[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   RETIREMENT OF GENERAL RICHARD CODY

 Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, after 36 years of service to our 
Nation, GEN Dick Cody will conclude his military career on August 1. I 
salute his leadership and honor his lovely wife Vicki, for her 
invaluable support of her husband and our soldiers.
  Dick Cody began his service more than 40 years ago, leaving his 
family's car dealership in Vermont and reporting to West Point.
  He has served our Nation on battlefields and bases around the world, 
commanding our soldiers, including the famed Screaming Eagles of our 
101st Airborne Division.
  General Cody's service as operations officer and later vice chief of 
staff, reminds me of GEN George C. Marshall's service as our Army's 
Chief of Staff during World War II. Marshall noted that before the war, 
he had ``time'' to prepare the Army, but ``no money.''
  After France fell to the Nazis, Marshall said he had ``money, but no 
time.'' Dick Cody faced similar circumstances and deserves our 
gratitude for preparing our soldiers to fight the war against 
terrorism.
  Our Army entered this war with significant equipment shortages. Our 
forces were organized to fight the Cold War rather than the vastly 
different global war on terror.
  Since September 11, 2001, with funds provided by Congress, Cody has 
directed the fielding of 94 new Army equipment programs worth over $100 
billion. He orchestrated the Army's largest restationing and 
construction program in 70 years. He directed the most sweeping 
transformation of our Army since the dawn of mechanized warfare.
  He oversaw the conversion of our Reserve components to a critical 
part of our operational forces, and supervised the addition of 65,000 
new soldiers to our forces. He has also been instrumental in ensuring 
our wounded soldiers receive the treatment and care which they deserve.
  Vicki Cody supported her husband, and his soldiers, throughout their 
33 years of marriage. She cared for our military families during 
training missions and deployments, often while her own husband was 
serving far from his family.
  Dick and Vicki raised two sons, Clint and Tyler, both U.S. Army 
captains, with six combat deployments between them. When young Dick 
Cody left Vermont, and Cody Chevrolet, he truly started a new ``family 
business.''
  Our Nation is grateful for his leadership, and we wish him and Vicki 
all the best as they begin a new chapter of their lives.

                          ____________________