[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 100 (Thursday, June 13, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E630-E631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOHN P. SULLIVAN, 37 YEARS OF ACTIVE 
                     DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ADAM SMITH

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 13, 2024

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and distinct 
pleasure to offer a few words in recognition of the impending 
retirement of Lieutenant General John P. Sullivan, a fellow graduate of 
Fordham University, after 37 years of faithful and dedicated service to 
our Nation. Lieutenant General Sullivan, most recently the 17th Deputy 
Commander of the United States Transportation Command, will officially 
retire from active duty in the United States Army on 1 September 2024.
  A native son of Massachusetts, and a decorated combat veteran who 
served and led our Nation's finest in combat during Operations Desert 
Shield, Desert Storm, Joint Forge, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, 
General Sullivan epitomizes the consummate soldier, servant leader, and 
advocate for our servicemembers and their families. Over the course of 
his exceptional career, he has successfully led at the tactical, 
operational, and strategic level to defend this Nation, decisively win 
our battles, and advance our most critical national objectives. Whether 
at the head of the 548th Corps Support Battalion and the 595th 
Transportation Brigade, as the 27th Chief of Transportation and 
Commandant of the U.S. Army Transportation School, as the Commander of 
the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command stationed in the Republic of 
Korea, as the Commander of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command 
stationed in the United States Central Command theater, or as the 
Deputy Commander of U.S. Transportation Command, General Sullivan 
unquestionably exemplified the best the Army has to offer in its 
officer corps.
  While at U.S. Transportation Command, General Sullivan personally 
endeavored to inform this Congress of the readiness of strategic 
mobility forces critical to deploying, maneuvering, sustaining, and 
redeploying the most capable military in our Nation's history. More 
importantly, he ensured that the Joint Staff, Department of Defense, 
and this Congress were aligned in understanding the criticality of 
recapitalizing our aging strategic sealift fleets, aerial refueling 
assets, and strategic airlift fleets to sustain our competitive 
advantage over potential near-peer adversaries in global power 
projection. In close partnership with the National Defense 
Transportation Association, General Sullivan worked diligently to 
enhance our national emergency preparedness programs so that the 
Defense Transportation System remained ready and responsive to emergent 
national security needs. We all witnessed the power of these essential 
relationships and capabilities in 2021, when U.S. Transportation 
Command helped execute the largest noncombatant evacuation operation in 
history, Operation Allies Refuge, relocating over 124,000 refugees over 
a 14-day period.
  In his address to Congress in 1951, General Douglas MacArthur noted 
that ``old soldiers never die--they just fade away.'' Mr. Speaker, I 
could not in good conscience let Lieutenant General John P. Sullivan 
simply fade away

[[Page E631]]

without recognizing his sustained loyalty, duty, respect, selfless 
service, honor, integrity, and personal courage over 37 years of 
devoted service to this great Nation. I wish him and his family well in 
retirement.

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