[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Pages 25546-25547]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RETIREMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO SECRETARY OF THE ARMY

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise to commend J.B. Hudson, who is 
retiring after 42 outstanding years of Federal service to the United 
States Army.
  In 1962, Mr. Hudson began his Government career at Fort Eustis, VA, 
as a management analyst with the Office of the Assistant Chief of 
Staff, Comptroller. While pursuing his civilian career, Mr. Hudson also 
served as an Army reservist, 1963-1969, and continued his post graduate 
education earning a masters of personnel administration from George 
Washington University, 1969. In 1966, he accepted a position at Fort 
Monroe, VA, where he served as a management analyst with the Office of 
the Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller; and later, as chief, Management 
Improvement Branch, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Resource 
Management from 1973-1975.
  Since 1975, Mr. Hudson has been with the Office of the Administrative 
Assistant to the Secretary of the Army serving in a number of senior 
leadership positions, including deputy director and director, studies 
and analyses staff, 1975-1977; director, plans and projects, 1977-1979, 
director, policy and plans/safety, security and support services--
Washington, 1979-1995, and deputy administrative assistant, 1995-1996. 
In over 42 years of Government service, Mr. Hudson has received 
numerous honors and awards, including the Meritorious Civilian Service 
Award and the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service.
  Mr. Hudson is an extraordinary leader who recognizes that people are 
his most important resource. He epitomizes leadership by example, 
perpetuating a work environment in which harmony, resilience, and 
productivity reign. In the days following the terrorist attack on the 
Pentagon, he faced his toughest leadership challenge. Not only did he 
have to deal with the tragic loss of 40 staff members and the injury of 
many more, he also had to lead the effort of restoring calm and 
productivity to the agency, the Army, and the Pentagon, minimizing any 
disruption of support to the Army and OSD.
  As the overseer of the Defense Post Office, Mr. Hudson faced the 
possibility of receiving mail contaminated with chemical or biological 
agents since the Pentagon's mail is processed through the same facility 
where two United States Postal Service workers died from exposure of 
mail contaminated with anthrax spores. Working in collaboration with 
Defense Department and White House officials, Mr. Hudson quickly 
assessed the threat and developed courses of defense.
  His reputation for initiating leading-edge business practices is 
widely recognized. His vision, adaptability, and passion for customer 
success have enabled him to gain recognition for the Office of the 
Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army as a preferred 
support provider throughout Headquarters, Department of the Army, and 
Defense Department activities within the Pentagon and the National 
Capital Area.
  Mr. Hudson has been a focused and competent defender of the Army's 
limited resources and is absolutely committed to achieving operational 
excellence. In more recent years, he consistently used his keen 
business acumen, technical expertise, political savvy, and 
resourcefulness to proficiently position the agency for the best 
business results.
  Mr. Hudson is a superior advisor, astute negotiator, and superb 
administrator who can operate comfortably in all environments. His 
ability to bring divergent parties together and forge a common vision 
to achieve desired outcomes is renowned. His mastery of unique Defense 
Department and National Capitol Region relationships has enabled him to 
consistently produce quality results, even on the most contentious and 
complex issues. Perhaps the best examples of Mr. Hudson's ability to 
build coalitions and achieve results for the Army and the Department of 
Defense are evident in his management of the Army's executive aircraft 
fleet and his championing of the Pentagon Athletic Facility. In the 
first initiative, Mr. Hudson worked with Defense Department and 
Congressional representatives to acquire two state-of-the-art executive 
airplanes. As the overseer of the Pentagon's 55-year old athletic 
center, Mr. Hudson realized that the aging infrastructure of the 
current facility and the growing demand for fitness facilities in 
support of the Army's readiness mission required quick action. Once 
again, he negotiated prime real estate at the Pentagon for the 
construction of a new facility and fought for and won funding for the 
$19 million project that offers a state-of-the-art facility comparable 
to well-known commercial fitness facilities.
  Mr. Hudson's distinctive accomplishments, selflessness, dedication, 
commitment to excellence, and willingness to ``go the extra mile'' in 
supporting the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense and 
Joint Service activities in the Pentagon truly set a

[[Page 25547]]

standard of excellence for others to follow. Mr. Hudson's distinctive 
accomplishments and selfless service in support of the Defense of our 
great nation truly set a standard of excellence worthy of emulation. I 
thank him on behalf of a grateful Nation and wish him well in his 
retirement.

                          ____________________