[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16537-16538]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF MAJOR JOHN SHIPE AND HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TIMOTHY J. WALZ

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2012

  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Major 
John Shipe, of the United States Army for his extraordinary dedication 
to duty and service to our Nation. Major

[[Page 16538]]

Shipe will be moving on from his present assignment as a Congressional 
Liaison for the Army to Office of the Secretary of Defense to work on 
Reserve Affairs.
   A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Major Shipe graduated from 
Jacksonville University and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business 
Administration. He later earned a Master's in Legislative Affairs from 
George Washington University. His awards and decorations include: 
Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal 
(1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the 
Parachutist Badge, and the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge 
(Gold).
   Following his graduation from Jacksonville University in May 2001, 
Major Shipe was commissioned in the Army Reserve as a Military Police 
Officer. His first assignment was with 351st Military Police Company in 
Ocala, FL where he served as a Platoon Leader and Company Commander. He 
left his job as an Account manager for the General Electric Company to 
deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 2003 to June 
2004. During his time in the combat zone, he was responsible for 
training Iraqi Security Forces and providing security to convoys 
throughout Southern Iraq. After returning from his tour in Iraq, John 
choose to go onto active duty as an Army Reserve Officer and move to 
Lubbock, Texas where he served in the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion 
from 2006 to 2008. In 2008, John moved to Columbus, Ohio to take 
command of the 342nd Military Police Company. As its commander, Major 
Shipe deployed to Iraq for a second time in 2008. This time John served 
in Tikrit and was partnered with the Iraqi Security Forces for more 
twelve months. Upon completion of his second combat tour, John was 
selected for the prestigious Army Congressional Fellowship Program. 
During his fellowship he was chosen to serve on my staff where he 
utilized his extensive military experience to provide expert advice on 
military and veterans' issues. In May 2011, he arrived in the House 
Army Liaison Division where he assumed his role as a Legislative 
Liaison and continued to honorably serve as a conduit between the Army 
and Congress.
   Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure to work closely with Major Shipe 
over the last few years of his decorated career. On behalf of a 
grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and 
commending Major Shipe for dedicating his life in service to his 
country. For all he and his family, have given and continue to give to 
our country; we are in their debt. We wish him, his wife Kelli, and 
their three children Jacob, John and Kinsley all the best as they 
continue their journey to his next assignment in the United States 
Army.

                          ____________________