[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 20132-20133]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL BENNY LANDRENEAU

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, while we have a bit of quiet time on the 
Senate floor this evening, I thought I would make brief remarks about 
the extraordinary career of MG Benny Landreneau. General Landreneau 
recently retired as the most senior Adjutant General in the Nation, 
with nearly 14 years of service as head of the Louisiana National 
Guard, serving under three Governors, and nearly four decades of 
service to the State of Louisiana and our Nation.
  Over many years I have had the joy and pleasure of calling General 
Landreneau a friend and a colleague and I have worked closely with him 
and the 11,000 members of our Louisiana National Guard. Through the 
September 11 attacks on our country and through Hurricanes Katrina, 
Rita, Gustaf, and Ike and the recent BP oilspill--one of the largest 
environmental disasters in our Nation's history--General Landreneau has 
proven his leadership to the people of Louisiana and our Nation time 
and time again.
  Benny, as he is known by his friends, credits his father with 
inspiring him to serve in the National Guard. His father Joseph Audley 
Landreneau was a World War II veteran and engineering soldier and a 
combat veteran. Benny, who grew up in Vidrine, LA, chose to follow in 
his father's footsteps and quickly rose through the ranks in the 
Louisiana National Guard.
  As a young man, in 1969 he enlisted as a light weapons infantryman in 
the 773rd Maintenance Battalion. Two and a half years later he 
graduated from Officer Candidate School and became a second lieutenant 
platoon leader as part of the 3671st Maintenance Company. From those 
very early beginnings in the National Guard, he progressed rapidly 
through the ranks.
  During his time with the Guard, General Landreneau was part of 
several major campaigns, including a deployment during Desert Storm. 
During the first gulf war General Landreneau and his 527th Engineer 
Battalion were tasked with any number of important missions, including 
the No. 1 mission for the gulf war commander himself, GEN Fred Franks.
  General Franks needed an unmanned aerial vehicle landing strip built 
immediately, so he knew who to call to get that job done. He called 
Benny Landreneau and his battalion. Need I say that it was done, I am 
sure, under budget and before time.
  After the 527th returned to the command headquarters, General Franks 
called General Landreneau to thank him for what he did, which was 
extraordinary, and asked the general what he could do as a return 
favor. Without blinking an eye, General Landreneau just said:

       Sir, please, if you could get us home for Mother's Day, it 
     would be appreciated.

  So all of the mostly guys were home from other States--some women in 
the battalion as well--and they were thrilled to be home with their 
parents.
  In 1996, shortly after the gulf war, General Landreneau retired from 
the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources where he served 
also as a State conservationist for almost 30 years. Since that time, 
he has taken the National Guard in Louisiana from a strategic reserve 
force to an operational force that continues to lead the Nation both on 
and off the battlefield, and I will talk about off the battlefield in 
just a minute.
  General Landreneau was quoted as saying:

       The Louisiana National Guard soldiers and airmen are part 
     of the finest National Guard in America. It is their 
     dedication and professionalism, their commitment and their 
     hard work that has made the Louisiana National Guard the 
     finest guard in America. The Louisiana National Guard has 
     performed in such an outstanding matter in accepting these 
     new challenges of being an operational force and responding 
     to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and deploying throughout 
     the world when called on and, at the same time, being able to 
     take up the work of their State emergencies--


[[Page 20133]]


  Which have been too numerous to count--

     and being able to respond to the citizens of this State in an 
     outstanding fashion.

  This is due in part, I say, to his leadership and vision.
  General Landreneau has also been instrumental in implementing one of 
the most phenomenal programs in our country: the Louisiana National 
Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. It is part of the National Youth 
ChalleNGe Program. This is what I mean by off-the-battlefield expertise 
as well as on-the-battlefield expertise.
  Some years ago--I think about 15--when General Conway was the general 
for the National Guard, he helped to start this program that now has 
graduated over 100,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 18 who 
are unfortunately drifting from the straight and narrow path. They 
haven't ended up in prison yet, but they are headed that way. They have 
given up on themselves. They have gotten into a little bit of trouble 
and need a second chance. This program offers them that chance.
  Under General Landreneau's leadership, we run three of the dozens of 
programs operating in the United States. I might say we run the best 
three, having been granted and acknowledged with awards in ceremonies 
for many years in Louisiana and having graduated the largest number of 
young people. This has been done because of General Landreneau's 
extraordinary commitment to the citizens of our State and to the young 
people of our State and the respect he has of his rank and file for 
these men and women to go beyond their regular duties and 
responsibilities and step up and say: There is an epidemic in America. 
Our dropout rate is too high. What can the National Guard do, in 
addition to everything else they do both abroad and at home, to help? 
It is extraordinary.
  His grandchildren and his children are proud of him. I know he is 
very proud of them.
  He has assembled over the last 14 years arguably the most tested 
staff in the Nation. He is being succeeded as Adjutant General by GEN 
Glenn Curtis, who has served as General Landreneau's right-hand man for 
the last 6 years. It is the hallmark of his leadership that General 
Landreneau leaves his staff ready to step up, ready to serve, and ready 
to continue the excellent service they have given to the people of our 
State and our Nation. Although General Curtis will bring his own brand 
of leadership to the National Guard, there is no doubt, as he has said 
to me many times, he has learned at the elbow of GEN Benny Landreneau.
  In conclusion, I would like to personally, on behalf of the people of 
our State, thank GEN Benny Landreneau for his many years of service and 
dedication to the people of Louisiana and our country. I want him to 
know he has positively impacted our State in ways that will long be 
remembered. The people of Louisiana are grateful for his service and 
for his dedication, and we honor his admirable career in the National 
Guard.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor and suggest the absence 
of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Begich). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator 
Whitehouse and I be permitted to engage in a colloquy.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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