[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 18, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E43-E44]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL GREGORY SEAN McSWEEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 18, 2022

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record 
the following obituary for Lieutenant Colonel Gregory Sean McSween.

                       LtCol Gregory Sean McSween


                  SEPTEMBER 22, 1980--NOVEMBER 9, 2021

       With heavy hearts we announce the passing of LtCol Gregory 
     Sean McSween, USMC,

[[Page E44]]

     on November 9, 2021. Greg was an extraordinary son, brother, 
     husband, and father who loved his family and country. 
     Survived by his ever-devoted wife, Leanne, and their four 
     beautiful children--Connor Andrew (11), Declan Sean (9), Owen 
     Patrick (7), and Fiona Jane (4)--his legacy as a dedicated 
     family man is showcased in the loving bond shared among his 
     children.
       Born at Fort Knox, Kentucky on September 22, 1980, Greg was 
     the second of four children to LTC (Ret) Dave and Ann 
     McSween. Along with older sister Allison (Erik), younger 
     siblings Katie (John) and Brian (Regan), Greg enjoyed a 
     tight-knit upbringing rooted in his Irish Catholic faith. The 
     family endured eight military relocations prior to sixth 
     grade, as Greg's father was an active duty Army officer, 
     culminating his Army career in the Washington, D.C. area. 
     Family roots were established in Alexandria, VA in 1992 and 
     have remained anchored to the area since.
       Upon arriving in Alexandria, Greg discovered his love of 
     soccer. This intense relationship carried him through high 
     school, where he earned his status as a true athlete-student. 
     His love of soccer was second in his devotion to escaping 
     responsibility at home while somehow juxtaposing a solo 
     effort to attain the rank of Eagle Scout, like his father.
       Following graduation from Bishop Ireton High School in 
     1999, Greg's passion for soccer carried him to play at 
     Longwood University, where he met Leanne (nee Kibler), in 
     November 2001. He, a walk-on three year player, and she, a 
     three year starter on the women's lacrosse team, cemented a 
     true and impermeable bond which led to the creation of their 
     own team--Team McSween--in the years ahead. Leanne stood with 
     Greg in support as he attended Officer Candidate School while 
     attending Longwood, where he was commissioned in 2003 as a 
     Ground Intelligence Officer in the United States Marine 
     Corps, following in the footsteps of his maternal 
     grandfather.
       Upon marrying in June 2006, Leanne stepped naturally into 
     her role as the ultimate Semper Fi wife--never a task too 
     great to undertake or neighbor to befriend. Greg and Leanne 
     welcomed their four children throughout their military 
     relocations with immense pride as they pursued their shared 
     quest for adventure. Together, their travels led to exploring 
     24 countries with wonder in their journey as a family. Across 
     five military relocations for assignments at Camp Lejeune NC, 
     Quantico VA, Stuttgart Germany, and the Pentagon with five 
     deployments intermixed along the way, Leanne demonstrated her 
     tremendous strength in keeping all the trains running on 
     time. Greg's last assignment on the Joint Staff at the 
     Pentagon finally afforded him the opportunity to live near 
     family with military retirement on the horizon.
       Greg is also survived by his wife's family, Andy and Susan 
     Kibler, sister-in-law Glenna (Geoffrey), and brother-in-law 
     Jackson (Amanda). Beyond immediate family, Uncle Greg will be 
     sorely missed by nieces and nephews: Keegan, Adeline, Eloise, 
     Henry, Madison, MacKenzie, Jack, Palmer, and June. In 
     addition, twenty aunts and uncles and 34 first cousins make 
     up a small portion of the extended family that share fond 
     memories of Greg. So ingrained in Greg was his ability to 
     develop deep, lasting friendships throughout all the chapters 
     of his life, and carry that forward despite distance, time, 
     and the daily grind of life.
       We join him in the enduring search of the perfect pitch, 
     beer chilled to the right temperature, a well-stoked fire 
     utilizing wood split and stacked by hand, a perfectly timed 
     one-liner delivered with masterful dry humor, and the warm 
     comfort of a not-too-long embrace as we yearn to find peace 
     with the Irish Goodbye that was ultimately his last measure. 
     We honor his legacy by carrying forward his spirit within 
     each of us. Cheers to our hero until we may see you on the 
     other side.

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