[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12834]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           PAYING TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL R. WYN ELDER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 27, 2006

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lieutenant Colonel R. 
Wyn Elder as he assumes command of the 4th Airlift Squadron based out 
of McChord Air Force Base.
  Lieutenant Colonel Elder graduated from the University of Virginia in 
1990 and soon thereafter began a distinguished military career. After 
completing the Aircraft Maintenance & Munitions Officer Course as a 
Distinguished Graduate, he was assigned to Nellis AFB in Nevada. He 
served in several different capacities at the squadron and group 
levels, including Officer-in-Charge, and Munitions Flight and Assistant 
Officer-in-Charge of the F-16 and A-10 Aircraft Maintenance Units 
belonging to the United States Air Force Fighter Weapons School, 422d 
Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron. In April 1994, Lieutenant 
Colonel Elder was selected for Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance 
AFB. After completing his training as a Distinguished Graduate, he 
served as the Executive Officer, 17th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, 
South Carolina. During this period, Lieutenant Colonel Elder commanded 
missions as part of Operations Allied Force, Southern Watch, Joint 
Guardian and Joint Endeavor. Thereafter, Lieutenant Colonel Elder spent 
two years attached to the White House Military Office as a Presidential 
Advance Agent. In this capacity, he served as the point man for Air 
Force One flights throughout the world, including the first U.S. 
presidential trip to Slovenia. Most recently, Lieutenant Colonel Elder 
was selected for admission to the School of Advanced Air and Space 
Studies (SAASS). He graduated from SAASS in June of 2004 and was 
assigned to the position of Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. 
Joint Forces Command, in Norfolk, Virginia. Lieutenant Colonel Elder is 
a senior pilot with over 2200 hours of flight time in the T-38, C-17, 
and T-1 aircraft.
  In addition to his varied professional and academic experiences, 
Lieutenant Colonel Elder has earned numerous accolades, including: the 
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the 
Joint Service Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, 
the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Kosovo Campaign Medal.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Lieutenant Colonel R. Wyn Elder. I 
thank him for his years of exemplary service and congratulate him on 
his new command. I wish him the best in this new endeavor.

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