[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 90 (Thursday, May 23, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3881]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOSHUA SCOTT KONCAR

  Ms. DUCKWORTH. Madam President, today I wish to recognize LTC Joshua 
S. Koncar, U.S. Army, for his outstanding work on behalf of the people 
of Illinois and the Nation. Lieutenant Colonel Koncar served as a 2021 
Department of Defense legislative fellow in my Washington, DC, office 
and later as a U.S. Army Reserve congressional liaison from 2022-2024. 
Lieutenant Colonel Koncar was born in Sharon, PA. The grandson of a 
World War Il veteran, the son of a third-generation steelworker, and 
brother to a U.S. Marine, Joshua enlisted in the Army Reserve in August 
2001. Joshua served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2003 to April 
2004 as an operations noncommissioned officer and attained the rank of 
staff sergeant before receiving a direct commission to second 
lieutenant in 2007. As a logistician, Joshua has served in various 
leadership and broadening assignments throughout his Army career. 
During his congressional tenure, Joshua has been integral in shaping 
the priorities of the U.S. Army, and as a Defense fellow, he helped me 
secure several provisions in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense 
Authorization Act--FY22 NDAA--that will make our country stronger and 
safer. During his time in my office, Joshua led my staff in 
orchestrating important legislative provisions for the Department of 
Defense. He authored sections of NDAA language, including one of my top 
concerns regarding modifying special and incentive pay authorities for 
reserve component members--Incentive Pay Parity. His contributions--
both to office morale and to our collective work--are emblematic of his 
phenomenal character, competence, and strong work ethic.
  Joshua demonstrates a level of professionalism and hard work I have 
come to expect--but not take for granted--from the Department of 
Defense and U.S. Army soldiers. Indeed, he follows a long line of 
accomplished Department of Defense legislative fellows who have made 
impactful contributions to my office and U.S. national security policy. 
He distinguished himself as an Army officer, setting a high bar and 
providing invaluable advice and insights as he advised me on wide-
ranging and complex matters under consideration before the Senate Armed 
Services Committee. Joshua's servant leadership showed in his work as a 
congressional liaison for the U.S. Army Reserve. His attention to 
detail and ability to effectively communicate with Congress became 
apparent as he successfully advanced key Army Reserve legislative 
initiatives and priorities.
  Joshua will soon transition to his new duty assignment and attend 
Senior Service College at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. On 
behalf of my colleagues and the U.S. Congress, I thank Joshua for his 
dedicated service to my staff, the U.S. Army, and the Nation. Part of 
what makes the U.S. military the greatest in the history of the world 
is that servicemembers like Joshua dedicate their lives to service and 
sacrifice for this country. Lieutenant Colonel Koncar does not do it 
alone, so I also acknowledge the support of his family--his wife 
Melissa. I wish them all the best in what I know is a bright future.

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