[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 77 (Thursday, May 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2831-S2832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO COLONEL KRISTIN A. BEITZ

  Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, today I rise to honor a great American and 
an exceptional member of the U.S. Air Force, Col. Kristin ``Norris'' 
Beitz.
  As deputy chief of the Department of the Air Force's Senate Liaison 
Division from June 2022 to July 2023, Colonel Beitz performed her 
duties well and without reservation, supporting the 117th and 118th 
U.S. Congresses. Hailing from Reno, NV, Colonel Beitz is a 
distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and has served in 
the Air Force for over 20 years, including 12 in our shared home State 
of Nevada. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated exceptional and 
unrivaled officership. Colonel Beitz is a command pilot with over 3,000 
hours of flight time in the A-10, MQ-1B, and MQ-9 aircraft. She is a 
graduate of the prestigious U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air 
Force Base, NV, where she also served as an instructor.
  Colonel Beitz distinguished herself through her professional 
character and dedication to serving our Nation in uniform, leading five 
action officers in the Senate Air Force Liaison Office. In this role, 
she advised Department of the Air Force senior leaders and helped 
develop strategic engagement opportunities to advance U.S. Air Force 
and U.S. Space Force priorities. Her leadership facilitated seamless 
collaboration on behalf of the Department of the Air Force across 62 
congressional offices, supporting over 30 delegations for 150 Senators, 
Representatives, and staffers to showcase Department equities in the 
United States and abroad. Most notably, under her leadership, she drove 
preconfirmation engagements for the second-ever Chief of Space 
Operations and worked with the Senate Space Force Caucus to coordinate 
three events critical to educating Members and their staff on the 
Department of Defense's newest service. Her efforts helped solidify the 
establishment of the U.S. Space Force and ensured the Department of the 
Air Force's support of the National Defense Strategy in its 
Reoptimization for Great Power Competition.
  Additionally, Colonel Beitz co-authored the Department of the Air 
Force's Distinguished Public Service Award for the then-retiring 
ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the late-Senator 
Jim

[[Page S2832]]

Inhofe, and served as a direct liaison for the joint military 
presentation ceremony as the Secretary of the Air Force honored Senator 
Inhofe's 56 years of public service. She led the congressional 
delegation to the Air Force's B-21 bomber unveiling and the bicameral 
2022 Reagan National Defense Forum. Colonel Beitz's significant efforts 
led to over 200 successful engagements between this governing body and 
senior Department of Defense officials, including the Secretary of the 
Air Force. All of these engagements helped Senators and their staffs 
understand defense equities and their impact on national security. Due 
to her direct involvement and stewardship, Members of Congress were 
able to make informed decisions and ensured the Department of the Air 
Force was properly resourced and funded. After serving in this crucial 
role and becoming a fixture on Capitol Hill, Colonel Beitz moved on to 
serve as the director of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Washington, DC, 
office.
  Colonel Beitz's contributions extend far beyond operational 
excellence. She played a pivotal role in working with my office on the 
unique challenges faced by remotely piloted aircraft crews, such as 
those at Nevada's Creech Air Force Base, where Colonel Beitz served for 
many years. Her insight and advocacy helped shape my National Defense 
Authorization Act priorities to address these gaps and oversights. 
Colonel Beitz's dedication to supporting those in uniform, even beyond 
her formal liaison duties, has been invaluable. She has continued to 
serve as a resource to my office on these and other issues.
  I would be remiss not to mention the personal connections Colonel 
Beitz has fostered during her time here. I have personally enjoyed 
meeting her parents and children at our constituent coffees--the Battle 
Born Breakfast--and her son outside of the Senate Chamber as he 
interviewed me for his elementary school project. Colonel Beitz's 
thoughtfulness and capacity to connect with others on a personal level 
while performing her duties at the highest echelon of professionalism 
is a true testament to her work ethic and care for those around her.
  Colonel Beitz and her husband, Col. Andy Beitz, who is also a command 
pilot and recently retired from the U.S. Air Force, have together flown 
over 6,000 hours as Air Force aviators and have instilled a legacy of 
service for their children Ezekiel and Eloise. They have sacrificed 
much as a family in service to our Nation. I am thankful for Col. 
Kristin Beitz's service in the Air Force, in the Senate, and with my 
office on issues of vital importance to the defense of the United 
States. I salute this American patriot whose selfless service has kept 
our country safe and strong. She is ``Battle Born.''

                          ____________________