[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 31, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING COLONEL THOMAS O. PEMBERTON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RUDY YAKYM III

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 31, 2023

  Mr. YAKYM. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize and celebrate 
Colonel Thomas O. Pemberton, Commander of the 434th Air Refueling Wing 
at Grissom Air Reserve Base, for his retirement from the U.S. Air Force 
Reserve this month.
  Colonel Pemberton's distinguished career in service to our nation has 
spanned nearly four decades. During that time, Colonel Pemberton's 
professionalism and persistence has advanced the mission of the United 
States Military and inspired countless other men and women to be the 
very best they can be.
  First entering active duty in 1985, Colonel Pemberton has flown 
numerous aircraft in his career, amassing more than 5,800 flight hours 
as a navigator and a pilot. Colonel Pemberton's service has taken him 
bases across our country, including numerous roles at Grissom alone. It 
has also included mobilization and deployments in support of Operations 
Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom as well as other 
contingencies across the globe.
  For the past two years, Colonel Pemberton has served as the 38th 
commander of the 434th Air Refueling Wing (ARW), a unit responsible for 
operating and maintaining all of Grissom Air Reserve Base. In this 
role, Colonel Pemberton has ably commanded the largest KC-135R 
Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, which runs 
refueling missions around the world. With nearly 1,900 military, 
civilian, and contractor personnel at Grissom, Pemberton's steady 
leadership has proved instrumental in the success of the Hoosier Wing. 
In addition to his upstanding service in the Air Reserve, countless 
Hoosiers have testified to another important aspect of Colonel 
Pemberton's life: his commitment and devotion to his family.
  Indiana's Second's Congressional District, the Hoosier state, and our 
entire nation are all better off because of Colonel Pemberton's service 
and leadership. I am proud to call Colonel Pemberton a friend and to 
congratulate him on a mission well accomplished. I and Hoosiers 
throughout the Second District and beyond, wish Colonel Pemberton and 
his entire family nothing but the best as he prepares to embark on the 
next exciting chapter of his life.

                          ____________________