[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E560-E561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     WELCOMING CAPTAIN GLOVER HOME

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. NORMA J. TORRES

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 10, 2026

  Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain 
Glover, and to welcome him back home as he returns to his alma mater, 
Ontario High School in Ontario, California.
  Born and raised in my hometown, Pomona, California, Captain Glover 
received his high school diploma from Ontario High School in 1994. His 
peers knew him as a ``born leader'' and a hard worker who, even then, 
spoke about his aspirations of becoming an astronaut. He went on to 
earn his Bachelor of Science in General Engineering from California 
Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo as a dual-sport 
collegiate athlete who competed in both football and wrestling.
  Captain Glover's remarkable career started long before joining NASA. 
After college, Victor was commissioned in the United States Navy. He 
soon began preflight training in Pensacola, Florida. And on December 
14, 2001, he completed advanced flight training in Kingsville, Texas, 
earning his wings of gold. Throughout the early 2000s, he reported to 
several squadrons, including the Marine Fleet Replacement Squadron in 
Miramar, California, and the Blue Blasters of Strike Fighter Squadron 
in Oceana,

[[Page E561]]

Virginia. With the Blue Blasters, Captain Glover supported Operation 
Iraqi Freedom by completing the final deployment of the USS John F. 
Kennedy (CV-67). While deployed, he embarked on earning a Master of 
Science in Systems Engineering via NPS in Monterey, California.
  Captain Glover went on to earn multiple master's degrees from various 
institutions: a Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering (USAF 
TPS), Air University, at Edwards Force Base in California, in 2007, a 
Master of Science in Systems Engineering (PD-21), Naval Postgraduate 
School, in 2009, and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science, 
Air University in Montgomery, Alabama, in 2010.
  In 2009, he moved to Alabama to serve at the Air Command and Staff 
College at Maxwell Air Force Base, before reporting to the Dambusters 
of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-195 in Atsugi, Japan as a Department 
Head. With the Dambusters, Glover was deployed on three separate 
missions to varying locations throughout the Pacific.
  Captain Glover is also no stranger to working with Congress; in 2012, 
he was selected for a Legislative Fellowship on Capitol Hill. While 
working in Washington, D.C., he earned a Certificate in Legislative 
Studies from Georgetown University. It was during his fellowship that 
news broke that he was selected as an astronaut candidate.
  In 2013, Captain Glover was selected to be part of the 21st NASA 
astronaut class, a class of only eight members. In 2015, after 
concluding Astronaut Candidate Training, he served as a space station 
capsule communicator (CapCom), Expedition 52 Increment Lead Crewmember, 
Operations Officer, and Family Escort for several Soyuz and Crew Dragon 
launches.
  Captain Glover was assigned his first spaceflight mission in 2018 as 
Crew-1 Pilot. The flight launched on November 16, 2020, and headed to 
the International Space Station (ISS), where he spent 168 days in space 
before returning to Earth on May 2, 2021. During his time at the ISS, 
he completed 4 spacewalks, contributed to several scientific research 
experiments, assisted with maintenance, and conducted outreach 
activities. This was an unforgettable experience for not only Captain 
Glover, but also for many students in the Inland Empire who were able 
to engage with him and a fellow astronaut in a live town hall while 
they were at the ISS.
  In 2023, Captain Glover was assigned to his most recent mission, 
Artemis II. As Pilot, he launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 
2026, on a Space Launch System rocket alongside Reid Wiseman, Christina 
Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. During the mission, he guided the rocket for 
nearly ten days, completing a historic lunar flyby, demonstrating 
humanity's return to the Moon's vicinity for the first time in more 
than five decades. The crew of Artemis II splashed down off the coast 
of San Diego on April 10, 2026, after venturing 252,756 miles from 
Earth.
  It comes as no surprise that Captain Glover's accomplishments are 
truly stellar, as reflected by his many awards and honors. His awards 
date back to his youth, including his time at Ontario High School, 
where he was named the high school's 1994 athlete of the year. Since 
then, he has received many other honors, including the Defense Superior 
Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps 
Achievement Medals, NASA Distinguished Medal and NASA Space Exploration 
Medal, 2023 TIME 100 Next, Jet Magazine's inaugural 40 under 40, and 
Honorary Doctorates of Science from Howard University (2024) and 
California Polytechnic State University (2025).
  Beyond his remarkable professional career, he is blessed with a 
loving family. In 2002, he married Dianna Odom, a Berkeley native, with 
whom he has four daughters: Genesis, Maya, Joia, and Corinne. His 
mother still resides in southern California, and his father and 
stepmother live in Prosper, Texas.
  Captain Glover is a remarkable success story from California's 35th 
Congressional District. He is a testament that kids across the Inland 
Empire can dream big and that no goal is beyond reach. In honor of his 
return to his alma mater, Ontario High School, on June 12, 2026, it is 
my privilege to celebrate Captain Glover. His impact on our Nation, 
globe, and beyond is out of this world.

                          ____________________