[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 107 (Monday, June 23, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING DEPUTY CHIEF OF ARMY RESERVE, MAJOR GENERAL DEBORAH ``DEB'' 
         KOTULICH ON HER RETIREMENT FROM THE U.S. ARMY RESERVE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SUSIE LEE

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 2025

  Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
Deputy Chief of Army Reserve, Major General Deborah ``Deb'' Kotulich on 
her retirement from the U.S. Army Reserve.
  Major General Kotulich's 35-year career has been characterized by 
exceptionally meritorious service while serving in positions of 
increasing responsibility and culminating as the Deputy Chief of Army 
Reserve. A native of New Jersey and West Point graduate, Major General 
Kotulich's distinguished service has impacted the lives of countless 
soldiers and their families.
  And she has served in several key leadership roles throughout her 
remarkable career. She served as the Director of the Army Recruiting 
and Retention Task Force, where she successfully integrated and 
synchronized efforts across the Army Enterprise to address the 
recruiting crisis that impacted recruiting for several years. During 
the pandemic, she diligently served as the Director for Supply, 
Production, and Distribution for COVID-19 Vaccine and Therapeutics for 
the Countermeasures Acceleration Group (CAG), formerly known as 
Operation Warp Speed. There, she led a joint and interagency team that 
worked ``hand-in-glove'' with industry partners to deliver millions of 
life-saving doses and treatments to the American people and globally.
  In addition to the CAG, Major General Kotulich has served in several 
joint positions to include Chief of Staff at the United States 
Transportation Command and three different assignments at the Defense 
Logistics Agency.
  Her command tours include: The 143rd Sustainment Command 
(Expeditionary), Orlando, Florida; The 77th Sustainment Brigade, Joint 
Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; The 655th Regional Support 
Group, Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts; The 359th Transportation 
Battalion (Terminal), Fort Eustis, Virginia; and Headquarters Company, 
55th Materiel Management Center (Theater Sustainment Command), Fort 
Belvoir, Virginia.
  While in command of the 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), 
Major General Kotulich deployed her headquarters to Kuwait in support 
of Operations Freedom's Sentinel, Inherent Resolve, and Spartan Shield. 
During her tour, she was dual hatted as the Deputy Commanding General 
of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command and Commanding General of the 
143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). And was responsible for more 
than 10,000 Servicemembers, Civilians, and Contractors deployed 
throughout the Central Command Theater of Operation.
  Her other deployments were in 2007 to the CENTCOM Deployment 
Distribution Operations Center (CDDOC) at Camp Arifjan and Kuwait in 
support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. And in 2004 
to Balad, Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom II, where she served as an 
operational plans officer at the 13th Corps Support Command.
  I want to thank Major General Kotulich for her distinguished service, 
and her professionalism and passion for service in every role she has 
filled throughout her prestigious career. Part of what makes the U.S. 
military the greatest in the world is that servicemembers, like Major 
General Kotulich, voluntarily dedicate their lives to serve and 
sacrifice for this country.
  I also want to thank her wife, Penelope Smith, and two daughters, 
Rachel and Devan, for their unwavering support. I wish Major General 
Kotulich and her family all the best in what I hope to be a restful and 
enjoyable future.

                          ____________________