[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 150 (Monday, September 18, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING COLONEL CARL E. SHELTON, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT J. WITTMAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 18, 2023

  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Carl E. 
Shelton, Jr., United States Marine Corps, Retired, at the conclusion of 
43 years of dedicated service to the United States, both in uniform and 
as a civilian. Carl is a native of Newark, New Jersey and earned a 
Bachelor of Art Degree in Political Science from Rutgers University. 
Prior to joining the Marine Corps, he served this House as staff member 
to Congressman Nicholas Mavroules (D-Mass). Carl was then commissioned 
a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in June 1980.
  Beginning his career as an Infantry Officer serving in North 
Carolina, Norfolk, Virginia and California. He served at sea aboard the 
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and on the USS Denver (LPD-9) during which 
time he deployed for Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He then 
attended the National War College, Washington, D.C. and earned a 
master's degree in National Security Strategy. In 2006 he was 
reassigned to the Inspector General's office in September 2006 where he 
served as Director, Assistance and Investigations Division for 3 years 
and became Acting Deputy in September of 2009.
  When Carl retired from the Marine Corps in 2010 his commitment to the 
Marine Corps, and the Nation, continued. He immediately began serving 
as the Deputy Inspector General, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. In 
that capacity Carl served as the principal advisor to the Inspector 
General of the Marine Corps (IGMC) on all matters related to 
inspections, analysis, assessments, investigations, and other oversight 
matters of importance to the United States Marine Corps with particular 
emphasis on institutional readiness.
  Among his noteworthy accomplishments, Carl is the only senior 
official within the Department of the Navy (DON) who is a certified 
inspector general through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center 
(FLETC) and the Association of Inspectors General. As a result of his 
extraordinary Inspector General qualifications and tested leadership 
abilities, Carl was elevated to ``Acting Inspector General of the 
Marine Corps'' on a number of occasions to include extended periods 
from 2014 to 2016 and 2020 through 2022. Of note, the Service 
Inspectors General for the Army, Navy and Air Force are 3-star flag 
officers.
  During the uncertainty of the Pandemic, Carl flawlessly executed the 
full range of responsibilities to include senior official 
investigations and an aggressive inspections process throughout the 
Pandemic (2000 through 2022). What's more remarkable is that Mr. 
Shelton executed these substantial duties without an assigned Deputy.
  Our Nation is better because of great Americans like Carl Shelton. 
Those who volunteer to wear the uniform and continue to serve after 
they take it off. It is my great pleasure to offer my own 
congratulations for Carl on the happy occasion of his retirement after 
43 years of service to the United States.

                          ____________________