[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16542]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN HONOR OF COLONEL RICK RIERA, ``SEEKER AND DEFENDER OF FREEDOM''

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 28, 2006

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great 
soldier and a great American, Colonel Rick R. Riera, who is giving up 
command next week at Fort Benning, GA, the ``Home of the Infantry.''
  Colonel Riera was born on June 4, 1959 in Matanzas, Cuba. At the 
tender age of nine years old, he and his family fled the Communist 
government and were granted political asylum in this country. They were 
flown via a Liberty Flight to Miami, Florida, where Colonel Riera grew 
up.
  Riera was admitted to the United States Military Academy and in 1981 
graduated and reported for training at Fort Benning. After his initial 
training, he was assigned as a Rifle and Scout Platoon Leader on the 
Demilitarized Zone in Korea.
  During his career, Colonel Riera has served in six Infantry Regiments 
(8th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, 30th, and 75th) and four Infantry Divisions 
(2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 24th). His service highlights have included 
assignments as a Ranger Rifle Platoon Leader during the invasion of 
Grenada, command of two mechanized Infantry companies in Germany during 
the Cold War, and command of the Infantry's first M2A3 Bradley 
Battalion during the Division Capstone Exercise.
  Staff experience consists of duty as a Battalion S-3, Battalion XO, 
Brigade S-4, Brigade S-3, and Brigade XO with the Sledgehammer Brigade 
on Kelley Hill. Colonel Riera also served as the Chief of Crew Training 
for U.S. Army Europe's New Equipment Training Team during the fielding 
of Bradleys to the 3rd AD and 2nd ACR. Additionally, he was the first 
Chief of the Bradley Crew Evaluator Training Team for standardized 
gunnery at Grafenwoehr.
  Joint experience consists of service with J-3 Southern Command in 
Panama and the Andean Ridge as a counterdrug operations officer at the 
height of the Drug War against the Medellin and Cali Cartels. Colonel 
Riera later served as the Army Special Assistant to the Commander in 
Chief of U.S. Southern Command following its move to Miami, Florida.
  In addition to completing Infantry courses here at Fort Benning, he 
is a graduate of the Regional Studies Course at the J.F.K. Special 
Warfare Center, the Command and General Staff Course at the U.S. Army 
School of the Americas, and the Inter-American Defense College. His 
awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Combat 
Infantryman's Badge, Expert Infantryman's Badge, and Valorous Unit 
Award.
  Colonel Riera is married to the former Rosario Moreno of San Juan, 
Puerto Rico. They have two children, Rebeca and Ricky.
  Mr. Speaker, Colonel Riera is stepping down as the garrison commander 
at Fort Benning next week, and I stand here to honor him today for his 
years of service to this Nation. He escaped tyranny in his native land 
and, with his family, sought freedom and opportunity in America. He 
found his freedom and is now dedicating every day of his life to 
protecting it for his children and for each and every one of us. I 
thank him for his service, particularly his leadership at Fort Benning, 
and wish him luck in his future assignment at Fort Sam Houston as 
Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, U.S. Army, South.

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