[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 94 (Monday, June 3, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3927]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO COLONEL DENNIS WILLE

  Mr. BENNET. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to COL 
Dennis Wille, a devoted and accomplished member of the U.S. Army, who 
has dedicated nearly 29 years of exceptional service to our Nation. 
Colonel Wille is completing over 4 years of service on the U.S. Space 
Command staff, where he has served in the Pentagon as both the chief of 
the Washington Liaison Office and the chief of legislative affairs.
  Colonel Wille's career began as an armor officer in 1995, serving in 
armored cavalry units at Fort Carson, CO, and Fort Stewart, GA. In 
2005, he transitioned into the U.S. Army's cadre of space 
professionals, taking on roles as a space operations staff officer at 
various locations, including Fort Hood, TX; Fort Leavenworth, KS; 
Peterson Air Force Base, CO; and Wiesbaden, Germany.
  Throughout his career, Colonel Wille demonstrated remarkable 
leadership and dedication, participating in deployments to Bosnia, 
Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In Iraq, he served as a space operations 
staff officer for the Multi-National Division--Baghdad, integrating 
space and technical capabilities into counterinsurgency operations. His 
yearlong tour in Afghanistan at ISAF Joint Command focused on 
integrating nonmilitary applications into NATO's combat operations.
  During his 2 years as the Army's senior space officer at U.S. Army 
Europe, Colonel Wille's expertise extended to supervising the 
integration of space, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities into 
NATO and joint land operations and exercises. Notably, he also served 
as a military fellow at New America, a D.C.-based think tank, through 
the Chief of Staff of the Army's Senior Fellowship Program.
  A lifelong learner, Colonel Wille earned several advanced degrees, 
including a master of science in space systems operations from the 
Naval Postgraduate School in 2006, a master of military art and science 
from the School for Advanced Military Studies in 2012, and an 
additional MMAS from the U.S. Army War College in 2016.
  We extend our heartfelt appreciation to COL Dennis Wille for his 
exceptional service and unwavering dedication to our Nation's security. 
His remarkable career and leadership in space operations have 
significantly contributed to our defense and global security efforts. 
We commend him for his achievements and wish him continued success in 
all his future endeavors.
  COL Dennis Wille's outstanding contributions and unwavering 
commitment have left an indelible mark on the U.S. Army and our Nation. 
His dedication to duty serves as an inspiration to all who follow in 
his footsteps. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing him a happy 
retirement as we celebrate his legacy of selfless service to the 
Nation.

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