[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 20, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





  RECOGNIZING MAJOR GENERAL HUGH ROBERT OVERHOLT, U.S. ARMY (RETIRED)

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GREGORY F. MURPHY

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 20, 2022

  Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Major General Hugh Robert Overholt of the United States Army (Retired) 
for his lifelong service to our country's military, Eastern North 
Carolina, and our great Nation. Born in the town of Beebe, Arkansas in 
1933, General Overholt attended the University of Arkansas where he 
earned both a bachelor's degree and a law degree. While attending law 
school, he served as the Comments Editor for the University of Arkansas 
Law Review.
  Following his graduation in 1957, General Overholt entered the Army's 
Judge Advocate General's Corps and was commissioned as a First 
Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. After his graduation from the Army's Judge 
Advocate General's school, General Overholt would go on to serve in 
various leadership roles within the United States Army including 
Assistant Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army from 1981 to 1985 and 
Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1989. General 
Overholt served a remarkable ten years as a General Officer, which 
included eight as a Major General. General Overholt used these years to 
increase the professionalism and the role of the Judge Advocate 
General's Corps through critical changes and reforms.
  One of the finest accomplishments in General Overholt's career was 
the establishment of the Masters in Military Law (LL.M.) program at the 
Army's Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School located at the 
University of Virginia. General Overholt also greatly expanded the 
schools' facilities, automatized the delivery of Army legal services, 
and published a revolutionary code of professional responsibility for 
members of the Army's Judge Advocate Corps. General Overholt's changes 
modernized the Army's legal services and exemplified his ability as an 
outstanding leader.
  General Overholt has received numerous awards in recognition of his 
life of service. These include the Distinguished Service Medal (Oak 
Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit, the Department of Defense Meritorious 
Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster), and 
the Army Commendation Medal (Two Oak Leaf Clusters). Along with 
attending the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps Basic and Advanced 
Courses, General Overholt also attended Airborne School, Command and 
General Staff College and the National Defense University.
  General Overholt has served on the North Carolina Board of 
Transportation (BOT) since 2009 and was instrumental in creating a new 
2020 Department of Transportation (DOT) law that gave the BOT more 
oversight authority. This new legislation also shifted designation of 
board members from the Governor to the General Assembly. For the first 
time under this new authority, Speaker of the North Carolina House Tim 
Moore used one of the General Assembly's three appointments for General 
Overholt who was first placed on the BOT by Governor Beverly Perdue and 
was reappointed by Governors Patrick McCrory and Roy Cooper. General 
Overholt is the only BOT member who has been appointed by both 
Republican and Democratic Governors, plus a Republican Speaker of the 
House.
  General Overholt in action means seeing good government work. Between 
2009 and 2020, General Overholt was instrumental in delivering over 
$800 million in new road projects to Carteret, Craven, Jones, Lenoir, 
and Pitt Counties. Of particular importance has been his support for 
military related transportation projects. One of the most vital 
military projects is the new Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry 
Point Slocum overpass ramp. General Overholt secured over $30 million 
in special funding for the project as part of the North Carolina 
Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) efforts to support the military 
and reduce traffic accidents and congestions in Havelock. He also 
advocated for the Highway 17 Bypass through Jones County that finally 
connected Camp Lejeune and MCAS Cherry Point with a four-lane highway. 
This was decades in the making and without General Overholt's 
leadership, it would not have become a reality.
  Two other major projects General Overholt helped shepherd through to 
construction are the Havelock Highway 70 Bypass and the James City-New 
Bern Highway 70 reconstruction. Today, his focus as an at-large BOT 
member continues to support Craven and Carteret Counties, the State 
Ports, aviation, rail, and the Global TransPark as well as overall 
transportation-related economic development.
  Prior to his appointment to the BOT, General Overholt was a 
Governor's appointee to the North Carolina Military Affairs Advisory 
Commission. He also helped lead the State's 2004 Base Realignment and 
Closure (BRAC) response team where he focused on advocating for MCAS 
Cherry Point. General Overholt was again successful in preventing the 
closure of this vital base.
  General Overholt also serves as Chairman of the North Carolina's 3rd 
Congressional District Service Academy Nomination Board, where he 
assists in nominating high school students to attend our esteemed 
service academies. He continues to be a servant to the people and the 
impact he has made on the citizens of this great nation is truly 
remarkable. General Overholt and his wife, Ann, have two children, 
Scott and Sharon, two grandchildren, Grayson Overholt and Ashton 
Overholt Baker, and two great-grandchildren, Sebastian and Sawyer 
Baker.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the service of this great 
patriot and all he has done and continues to do for our great state and 
Nation.

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