[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E266-E267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PAYING TRIBUTE TO JOHN R. FORBES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 25, 2026

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. John Forbes as 
he departs service to this body to assume the role of Clerk for the 
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and 
Veterans Affairs. Over the course of his distinguished career spanning 
more than two decades, John has honorably served in the United States 
Air Force, the executive branch, and the legislative branch. As we mark 
the close of this chapter of John's service, I am pleased to honor his 
dedicated contributions as a professional staff member for the House 
Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense.
  John began his career as an enlisted airman in the Air Force in 
August 2000, a formative experience that grounded him in the practical 
realities of the men and women our defense budgets are meant to serve. 
Over the following decade, John rose through the ranks and earned his 
commission as an officer, accumulating experience across multiple Air 
Force installations. He completed his undergraduate degree in Political 
Science, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Troy University, and later 
earned a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership from Webster 
University.
  As his career progressed, John was selected as a Strategic Policy 
Fellow, serving at the Office of Management and Budget's National 
Security Division and the Defense Innovation Board in the Office of the 
Secretary of Defense. He commanded the 27th Special Operations 
Comptroller Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, during which 
time he established the first-ever Air Force Special Operations Command 
wing innovation cell, garnering Small Business Innovation Research 
contracts to accelerate the application of emerging technology to the 
wing's mission. For this and his broader service, he was recognized as 
both the United States Air Force Comptroller of the Year and the United 
States Special Operations Command Comptroller of the Year.
  John also served as a Politico-Military Planner for the Joint Staff's 
J-5 Strategy, Plans, and Policy Directorate, where he was the principal 
strategist and advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for 
twelve European allies and partners. Among many consequential 
assignments, he developed and coordinated the Chairman's foreign 
engagement plan in response to the threat of Russian incursion into 
Ukraine and Chinese influence in the region.
  In March 2022, John transitioned to Capitol Hill, where he served as 
a professional staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, 
Subcommittee on Defense, where he oversaw Research, Development, Test 
and Evaluation for the Army; Shipbuilding and Conversion for the Navy; 
and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
  John joined the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense in 
January 2023, where

[[Page E267]]

he had oversight responsibility of critical defense and intelligence 
community accounts, including Operation and Maintenance, the Central 
Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the United 
States Special Operations Command. John was essential in developing the 
first full-year continuing resolution for Defense in fiscal year 2025, 
as well as bringing the Subcommittee back to a resemblance of regular 
order in fiscal year 2026--both among the most challenging 
appropriations cycles in recent memory.
  As John begins a new chapter in the Senate, I would be remiss if I 
did not reflect on the tremendous contribution he has made to the House 
Appropriations Committee and to our national security. John brings to 
every task an exceptional breadth of experience--the perspective of an 
enlisted airman, a commander, a strategist, a budget officer, and a 
legislative professional. His depth of knowledge, his professionalism, 
and his abiding commitment to the men and women of our armed forces 
have made him an invaluable member of the defense appropriations staff. 
I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending John Forbes 
for his extraordinary service to our country, and I wish him every 
success in his important new role.

                          ____________________