[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15860]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARD E. NICHOLS, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. SAM GRAVES

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 25, 2006

  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize LTC Richard E. 
Nichols, Jr. The Lieutenant Colonel is retiring from the United States 
Army after 24 years of distinguished service.
  Lieutenant Colonel Nichols spent his early years growing up in the 
heartland of Kansas and Missouri. While attending Missouri Western 
State College in St. Joseph, Missouri, he made the decision to serve 
his country in the United States Army and was commissioned a Second 
Lieutenant in the Field Artillery in 1982. Upon graduating from 
Missouri Western State College in 1983 with a bachelor of science 
degree in business administration, Lieutenant Colonel Nichols served in 
the Kansas Army National Guard as the Reconnaissance and Survey Platoon 
Leader for the 2nd/130th Field Artillery Battalion in Hiawatha, Kansas.
  Lieutenant Colonel Nichols went on to serve in various posts over the 
next 24 years. During his service he was assigned to C Battery, 1/76th 
Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division, in Bamberg, Germany, and as the 
commander of B Battery, 6th Field Artillery, which deployed in support 
of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm from 1989 to 1991. In these 
roles and under various posts in Kansas, Alabama, and Virginia, 
Lieutenant Colonel Nichols has earned numerous awards and decorations. 
Among these awards are the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf 
Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, 
Army Superior Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal with 
service star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces 
Reserve Medal, the Saudi Arabia Liberation of Kuwait Service Medal, the 
Emirate of Kuwait Liberation of Kuwait Service Medal, and the Overseas 
Service Ribbon.
  Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing LTC Richard 
E. Nichols, Jr., an outstanding leader in the United States Army. His 
years of service and dedication in protecting the freedom of the United 
States has been an inspiration to many. I commend him for his many 
years of service and I am honored to represent him and his family in 
the United States Congress.

                          ____________________