[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 25055-25056]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          THANKING COLONEL GENE BLADE FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. AARON SCHOCK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 15, 2009

  Mr. SCHOCK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor COL Gene Blade, a 
great American who is retiring today after 55 years of service to his 
country and community.
  Colonel Blade started his 40-year military career in 1954, when he 
joined the Illinois National Guard in Monmouth, Illinois. His first job 
in the Army was as a radio operator and Jeep driver for the Battery 
Commander. As his military career advanced, Colonel Blade served in 
numerous other positions, including Fire Support Officer and eventually 
Battery Commander. In fact, Colonel Blade held every key staff position 
in the infantry and artillery battalions, including Infantry Battalion 
Commander of the 1st Regiment, 123rd Infantry Battalion.
  Colonel Blade continued to perform his duties even when no one 
expected him to do so. In one specific instance, Gene was hospitalized 
with pneumonia, but a group of top military personnel were scheduled to 
visit his post to view a demonstration of a nuclear spotter round. The 
weapons used for this exercise required very specific calculations, and 
Gene's expertise was needed for the test. Even with pneumonia, Colonel 
Blade decided to take part in the test and was transported via 
ambulance to the testing area so he could commence the demonstration. 
The event occurred without any problems, in fact, it was performed 
quicker than any previous test. After the demonstration, Gene was 
transported via ambulance back to the hospital. Gene's commitment to 
the Army was so evident, that the Army Chief of Staff personally 
thanked him for going above and beyond the call of duty.
  After serving 40 years in the Army, Colonel Blade retired as a United 
States Property and Fiscal Officer for the Illinois National Guard and 
joined Hanson Professional Services Inc. as a special consultant, 
working with Department of Defense clients. Even in the private sector, 
Gene continued to serve his country. Using his skills and knowledge, he 
provided consulting services for 15 years and worked on several notable 
projects for the Illinois, Indiana, Florida, and Missouri National 
Guards.
  Additionally, Colonel Blade has served on the U.S. Department of 
Defense's Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) for military 
bases in Illinois, and he continues to serve on the Governor's post-
BRAC commission for future economic development efforts. He is also an 
active member and an employer outreach representative for the Employer 
Support of the Guard and Reserve program.

[[Page 25056]]

  Throughout his life and career, Gene's dedication and achievements 
have made a positive impact on the U.S. military, the State of 
Illinois, and our great Nation. Today, at 75 years of age, Colonel 
Blade will celebrate his retirement from Hanson. I'm told he looks 
forward to spending time golfing, traveling, woodworking, and also 
writing a book of his memoirs. I thank him for his service, and wish 
him the very best.

                          ____________________