[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12760-12761]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING COLONEL ADELE E. HODGES, USMC ON THE OCCASION OF HER 
                               RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 1, 2011

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today 
to join the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Cadets of

[[Page 12761]]

America in extending my sincere congratulations to Col. Adele E. Hodges 
as she retires after 33 years of dedicated service to the Marines. A 
Connecticut native, Colonel Hodges has demonstrated a unique dedication 
to the service of our nation and I am proud to have this opportunity to 
recognize her outstanding military career.
  Following her graduation from Southern Connecticut State College, 
Colonel Hodges enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in June of 
1978 and less than a year later was accepted into the Enlisted 
Commissioning Program. Beginning her career in a time when few women 
were entering the military, Colonel Hodges worked diligently to rise 
through the ranks and has built a reputation and record of service that 
is enviable by any standard. Her assignments have taken her to Japan, 
Hawaii, Louisiana, California, and Virginia. She has served at the U.S. 
Naval War College in Rhode Island, the NATO Joint Headquarters North 
East and the NATO Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway. She 
concluded her career assigned to Headquarters United States Marine 
Corps Office of the Inspector General as the Director of Readiness 
Assessments.
  Throughout her military career, Colonel Hodges has been recognized 
with the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 
Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal 
with 3 Stars, and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. To say 
that Colonel Hodges has broken through barriers would be an 
understatement and her home state of Connecticut could not be more 
proud of the extraordinary officer she has become.
  An organization in my home town of New Haven, Connecticut, the Marine 
Cadets of America, owes a debt of gratitude to Colonel Hodges. The 
Marine Cadets is a program that provides at-risk youth with training 
and activities designed to promote awareness of the dangers of drug/
substance abuse and promote pride both in one's self and in one's 
community. It was through the assistance and support of Colonel Hodges 
that the Marine Cadets of America was formally recognized by the 
Corps--a designation that the organization had been seeking for several 
years. For the many marines that volunteer for the program as well as 
the cadets whose lives are changed by their participation, this 
recognition was extremely meaningful. I am honored to have this 
opportunity to thank Colonel Hodges for the personal commitment she 
gave to this effort.
  For both her exemplary service to our nation in the United States 
Marine Corps as well as her personal contributions to our community, I 
am proud to stand today to pay tribute to Col. Adele E. Hodges. Hers is 
a legacy that will continue to inspire others for generations to come 
and I extend my very best wishes to her for many more years of health 
and happiness as she embarks on this new chapter of her life.

                          ____________________