[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 10611-10612]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING COLONEL DAVID J. FURNESS TAKING COMMAND OF THE 1ST MARINE 
                  REGIMENT OF THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DARRELL E. ISSA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 14, 2010

  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel David J. 
Furness on the occasion of his taking Command of the 1st Marine 
Regiment of the 1st Marine Division.
  Colonel Furness was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 16 May 1987 
upon graduating from the Virginia Military Institute. After completing 
the Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course in Quantico, Virginia, 
he reported to the Second Marine Division where he served as a rifle 
platoon commander and 81mm mortar platoon commander with the 3d 
Battalion, 4th Marines and the 2d Battalion, 8th Marines from February 
1988 to September 1991. During this period he participated in a 
contingency deployment to the Republic of Panama and two unit 
deployments to the Mediterranean Sea with the 26th and 24th Marine 
Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). From September 1991 to 
May 1995, he served on the staff of the Basic School as a Staff Platoon 
Commander and a Tactics Instructor for both the Basic Officer and 
Infantry Officer Course. In June 1995, he left the Basic School to 
attend the Infantry Officer Advanced Course (IOAC) at Fort Benning, 
Georgia.

[[Page 10612]]

  Colonel Furness served as a Rifle Company Commander and Battalion 
Operations Officer with the 3d Battalion, 7th Marines in 29 Palms, 
California from November 1995 to November 1998.
  In November 1998, he served as the Commanding Officer, Recruiting 
Station Sacramento, until July 2001. In August 2001, he reported to the 
Marine Corps Command and Staff College (CSC) where he graduated and 
earned a Masters of Military Science degree in June 2002. From July 
2002 to January 2003 he attended the School of Advanced Warfighting 
(SAW).
  While a student at SAW, he was ordered TAD to augment the G-3 section 
of the First Marine Division and participated in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom as the Assistant Plans Officer. During April 2003, he retuned 
to SAW, graduated, and in June 2003 reported to the First Marine 
Division and returned to Iraq where he served as the Operations Officer 
of the First Marine Division. In October 2003 he was reassigned as the 
Deputy G3. In January 2004, he returned to Iraq as part of the 
Division's advance party to prepare for the relief-in-place with the 
82d Airborne Division in support of OIF II. He returned to Camp 
Pendleton in April 2004 and assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 1st 
Marines.
  From December 2004 to June 2005, he deployed to the CENTCOM AOR as 
the Commanding Officer of Battalion Landing Team 1/1, the Ground Combat 
Element of the 15th MEU (SOC) and participated in Operation Unified 
Assistance and OIF III in South Baghdad, Iraq. From 20 January to 18 
August 2006 he deployed as Commanding Officer Task Force 1/1, RCT-5 in 
support of OIF 05-07.1 operating principally in the cities of Karmah 
and Western Baghdad, Iraq. In October 2006 he relinquished command and 
assumed the duties of Executive Officer, First Marine Regiment.
  During July 2007, He reported to the National War College as a 
student and was promoted to his current rank. After graduating from the 
National War College in June 2008 he reported to Headquarters Marine 
Corps, Office of Legislative Affairs to serve as the Director, Marine 
Corps Legislative Liaison Office, U.S. House of Representatives.
  He is married to the former Lynda Taylor of Richmond, Virginia. They 
have four children David Jacob (17), Elizabeth (12), Benjamin (8), and 
Zachary (6).
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues please join me in recognizing 
the distinguished career of Colonel David J. Furness serving the United 
States Marine Corps and the People of the United States.

                          ____________________