[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 15, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO GENERAL KENNETH FRANKLIN MCKENZIE, JR.

  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise today to honor U.S. Marine Corps 
General Kenneth Franklin McKenzie, Jr., commander of U.S. Central 
Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL. General McKenzie is one of 
our Nation's finest military officers, and he will retire from Active 
military service on April 1, 2022, with nearly 43 years of 
distinguished service to our great Nation.
  General McKenzie, a native of Birmingham, AL, graduated from The 
Citadel in 1979 and was commissioned into the Marine Corps as an 
infantry officer. During his distinguished career, General McKenzie 
commanded at the platoon, company, battalion, Marine Expeditionary 
Unit, service component, and combatant command levels. As a lieutenant 
colonel, he commanded First Battalion, Sixth Marines. As the commanding 
officer of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations 
Capable), he led combat deployments to Afghanistan in 2004 and Iraq 
from 2005 to 2006. From 2006 to 2007, General McKenzie served as the 
Military Secretary to the 33rd and 34th Commandants of the Marine 
Corps.
  As a general officer, he served on the Joint Staff as a Deputy 
Director of Operations within the National Military Command Center. He 
was also selected by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be 
the Director of the Chairman's New Administration Transition Team, 
where he coordinated the efforts of the Joint Staff and the combatant 
commands during a wartime transition of administrations. General 
McKenzie later assumed command of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central 
Command, and most recently took command of U.S. Central Command, a 
position he has held since 2019.
  General McKenzie is an honors graduate of the Army Armor Officer 
Advanced Course, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the School 
of Advanced Warfighting. In 1999, he was selected as a commandant of 
the Marine Corps Fellow and served as a senior military fellow within 
the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense 
University.
  At a time of great uncertainty in the world, particularly in the 
Middle East, General McKenzie led U.S. Central Command through multiple 
momentous events while deterring Iran, defeating ISIS, and securing the 
region. General McKenzie is an exceptional leader, selfless servant, 
and American patriot who is committed to our Nation and our interests. 
With profound admiration and deep respect, we pay tribute for all he 
has done for the defense of our Nation for more than four decades.
  Today, I am honored to recognize General McKenzie's long and 
decorated career. On behalf of a grateful nation, I commend General 
McKenzie for his dedicated service to the United States of America. I 
also wish to recognize the sacrifices and contributions made by General 
McKenzie's wife, Marilyn, as well as their son, K.R., daughter-in-law, 
Kristin, and two grandsons, Noah and James. We are a nation truly 
indebted to all of the servicemembers, veterans, and military families 
who continue to give so much to defend our American values and 
liberties. I extend my best wishes to General McKenzie and his family 
on the occasion of his retirement.

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