[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20734]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         COLONEL JOHN SCHORSCH

 Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I rise today to express my 
appreciation for the outstanding service of Colonel John Schorsch, or 
``Rusty'' as we all call him.
  Liaison chiefs are chosen because of their expertise, their ability 
to manage personnel in a pressure-packed environment, and their 
discernment in making tough decisions in difficult situations. They 
generally have a well-rounded education, significant command 
experience, and a long track record of effectiveness. Simply put, 
service liaison chiefs are the best of the best.
  Colonel Schorsch is certainly one of the best. He is graduate of the 
United States Military Academy and the U.S. Naval War College. He has 
been a platoon commander, a company commander, a battalion commander, 
and a brigade commander. Colonel Schorsch has served as an aide-de-camp 
and as the joint staff action officer and planner. Perhaps more 
importantly, Rusty served as the Army aide to two Presidents: President 
Bush and President Clinton.
  I have traveled with Rusty many times and have greatly enjoyed the 
opportunity to get to know him. He is engaging, outgoing, and 
disarming. His stories about life in the Army often take on epic 
proportions and can make the most dour individual break into a grin.
  Yet what separates Colonel Schorsch from most is his character. He is 
completely unflappable. He is undaunted by challenges. He is relentless 
in pursuit of a goal and absolutely determined to complete an assigned 
task. To Rusty, no detail is too small, no assignment too menial, and 
no task too trivial.
  When things become difficult, Rusty remains undeterred. He does not 
give in. He does not cave. Indeed, whenever he has encountered 
seemingly unsurmountable problems, Rusty's philosophy has always been 
to step it up, and hold nothing back.
  I have watched him time and time again tackle with the equal 
efficiency the largest of problems and the smallest of details. I have 
seen him persevere and overcome obstacles. And, during these 
challenges, he does not complain; and he does not flinch; he does not 
give in.
  The Army has been fortunate to have a soldier like Rusty as its 
liaison chief here in the Senate. He has demonstrated to me and to many 
other Members the caliber and quality of Army officers. I know I speak 
for many of my fellow Members in expressing our disappointment in his 
departure. Yet I know that the Army has many good things planned for 
Rusty and that our country will benefit from his experience elsewhere.
  With this in mind, I sincerely appreciate Colonel Schorsch's service 
to me and the rest of the Senate. I wish him the best in the future. He 
will surely be missed.

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