[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 118 (Monday, July 20, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E708-E709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOHN P. HEALY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. AUGUST PFLUGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 20, 2026

  Mr. PFLUGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable 
Airman and leader, Lieutenant General John P. Healy, on the occasion of 
his retirement as the Chief of Air

[[Page E709]]

Force Reserve and Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, after more than 
three decades of distinguished service.
  A native son of Connecticut, General Healy graduated from Windsor 
High School in 1985 and attended the University of Connecticut (UConn), 
earning his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 
1989. General Healy then embarked on a career that would see him become 
a command pilot with more than 5,000 flight hours, including 402 combat 
hours operating in hostile airspace over Iraq and Afghanistan. An ``Air 
Mobility Warrior,'' his journey took him from the C-141 Starlifter at 
then-McGuire Air Force Base, to the initial cadre of the C-17 
Globemaster III program at then-Charleston Air Force Base, and 
ultimately to the C-5 Galaxy at Westover Air Reserve Base. A true 
Citizen Airman, General Healy also served as a Captain with U.S. 
Airways from 1999 to 2002, commanding the Boeing 737, and continues to 
serve as an Airbus A320 Captain with JetBlue.
  Throughout his career, General Healy has commanded at all echelons, 
demonstrating exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to the 
Airmen under his command. Joining him on this journey and making it all 
possible is his wife of 34 years and fellow UConn Husky, Cathy. The 
Healy's have two daughters, Shannon and Paige, born in 1996 in 
Charleston, South Carolina, and in 1998 in Altus, Oklahoma, 
respectively. It was while they were in South Carolina and Oklahoma 
that General Healy was actively training future generations of C-17 
pilots as an Instructor Pilot and the Chief of Standardization and 
Evaluation. General Healy then progressed from critical squadron and 
wing assignments to key command and joint assignments, including the 
Director of Exercises and Assessments for U.S. European Command and 
then the Commander of the Twenty-Second Air Force, culminating in his 
current position where he is a steadfast advocate for more than 67,000 
Reserve Citizen Airmen worldwide.
  General Healy's tenure as Chief of Air Force Reserve has been marked 
by his clear vision of a force that is ``Ready Now and Transforming for 
the Future.'' He has championed the modernization of the Air Force 
Reserve, ensuring that it remains an efficient, experienced, 
accessible, and lethal force prepared to meet the challenges of the 
twenty-first century. Having personally experienced the challenges of 
balancing civilian-sector expertise with military excellence, General 
Healy is a tireless promoter for the well-being of Reserve Citizen 
Airmen and their families, recognizing that they are the foundation of 
the Reserve Advantage and the key to the Air Force's continued success.
  General Healy's leadership has been instrumental in shaping the Air 
Force Reserve into the formidable force it is today. His dedication to 
our Nation, his commitment to the men and women of the Air Force, and 
his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on the service.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I extend my deepest 
thanks to Lieutenant General John P. Healy for his extraordinary 
service to his family, his airmen, and this country. I wish him, his 
wife Cathy, and their daughters, Shannon and Paige, all the best in his 
well-deserved retirement.

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