[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 30 (Thursday, February 12, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S606-S607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO COLONEL MATTHEW J. JEMMOTT

  Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I submit this statement for the Record to 
recognize an extraordinary leader, patriot, and servant of our Nation, 
COL Matthew J. Jemmott, U.S. Army, on the occasion of his retirement 
following an exceptional 30-year career in service to our country. 
Colonel Jemmott's distinguished career is a testament to his 
resilience, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the ideals of 
military service.
  A native of Pittsburgh, PA, and raised in New York and Pennsylvania, 
Colonel Jemmott began his military journey as an infantryman in the

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Pennsylvania National Guard. In 1999, he graduated as a Distinguished 
Military Graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, earning a 
bachelor's degree in political science and criminal justice, and was 
commissioned as a military police officer. Throughout his career, 
Colonel Jemmott served in leadership positions ranging from platoon 
leader to Joint Task Force commander. His assignments took him across 
the globe, including Fort Bragg, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Italy, 
Germany, and Cuba. He deployed to Kosovo and Iraq and served two tours 
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including as the Commander of Joint Task 
Force-Guantanamo, leading over 1,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and 
coastguardsmen. Colonel Jemmott's expertise extended beyond tactical 
operations to the critical realm of congressional affairs. Selected for 
the Army's Congressional Fellowship Program, he served in the Senate 
for 15 months, addressing issues such as defense, veterans' affairs, 
foreign policy, and appropriations. He later served as an Army 
legislative liaison, managing portfolios that included soldier 
equipping and wheeled tactical vehicles.
  In his final military assignment, Colonel Jemmott served as the 
legislative assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 
director of legislative affairs for the Joint Staff. In this role, he 
operated at the nexus of military strategy and legislative policy, 
providing critical guidance that shaped national defense priorities and 
strengthened civil-military relations. His strategic foresight and 
diplomatic acumen were instrumental in securing congressional support 
for key defense initiatives, budgets, and policy reforms.

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