[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 10, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E9]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING LIEUTENANT GENERAL STEVEN ROGER RUDDER, UNITED STATES 
                         MARINE CORPS (RETIRED)

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GREGORY F. MURPHY

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 10, 2023

  Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a Marine who has 
served our great nation for over 38 years. From a Cobra Pilot to a 
General Officer leading the Marine Corps largest operational command, 
Marine Forces Pacific, Lieutenant General Steven Rudder has made a 
significant impact on the Marine Corps. He has flown attack helicopters 
in combat and commanded Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 26, and also was in 
charge of the Legislative Affairs office for the Marine Corps. During 
his time with the Legislative Affairs office, he was responsible for 
ensuring the U.S. Congress had the most up to date information on all 
Marine Corps ground and air programs.
  He commanded the 1st Marine Air Wing in Japan with Wing deployments 
to Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Australia. He also served as 
the planning officer at the United States Indo-Pacific Command where he 
led operational planning and further strengthened relationships with 
our Western Pacific partners and allies.
  As the Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Aviation, he 
aggressively transitioned the F-35B aircraft program to include 
oversight of the historic F-35B deployment on the HMS Queen Elizabeth. 
Additionally, Lieutenant General Rudder completed the MV-22 and H-1 
aircraft transitions and increased the readiness of Marine Corps 
Fighter force to 80 percent.
  Lieutenant General Rudder finished his career by commanding Marine 
Forces Pacific, the largest Marine Corps command with over 80,000 
Marines. Under his command, the Marine Forces Pacific reestablished a 
significant program with the Philippines and entered into several 
trilateral agreements with Japan and Australia. Lieutenant General 
Rudder would go on to chair the 20 nation Pacific Amphibious Leaders 
Symposium with his Japanese counterpart. He was a key figure in the 
reestablishment of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Marine Corps Air Group.
  Ashore or afloat, Lieutenant General Rudder has insured our Marines 
were ready to fight on behalf of our nation, and on behalf of our 
nation's commitments to our allies and partners. For his incredible 
leadership, Lieutenant General Rudder was awarded the Japanese Order of 
the Rising Sun by former Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi. He was also 
awarded the Guksun Medal, which is also called the Order of National 
Security Merit, signed by South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol. It was 
personally awarded by the ROK Commandant and signifies the impact 
Lieutenant General Rudder has made in the defense of the Pacific 
Theater of Operations.
  Lieutenant General Rudder's awards include the Navy Distinguished 
Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 bronze oak leaf 
cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat ``V'' Device, the 
Defense Superior Medal (2 awards) and the Legion of Merit (2 awards). 
The Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat ``V'' Device is of 
particular note, as it is our Nation's highest award for extraordinary 
aerial achievement and in Lieutenant General Rudder's case, was awarded 
due to his courage and skill in combat.
  I want to note the close ties Lieutenant General Rudder and his 
family has with my Congressional District (NC-03). They were stationed 
for about 10 years total in the Jacksonville, North Carolina area. His 
son, Dean Rudder, graduated from high school there and is a graduate of 
East Carolina University (ECU) and his daughter, Brittany, attended 
three schools in my District. Brittany currently resides in 
Jacksonville, where she has made it her permanent home for the past 12 
years.
  I would be remiss if I did not emphasize his wife, Holly, and her 
support of Lieutenant General Rudder's career. She was 100 percent 
behind him during his entire 38-year career and is a Navy veteran 
herself, after growing up in an Air Force family living all over the 
world. Needless to say, many of Lieutenant General Rudder's successes 
can be attributed directly to Holly's support. I wish both of them all 
the best as they transition to this new chapter of life. May they have 
fair winds and following seas. Semper Fidelis.

                          ____________________