircraft without the 
supervision of a loadmaster. During his time at Kadena Air Base, Chief 
Fong was involved many times in an extraordinarily successful joint 
service deployment exercise ``Team Spirit'' supervising the loading 
operations of military aircraft, often working with untrained Air Force 
and Marine Corps load crews.
  After two and a half years in Okinawa, Chief Fong had a permanent 
change of station to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, where he was 
assigned to the 436th Aerial Port Squadron. He worked in the special 
handling section and was responsible for the timely and accurate 
inventory of critical cargo using the Aerial Port Documentation and 
Management System. Chief Fong also participated in the NATO exercise 
``Bright Star,'' where he spent time in Cairo Egypt assisting the 436th 
Airlift Control Element in the on/off-loading of sixty aircraft and 
officially recognized for his effort by the Airlift Control Element 
commander.
  After a 10-year break in service Chief Fong joined the I 74th Fighter 
Wing, New York Air National Guard in February 1996 as a Drill Status 
Guardsmen. He was assigned to the 174th Logistics Readiness Squadron as 
a Traffic Management Specialist.

[[Page E1354]]

  In October 1998, Chief Fong was hired as a full-time military 
technician with the 174th Communications Flight. In his lengthy career 
within the organization, he held positions as a network administrator, 
network infrastructure technician, network control center supervisor, 
operations superintendent, and the finally as the Chief Enlisted 
Manager. As Chief Enlisted Manager, he was responsible for the 
training, readiness, and morale of all assigned enlisted personnel in 
support of combat and domestic operations. Chief Fong's other 
successful accomplishments include implementation of the following 
systems: Electronic Management Tracking System; Defense Biometric 
Identification System, and the Electronic Technical Order Distribution 
System, many of these accomplishments were firsts for the 174th Fighter 
Wing, the Air National Guard, and the United States Air Force. Chief 
Fong's other successes included installs and significant upgrades to 
the following base communications infrastructure and systems: Gigabit-
Ethernet, Base Wireless Access, Base Area Network Modernization, NetApp 
Mass Storage, Network Control Center--Virtualization, Base Mass 
Notification System, and the Common Access Card, all told, totaling in 
the millions of dollars.
  In March of 2000, Chief Fong deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, 
Saudi Arabia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. Following the 
September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on New York City, Chief Fong 
played an integral part providing back-end communications support 
during Operation NOBLE EAGLE, when the 174th Fighter Wing was tasked to 
fly Combat Air Patrol missions over New York City. In November of 2006, 
he deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI 
FREEDOM. At the height of the COVID pandemic, Chief Fong served as a 
Liaison Officer between the Air Force and Army for four and a half 
months. He provided logistical support to the New York State Military 
Joint Task Force, which was the command-and-control hub for all Central 
New York.
  Throughout his career with the 174th Attack Wing, one of Chief Fong's 
crowning achievements and proudest moments has been serving as a 
Ceremonial Guardsmen with 174th Attack Wing's Base Honor Guard. During 
his time with the Base Honor Guard, he performed well over seven 
hundred active-duty, retiree, and veteran funerals, as well as 
participating in parades and other details supporting the base and 
community. This often involved working holidays, weekends, and 
traveling throughout 23 New York State counties, covering over 23,324 
square miles.
  For his 31 years of service Chief Fong has earned numerous 
decorations which include: the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak 
leaf clusters; the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf 
clusters; the Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster; 
and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal. His military unit awards include: 
the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters, and 
the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with combat ``V'' device and five 
oak leaf clusters. His military campaign and service awards include: 
the National Defense Service Medal; the Air Reserve Forces Meritorious 
Service Medal with 7 oak leaf clusters; the Armed Forces Expeditionary 
Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze campaign star; Global War on 
Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Air Force 
Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border; the Air Force Longevity 
Service Award Ribbon with five oak leaf clusters; the Armed Forces 
Reserve Medal with silver hour glass and bronze mobilization ``M'' 
device; the Professional Military Education Ribbon with two oak leaf 
clusters; the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon; and the Air Force 
Training Ribbon.
  Chief Fong is married to Cynthia Kellar; has two children, Andrew and 
Jessica; and three grandchildren, Noah, Brooklynn, and Grayson. He is 
an avid photographer, trained in martial arts, and has flown solo in a 
Cessna 152, 182 and a Piper warrior in pursuit of a private pilot's 
license. Chief Fong is proud of his service to his country and looking 
forward to retirement and his next adventure.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in 
recognizing Chief Master Sergeant Bruce A. Fong for his three decades 
of honorable service. I wish Chief Fong the best in his retirement.

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