[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11892]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           CONGRATULATING MICHAEL J. MOCEK ON HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 9, 2008

  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate Mr. Michael J. 
Mocek on his upcoming retirement and thank him for his 37 years of 
Federal service to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State of 
Texas, and our Nation.
  Mike has a long and distinguished history with the Corps of 
Engineers. Most of his Corps service has been with the Fort Worth 
Engineer District, where he served the last 12 years as the senior 
civilian and as the deputy district engineer and the chief of the 
Programs and Project Management Division.
  Among his many significant accomplishments in Texas was the 
successful completion of Jim Chapman and Ray Roberts Lakes in the 
1980s. Mike's technical expertise and planning efforts on those 
projects provided those communities with vital flood protection and 
water supply. He also played an invaluable role in the successful 
approval of the Dallas Floodway Extension project, currently under 
construction, which will greatly improve the flood protection for that 
city.
  In recent years, Mike has been instrumental in getting Corps approval 
for one of my top priorities, the Central City Project in Fort Worth. 
This project will revitalize a portion of the downtown area and provide 
much needed recreation and park lands, ecosystem restoration, and 
future flood protection for our citizens. In addition, Mike has 
provided exceptional leadership for the Corps of Engineers in 
developing a partnership with the Texas Water Development Board to 
improve cooperation between the State and Federal government for water 
resource projects to meet the State's future water needs.
  Mike has also guided and overseen the management of one of the 
largest and most challenging military programs in the Corps, supporting 
flag ship installations such as Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, and Fort Sam 
Houston, as well as Lackland and Dyess Air Force Bases. His 
extraordinary leadership, dedication, and commitment led to the 
successful completion of many projects that have greatly improved the 
readiness of our forces and the quality of life for our soldiers, 
airmen and their families. He did all of this while concurrently 
serving in the Army Reserves, and retired at the rank of lieutenant 
colonel.
  In 2005, Mike was selected as the top civilian for the Corps of 
Engineers for achieving the highest overall standards of excellence and 
for his many significant contributions to the missions, prestige and 
reputation of the entire Corps. He was very deserving of this honor.
  He has mentored many senior military officers and continues to be 
sought out for his expertise, wise counsel, and advice. Though he 
received many offers for senior executive promotions throughout the 
years that would have taken him from Texas, Mike elected to remain in 
his home State where he felt his efforts would best serve his fellow 
Texans.
  In the Fort Worth community, Mike has been a well-known and trusted 
leader and public servant. Both he and his wife, Betty, have served 
their community well. As an ordained deacon at Holy Family Catholic 
Church, he provides counsel and spiritual guidance to those who seek 
it. Betty has taught elementary school students for many years and is 
currently teaching 4th grade at Tanglewood Elementary School in Fort 
Worth
  I am indeed honored to have worked with Mike over the last several 
years as a Member of Congress, and before that as mayor of Fort Worth. 
I appreciate Mike's long, dedicated, and faithful service to the Fort 
Worth community, the State of Texas and our Nation. I wish him all the 
best in his retirement.

                          ____________________