[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13319]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDWARD M. FORTUNATO

 Mr. LIEBERMAN. Madam President, I wish to publicly commend and 
congratulate LTC Edward M. Fortunato, U.S. Army, upon his retirement 
after 20 years of military service. I have come to know and respect 
Lieutenant Colonel Fortunato over the past 3 years, during which time 
he served as the congressional liaison for all Army aviation programs. 
In this capacity, Lieutenant Colonel Fortunato was instrumental in 
improving the understanding of Senators and staff concerning a myriad 
of Army aviation issues, in particular the reinvestment of Comanche 
helicopter funding to restructure Army aviation for the 21st century, 
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Army transformation. He was 
instrumental in the successful authorization and appropriation of the 
light utility helicopter, armed-reconnaissance helicopter, joint cargo 
aircraft, Chinook multiyear, Apache, Black Hawk multiyear and numerous 
unmanned aerial vehicle and aviation R&D projects.
  Lieutenant Colonel Fortunato escorted numerous congressional 
delegations to over 20 countries, including 3 to Iraq and Afghanistan. 
I myself was privileged to have him as an escort at my specific request 
for my own visits abroad and in larger delegations. He worked 
tirelessly to ensure my visits were coordinated with all the relevant 
agencies, military leaders, heads of state and government officials so 
I could focus on the issues that were critical to my service as the 
chairman of the Senate Armed Services Air Land Subcommittee. I am 
extremely grateful for the support, friendship and perspective Ed 
provided me and my staff.
  Lieutenant Colonel Fortunato's congressional assignment was the 
capstone to an outstanding career of service to our Nation. He served 
as an aviation officer in numerous command and staff positions. His 
operational assignments began in the famous 101st Airborne Division, 
AASLT, during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm with further 
assignments as part of JTF-Bravo in Honduras, 2nd Infantry Division in 
Korea and the 25th Infantry Division, L, in Hawaii. Lieutenant Colonel 
Fortunato then served in a number of program and acquisition positions 
to include program manager for the Army Special Operations Aviation 
Regiment MH-60 Black Hawk fleet and various high level assignments 
within the Army Secretariat.
  Lieutenant Colonel Fortunato holds an MBA from George Washington 
University and a bachelor's of science in business and marketing from 
George Mason University. His military awards include the Legion of 
Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, 
Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, the Army 
Aviation Association's Order of St. Michael, and he is a Senior Army 
Aviator with over 1,100 hours.
  Son of a soldier, Lieutenant Colonel Fortunato is married to the 
former Monique Childress of Roanoke, VA. They have two children, 
Isabella, 13, and Edward, 11. I congratulate them on their husband and 
father's retirement from the Army. The demands of military life are 
such that military families also sacrifice and serve the Nation along 
with their soldier, and I thank Monique, Isabella and Ed for their 
service.
  The Army, the Senate, and the Nation are fortunate to have had the 
service of such a great officer as LTC Ed Fortunato. I wish him 
Godspeed.

                          ____________________